Saturday, September 20, 2014

Silly Questions Got me in Trouble by Vicki Batman


Some of you may be wondering who these singers are; however, once upon a time, they were the rage. I am familiar with them and some of their songs, particularly Tom’s “What’s New Pussycat?”

What do these singers have to do with me? I knew you’d ask. Lol

Several years ago, I was returning from a funsister trip with girlfriends when one of them suggested playing car games. (Yes, we groaned.) We were pooped—champagne, late nights, cake, laughs, movies, chocolate, and shopping. The fun things girls do!

So with minimal coaxing, we each took a turn answering. My reply was Englebert as I thought he seemed sexier and Tom was wilder. My other friends picked Tom. Guess they were wilder!

Then my friend tossed out this question: Write the opening paragraph of a book, using the word window.

Panic set in. I am not a spontaneous writer. And if I had some spontaneity, I wanted it to be stellar. So the others—thankfully—went first, giving me time to try to pull something together. My turn came, and all eyes rotated to me. Yikes! I still had nothing. Nothing nothing. So I shrugged.
My friend said that I could write something the following week and email it. Put on the spot, I agreed because I knew my galpals: they would hold me to it.

Two days later after I’d mega cleaned my house because my men had trashed it, I found a bit of time to sit and try. Hands poised over the keyboard, I thought and wrote the word window. Then came:

A blinding red-white, red-white strobe, reflected in my brand new Wrangler’s rearview mirror, seized my attention. The police. I tossed my hands skyward, ready to surrender. I shouldn’t have been too surprised.

I liked that—a lot. So I kept picking and piddling and editing and revising and lo and behold, I had eight chapters. Ohmygolly! But what does one do with eight chapters?

I phoned my game friend and asked her to lunch. I explained what I’d done and how I felt and here you go. Panic and surprised washed over her face, but she took the disc and went home.

Two days later, she was back, returning my disc. She said two words, “Keep going.”

I was shocked. But I did. And finished. And learned. And grew. I busted boundaries I’d locked inside of me for a very long time.

When my son was small, Handsome and I had visited a secondhand bookstore because I wanted more Dick Francis mysteries. I’d just discovered him and adored his style. Handsome asked why I liked them so. I confessed my deepest desire, “I wish I could write like him.”

I don’t write like Dick Francis, mostly because I know squat about horses. I write like me—funny and packed with emotion. That is what’s in Temporarily Employed.

And with great glee, my friend is taking all the credit.


Has a friend ever prompted you to pursue a secret desire?

To read more and pre-order click here


Vicki Batman
Sassy writer of sexy and funny fiction
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ipdLkv
http://vickibatman.blogspot.com

14 comments:

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

oops, in case you are wondering, the singers are Englebert Humperdink and Tom Jones!

Mary Gillgannon said...

Very fun post. I enjoyed immensely. I'd go for Tom Jones myself. Loved it when he spoke in Welsh at the end of his show. I'm totally dating myself, but really, I was still almost a child back then.

And I loved that this was the beginning of your writing career. Very cool.

D'Ann said...

I'm on the Tom Jones side of the aisle! This is so timely! As you may see on Facebook, I'm crushing HUGE on Kid Rock. My sister said "Write a story about him." Huh? I write cowboys. But, why not? I am, and it's the most fun I've had lately!
Love this post!

Barbara Rae Robinson said...

I was definitely a Tom Jones fan. Though I did have some Englebert Humperdink cassettes too.

Barb

Phyllis said...

Interesting post. Perhaps you need more challenges!

I don't care much for either singer actually. Micheal McDonald is who stirs my writing imagination.

And I enjoyed TE from the beginning!

Anonymous said...

Neither of those singers was on my hit list, so to speak. I can only remember one song by either one of them, "What's New Pussycat?" And that was a pretty dumb song.

I love the way your paragraph with "window" in it turned out. Lots of good stuff in a few words!

Google warned me I'd have to sign in again. Since I have no idea what my password is, I chose "anonymous."
--Lyn Washington

Angela Adams said...

If you take some of EH's qualities and merge them with some of TJ's traits, you'd have the perfect man. Once in a while, I still listen to TJ's CDs.

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Mary! and thank you so much. I go with the "almost a child" phrase. That's hilarious.

Hi, D'Ann! I think you should write about Kid Rock. There was a song he sang a while back, I think a duet, and was so nice. Thanks for posting.

Hi, Barbara! LOL. My mom adored Englebert.

Hi, Phyllis! As you probably remember, I'm a huge Michael Buble fan now. And we share the same birthday. lol. Thank you for loving my book. Means a lot.

Hi, Lyn! Did you know Burt Bacharach wrote Pussycat? LOL

Hi, Angela! Excellent idea to merge. I'd never thought of that. I have to say, I've never had CDs, cassettes, or their records. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs!

Melissa Keir said...

Congrats on the release. It sounds like a winner. I never got into those two singers. Neil Diamond seemed more my style!

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Melissa! Big Neil Diamond fan. Did I say he had the room across the hall from Handsome and moi a long time ago?

Anonymous said...

I will date myself and say I remember The Tom Jones TV show.;-)

Karilyn Bentley said...

Loved the post Vicki! Keep on writing, I love your books!

Anonymous said...

I'm still laughing about this: "Two days later after I’d mega cleaned my house because my men had trashed it ..." :-D Congrats on your book--and clean house!!!
Janice

Harlie Williams said...

I have to agree with Melissa. Neil Diamond for me. :)

Congratulations on the new release.

Marika