Throwback to my life as a writer from 2013 as documented in Once Upon a Novelist:
The Pumpkin Patch
Last weekend, I was out for a nice leisurely drive with my family and had a chance to just stare out the window for a half hour or so just taking in the scenery: the rocky brown terrain of inland Southern California climbed gently over the recently burned out slopes to reach mini-mountain elevations…
Okay, well, truthfully – we were on our way to the pumpkin patch with an over-tired 18 month old singing her version of the Barney theme song, the digital shooting sounds of a 10 year old on a Star Wars DS game, and an ornery 8 year old complaining of hunger and heat. (In her defense, it was 92 degrees at the pumpkin patch, so maybe she was hot.) But regardless of the chatter and noise, I DID manage to get 30 minutes sitting still and looking out the window. I wasn’t handing over cheerios or lathering sun screen on bare arms.
I was just sitting.
And what I realized while looking out the window was that I love scenery. Now my husband would call me a liar because I am rarely moved by the view from a skyscraper or the view from a cliff overlooking a lush, green valley…and, frankly, I never knew why.
Why am I not in awe of these inspiring views when I truly love beautiful places?
Scenery is more than a view!
What I discovered was that I don’t love a good view. I love scenery. I love driving through an area and picturing how people live there. I love how scenes float by the car window slowly so that I can draw out the experience and almost become one with it. A view is simply one dimensional to me. But scenery is completely 3D.
I mention this – not so much to ramble on – which I tend to do, but because I realize that most of my ideas for stories come from scenery that is intriguing or places I’ve been that speak to me so strongly that I just HAVE to create characters to experience it for me.
My first novel, Scream Out Loud, was set among the cattle ranches of Oklahoma where I had been just once, but it held so much passion and heart that I had to get back there if only on paper. My current novel is set on the rolling hillsides of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where people live a simpler life…perhaps a nod to my inner need to reduce stress in my life?
I just find it amazing when a piece of my writing process becomes clearer to me – more concrete.
It’s an amazing journey we are on as writers. I’m so glad to be among such great company!