Jessica M. Collette's Blog, page 83

Dreams

Dreams. I’m talking about the ones while you sleep – not your “hopes and dreams” you consciously have while awake. Dreaming, sleep’s form of entertainment, you either have all the time, or you don’t (so I’m told).

I’ve always had many dreams. Luckily, I’m usually able to remember at least some details of most. I find it quite interesting to see what my creative… eclectic… whacky… subconscious conjures up while I’m immersed in the mysterious state of sleep.

Most dreams seem to be a collection of random people and things, those I may have seen, talked with, or heard, during my various travels through daily life. Less commonly, random people (strangers to my awake self) make appearances. They could be a complete fabrication, or possibly some person (or a combination of people) I saw in my travels over the years.  From wherever their origination, my brain takes over, inserting said stranger into spot A, B or C of my dream world.

I’ve also noticed that what I’ve seen on TV, in a movie, or have read, can influence what I dream about. Thank you, Walking Dead and Homeland, for providing the inspiration for my zombies in the White House dream (or is that real life?).

On lucky occasions, dreams seem to have a clear direction and a definitive purpose. Having a visit from a loved one who has passed is a special treat. Particularly when these dreams come on eventful dates or days that you just need a pick me up from the doldrums of the here and now. Even if the dream is a creation of your imagination, (although, sometimes I like to think it is so much more) you wake up feeling blessed with the experience of seeing them again. On the flip side, Aunt Mabel may haunt your dreams if you’ve spent her hard earned dollars on another package from Amazon you do not need! Buyer beware!!!

Still, other dreams can be utterly frustrating. Maybe you don’t get an answer from someone or you never quite get to the destination you are so desperately seeking. Let’s be real, that really isn’t any different than conscious life. Honestly, the roadblocks in “real” life can be all the more infuriating!

So, slowly and meticulously piece together what you get from your dreams and meld it with the reality of life. Between the two, you could get a glimpse of something. After living longer and dreaming more, you just might finally be capable of comprehending what that something is. I mean really, based on some of the crazy dreams we’ve all (or most of us!) have had, did you ever think you had such a grand… speculative… peculiar… imagination? Give yourself credit and dream on… you do!

Ten TV Towns to Remember

Let’s talk about writing… or more specifically, creating fictional characters. Sure, your major character is very important – a veritable guide for your readers – maybe someone they will come to see as a new friend (or quite possibly, foe). Then there are your minor characters, potential friends (or foes) for your major one. Will they converse, fight, or possibly fall in love? They could experience a combination of all of these things throughout the written pages. Maybe one character adds comic relief, where another suffers from unrelenting angst. Depending on the former or latter; they’ll both provide your main character (and your readers) with laughter or headaches. Last (or maybe first, depending on how you write) is the importance of creating the right setting. It is the all-important but never even (that is, if you’re a good story teller!) playing field that these characters will all tread upon. That’s right! The setting is one of the most crucial components that a writer’s mind can dare create.

Settings, more particularly the fictional towns depicted in various TV shows, are an integral part to how successful, well-written characters can perform on the stage they were given. Let’s face it, even the best characters need to exist in the right place. Plenty of TV shows come to mind where the setting was as much, a couple maybe even more so, renowned than some of its characters. Here’s a few that I have watched, am watching or re-watching:

Mayberry – I’m pretty sure, whether you are young or old, you’ve heard of the Andy Griffith Show. Having watched or never watched (in real time, or reruns for me!) we’ve probably all heard of this fictional town. Set in North Carolina, it offered a slow paced lifestyle, perfect for Andy, Opie and Barney Fife, to portray the simple and funny parts of living in a small-town.

Stars Hollow – The quaint Connecticut town portrayed in Gilmore Girls was where Lorelai and Rory delivered their quick repartee as mother and daughter/best friends. Thanks to the New England setting, the scenery reflected the changing seasons. This added to, but never took away from the characters’ fast paced banter.

Sunnydale – A picturesque town in California, it was much more than it seemed. Better known as the Hellmouth (in a lot less horrific and more comical sense than it sounds), this town was mysterious and perky at the same time. The main character, cheerleader Buffy, used a perfect mix of humor and muscle while protecting this town. Sunnydale served as the ideal spot to tell the fun/fantastic tale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Storybrooke – What better place to tell stories about Fairytales? Once Upon a Time… Emma and Henry stumbled upon the small screen and this small town in Maine. As residents in this fantasy land, their lives have never been the same.

Bluebell – Another small town, this one was located in Louisiana. Its quaint quirkiness was perfectly suited for the petite, fast-talking New York Doctor, Zoe Hart, who relocated there in Hart of Dixie.

Rosewood – Set in Pennsylvania, the town is more than a secretive setting for the popular series Pretty Little Liars. Surely, the town is privy to the truth that evades us all as we watch Alison, Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily, deliver lie after lie. One of Rosewood’s biggest secrets – it’s the same set used for Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls!

Charming – Oh, the simple irony! This California town (really – oh, not so charming!) saw a lot of blood from the retribution of Jax Teller and his band of un-merry men on Sons of Anarchy.

Mystic Falls – This town in Virginia may be even a little more sinister than its supernatural stars. From the many loves of Damon and Stefan Salvatore and the eventual (final???) goodbye of Elena Gilbert, it sure has seen its fair share of love triangles, deaths and resurrections. It’s the perfect backdrop for The Vampire Diaries.

Neptune – A kooky place in California that served as the tempting muse for inquisitive Veronica. She stuck her nose in so many of its dark corners and always came out with the story. There was no better place for her to spend her time investigating on Veronica Mars.

Capeside – Famous for a boy’s creek and plenty of teenage angst… that’s right, it was the show Dawson’s Creek. Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Jen, navigated the currents of adolescent hormones in this picturesque Massachusetts town.

So, I hope this has you thinking of settings and how important they really are. What are your favorite fictional towns? What would a fictional town you create look like? Whether it be: quirky, mysterious, dysfunctional, or a place of utopia, it will be exactly what you decide to make it – uniquely yours!

Are you an Observer?

Before you ever wrote one word, firstly, you were an observer. An observer of: your parents; your siblings; your pets; your classmates; your friends; your co-workers; and a plethora of strangers who came and went as suddenly as they appeared. Ultimately, you were an observer of life – all of its shortcomings and triumphs.

Some of you may have embraced being an observer early on, quickly transferring the events and activities of your existence into short stories, poems and even cringe-worthy diaries. Others may have observed early life without the need to record their thoughts on paper, maybe waiting for inspiration to hit later in life, perhaps in college or at the start of a career. Still others, may have gotten lost in the monotony of life and failed to continue practicing this inborn characteristic, as that of an observer, we all once shared. If you’re a part of the last group, I urge you in some way, to get back what once added insight and personalization into the communal here and now. In the process, it will no doubt help ignite what’s hibernating deep within you…your all-important imagination.

Last summer, I got a dreaded letter in the mail, informing me I was being called to jury duty. Of course, my response upon seeing the words on the paper was typical – dread and disdain seeped from my pores at the thought of fulfilling this Civic Duty. Little did I know at the time when I received that letter, my stint as a juror would turn out to be useful… even productive! Standing under the large stone columns in front of the courthouse, I morphed into the epitome of what a juror is; an observer. I watched the comings and goings of lawyers and clients, the interactions of jurors with each other and the scurrying feet of journalists. My imagination took hold of these observations and later my hand began to write the re-worked opening to my then nearly finished novel, Naming the Bits Between. It was an opening scene the book desperately needed and one I would not have imagined without experiencing first-hand those timely observations as a juror, all while performing that dreaded task of Civic Duty.

To me, observing and writing go hand in hand. It seems all too important to jot down what you see, when you see it. It can even be fun to go back and re-live the world how your former (younger; naïve; dare I say stupid!) self may have seen it. You may even get a good chuckle at your ingenuous thoughts and views, wishing your current self could reach through the pages and set your prior immature thinking straight. So, in the New Year ahead: observe, observe, and when you think you’re done; observe some more. Then write, write, and when you think you’re done, write (and always, edit) some more. Whether you journal, blog, write fiction or non-fiction books (or all of the above for the over-achievers out there…you know who you are!) get writing and typing. Write for: The You from yesterday; The You of today; and The You of tomorrow (just remember – this last one can’t wait to set the naïve thoughts of the current You straight).

The bottom line is…observe and write! Write so that your own, personal, unique observations, are out there for the world to read. And, just as importantly, read! Read, so you can learn different perspectives as they have been recorded by other observers!

Photo By Flavio Takemoto

All I Want for Christmas is a Sweet Tooth

Flat, square, oblong or round;

Plenty of cookies can be found.

Rolled dough, decorated by hand.

Some cut into shapes; a gingerbread man.

Dusted with powdered sugar; kissed with love.

A few nuts; sprinkled from above.

Domes, with secrets inside;

Bright, red cherries, do hide.

So many choices, festive treats;

Icing drips down these tasty sweets.

Tray after tray, into the oven they go.

Onto the next, we roll out more dough.

Mix, form, repeat;

We work together, yet at our own beat.

How many we will make;

Final count revealed, after they bake.

Enticing scents, drift through the air.

Cookies are done; please, pull up a chair.

Tradition shared; the fruits of our labor.

Seasonal favorites; for all to savor.

 

 

 

 

Image courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Quilt of Memories

I’ve always loved quilts. They’re so homey and comforting. Their rustic charm, yet intricate design, hits an artistic spot that few things in life can. The best of both worlds: true artisanship meets retro simplicity.

Our first Christmas after we lost our son, I received my favorite quilt from my husband. Embellished in a patchwork of fabric more precious to me than gold, each square and rectangle ignites: a thought, a memory, and a fount of emotion. What once clothed my son, now adorns this precious keepsake. Rather than tucked away in boxes in the basement, lost to the darkness of the room and my mind, his re-purposed clothes remain vibrant and present, welcoming and warming.

It stays draped over my love seat all year round. As the cold weather moves in, as it inevitably does this time of year in New England, so does the commonplace spot for this special quilt. As I lift it and drape myself in its warmth, it is not just my cold fingers and toes that it warms.

Most affected by its loving presence is my soul. Grieving and healing, two things only the sands of time dare tackle, allow cherished memories to overshadow unthinkable tragedy. Despite periodic clogs in the hourglass by tears shed, as time trickles on, the warmth provided by my special quilt continues to become dearer and dearer to my heart.

Although I can’t hold him, wrapping myself in what once hugged and kept him warm and happy, soothes my soul.

Now on Kindle!

Hi folks – I recently announced the publication of my new novel, Naming The Bits Between. I am pleased to say the Kindle version is now also available on Amazon.com. Happy reading!

A Novel

Publication Day!

It seemed like this day would never come! After countless hours spent: writing, editing, re-writing, re-editing, designing, and after one final, gut-wrenching, proofing…it has arrived. Today, my debut novel is available for so many other eyes to peruse its pages. I can let the two tired ones I call my own, rest. Let me tell you though, boy was it re-energizing to see the finished product! Even more amazing was holding the physical book in my hands – it was a strange, yet simply magical, thing!

If you’ve every thought of writing a book, do it! It is a sometimes torturous path (reading your own words one more time will make you want to pull your hair out) but the many benefits, far outweigh the scattered headaches in between. For me, I’ve always loved to write, but it just so happened that my road to publishing was paved by tragedy. After losing my son, I sought out a new purpose…an attempt to fill a void that I knew all too well, I would not be able to fill with anything. Second by second, the clock ticked on. I matched the movement of the minute and the hour hands with words, which turned into sentences, paragraphs and eventually pages. What resulted (I so hope you agree!) is a realistic, yet inspirational story about finding a new path, after life diverts you from the one you once knew.

I would love it if you’d check out my debut novel Naming The Bits Between. That’s all for now; off to write my next one!

You’ve Got Mail!

 

We’ve all heard laughter is good (sometimes the best) medicine. In our current world of upheaval and uncertainty of what tomorrow holds, it is that much more important to embrace moments of happiness, lightheartedness and humor, now more than ever.

A recent example of recognizing all opportunities to break through the seemingly endless bombardment of bad news whether it be from the media, your family, or your doctor, came to me on an unsuspecting routine trip to the mailbox.

As has become expected (we have a semi-disgruntled mail delivery person) our mailbox was stuffed with a package that would have been better delivered to our front step. Instead, it was crammed inside and left to stick precariously out of the box with the door unable to shut. I tugged on the protruding cardboard, attempting to dislodge it from our wobbly mail receptacle (the past victim of a random hit and run). Unable to get an adequate grip on the jammed box, I stepped to the side to try a more advantageous angle. That’s when it happened. My eyes saw red lettering, just as my hands gripped the smooth brown package.

3 inches longer! Plumber’s butt fixed adorned the box. Laughter immediately escaped my gaping mouth as I paused to reflect on what I was seeing. The way the box had been stuffed inside, this statement was perfectly framed for all the cars driving by to see it as well. I dislodged the box and laughed some more at the depiction of a plumber kneeling down, a bold red arrow pointing to the fact he had a fully covered butt!

Examining the other funny statements and characters on the box, made me think that possibly the mail person has a better sense of humor than I give them credit for. Maybe they chuckled to themselves as they placed the box just so, with the funny statement visible to make me and others smile. For now (or at least until the next mishandled mail delivery) I think I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. As for Duluth Trading Co, thank you for providing unique and entertaining marketing. The smile on my face (and the box jammed inside my mailbox) is evidence you are doing something right!

A Deconstructed Photo

 

 

 

Bright, radiating and buxom; dynamic rays aim down.

Vibrant, azure and expansive; an expertly painted backdrop.

Fluffy, white and scattered; performing a whimsical dance.

Vast, chilled and merciless; never-ending, crashing below.

Rigid, harsh and constructed; laboring strength to display the next.

Designed, forged and formed; enticingly intricate scrollwork.

Natural, sketched and reflected; a transient vision.

 

The sun.

The sky.

The clouds.

The ocean.

The stone column.

The steel design.

The shadow.

More than a Flash in the Pan

Are you the kind of person to see more than the tangible nature of normal, everyday things? I’ll start out by admitting right away – I am! From things that go bump in the night, to a fluttering butterfly that saunters by and seems to linger near my shoulder just a little too long, I notice it all. I guess it helps that I am a very detail oriented person (not much gets past me – that’s good or bad, depending on your point of view).

Maybe it all started with an active imagination as a child. Growing up in rural, scenic Vermont, playtime always consisted of some type of made up game, its rules and dynamic privy only to us wide-eyed children who created it. Whether taming and riding a Palomino pony with a silky long mane and tail, or spending hours in a magical kingdom made of grass, milkweed and wildflowers galore, transformation of the natural world was quite easy. After all, weren’t we all a little more open to what could be, when we were children?

Although the busyness of life has somewhat dulled our senses and altered our perceptions, I am still curious. It doesn’t take much for me to see a shape in a cloud or a face on a tree. Perhaps “real” everyday life as most of us see it, is somewhat dull on the surface level. I’ve always adhered to the notion that there must be more. More that we cannot see, perceive or understand. I can’t help but feel that idea is indeed true every time I see the amazing photos relayed to us from the Hubble Telescope, which shows us glimpses, further and further out into the cosmos.

Since I won’t be visiting space anytime soon, I will continue to enjoy the heavens’ majesty through photographs and will instead decipher what is presented right in front of me. Most recently, would you believe some smiley faces in my cooking pan? That’s right, I said it! I told you not much gets past me, not even when the minutia of the day has worn me down and the commonplace task of making dinner is at hand…again. The smiling faces do not appear every time, in reality I’ve only seen them three times (so as a percentage that’s probably about 1% of the times I have cooked).

The first one came on a particularly tough day. It was a day I was greatly missing my son. It was one of those unforeseen times that hits you like a ton of bricks and pulls you down into the grips of grief. It was a place that felt so commonplace 2 ½ years ago when he died. As all of you know who have lost a loved one, those unexpected moments are inevitable and never get easier. The friendly gesture made by the olive oil in my frying pan had perfect timing. I saw it immediately and wasted no time capturing it with my camera. It was amazing, whimsical and just what I needed.

Call it coincidence, matrixing (perceiving random patterns as something else), a God-wink, a much needed hello from someone you miss, or a fabrication of a creative mind, but please, call it something. If it is hard for you to see past surface level living, I urge you to try. Trust me, it makes life much more interesting and it opens the world up; the world you thought you knew, is really so much more.