by Kaye George
If you want to get a whole lot of responses online, just
post that you’re sick and feeling lousy. I did that recently and was astonished
at how many other people seem to have the same lingering malady that I’ve had
for most of December. I’m writing this the end of December and am not really
feeling very much better. (I’m seeing the doctor again in a few days, though.)
However, my horoscope the day I’m writing this, December 31st,
gives me hope.
Priorities and fantasies. Hm, this assumes they’re wildly
different. But bringing them together sounds like a good thing, right?
One priority is to get healthy. Another is to meet my
upcoming deadlines. Maybe my priority is to get things published and my fantasy
is to sell a million of each short story and novel. Yes, bringing them together
would be a very good thing! Especially since I have a new series starting in
March and have high hopes, even fantasy aspirations.
Since I started this essay with the health thing, I should
relate it to my writing.
That’s easy. It’s all material! I haven’t used this awful
malady (coughing, runny nose, no energy) yet, but you can bet I will. My
characters do end up suffering whatever I’ve recently gone through, somehow.
I had a horrible cold when I wrote the short story
“Handbaskets, Drawers, and a Killer Cold” so my main character, a Chicago cop,
did too. I felt so awful when I wrote it, but I think I put a lot of realism
into it because it was nominated for Best Short Story Agatha Award that year
(2009).
Another time I stubbed my toe. Actually, I broke it and it
gave me all kinds of problems. So my character, stubbed her toe, too, and it
gave her lots of problems.
The cold theme came up again for a character. She had my
cold, of course. This was Chase Oliver in the third Fat Cat book, FAT CAT TAKES
THE CAKE. I was able to play it for comedy this time, rather than misery, as in
the above short story. Everyone she knew let her know exactly what she should do
for her malady, and some of the advice conflicted. (That’s actually based on my
experiences, too.)
Anyway, I HOPE everyone who has been suffering through this
month-long upper respiratory yuck is soon (or already) fine and that 2020 will
prove to be a much better year for all of us.
above photo from morguefile.com by Fidler Jan
priorities and fantasies! I like it. Right now the puppy and I have different priorities: his is chewing woodwork and mine is deadlines.
ReplyDeleteI've got the bug now, too, Kaye! Priority: GET WELL. Arghhh.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Margaret, with the conflicting goals. Carla, my sympathy and commiseration!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that your various maladies have given you fodder for your books. Shows they are good for something. Hope you feel better soon. Going into week four of my cold, I beginning to think I may survive. Happy new year.
ReplyDeleteGrace, my doctor's daughter is in her 5th week and I think I'm in my 4th. I hope we all clear up before the 2 months that some people are having this!
ReplyDeleteHope everybody's feeling better! Will I jinx myself by saying that, so far, I have eluded this one?
ReplyDeleteI think (hope) I have a certain immunity to a number of these maladies from working in high risk environments (prisons--extensive interaction in a very crowded environment with inmates from all over, and a public alternative school with a high homeless population) where I was exposed & either got a mild version or managed to shrug off various infirmities.
Now watch. I will probably be down with the flu-from-hell next week.
I hereby remove any jinx you may have invoked! Vanished! I do think exposure over time is more effective than a lot of other preventive measures. The super flu shot sure didn't do it. IF this is flu. No one wants to define it.
ReplyDeleteOh, feel better, Kaye! I loved your Chicago cop story. I wonder when my broken wrist will show up on a character. Hum. Wait. I DO know.
ReplyDeleteFeel better, Kaye!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kait and Susan. It's getting better very gradually!
ReplyDeleteWishing you Healthy New Year, Kaye. And my characters tend to suffer the same ailments as either I have or my husband has. I figure, we had to deal with the pain so we might as well USE it for something beneficial, right?
ReplyDeleteRight, Annette! No suffering for nothing!
ReplyDelete