Confession of a Freelance Writer

A cold, blustery wind blew from the west, sneaking its way through the crevices in my hundred year old farmhouse. Earlier that day I’d bustled the children off to school and hubby off to work. A rare day with no call from the school to substitute and no place to go until that evening, I was home alone. With just the dog and a steaming cup of coffee to keep me company and keep me warm, I snuggled on the couch with my laptop and wrote. And wrote some more.

The blowing wind and the hum of my computer masked the crunch of tires on gravel. Suddenly the hair on the dog’s back went up and then came a thundering knock on the back door. My heart hammered with panic and I shushed the dog, remaining completely still. He’ll go away if he thinks no one is home. There was no way I was answering that door. I was still in my pajamas…and it was 2 o’clock. In. The. Afternoon.

There’s a dirty little confession for you. Sometimes when I’m home alone and the day looms gray and drab and my calendar is blessedly empty, I get involved in my writing and just don’t bother to change into something more professional. It appears I’m not the only one.

At the same time that clothing companies are catering to teenagers and adults who like to wear their jammies every day, all day long, some opponents are raising an outcry. Some rail against the public wearing of pajamas calling it everything from slovenly (saying if you’re dressed for bed you won’t be at your best) to a health hazard (because people usually don’t shower before they put on nightclothes and bacterial infections could lead to death—seriously, this is what someone argued!). They wonder what will become of our nation if we permit people to wear their pj's in public. Will underwear be acceptable next? Maybe we’ll become so lazy as to not wear clothing at all? I think not. (And for the record, when my kids were little and we had “Pajama Day”, they always took a bath that night and changed into clean jammers. Take that, Commissioner Williams!)

Michael Williams (see health hazard reference above), a Louisiana parish commissioner ,even went so far as to negate the wearing of nightclothes in public by proposing a law. (At this writing it has been put to bed for the time-being.) How would you like that job added to your list of duties if you were a Louisiana police officer? Upholding the peace, responding to emergencies, risking your life, and barring the wearing of bedclothes.

I won’t be sporting my sleepwear to the grocery, the bank, or my child’s sporting event. But to say that people who don’t change out of their nightshirts into neckties are lazy or unproductive? To this I say, “Hogwash!” If I can get an entire day’s worth of work or writing done, not dirty more laundry, and stay comfy in my flannels that’s a win-win-win. The only thing I can’t do is answer the door to the UPS guy.

Nikki Studebaker Barcus

Those Not-So-Little Moments of Life

Life's "little" moments are sometimes not so little, after all. I'm talking about those events that give you incredible encouragement or joy--at unexpected times, in unexpected ways or perhaps involving someone unexpected. Let me give you an example. I enjoyed my second book signing ever yesterday at the church where I grew up (and my mom still attends). A woman came over to the table, whipped off her sunglasses and introduced herself. She said, "I was your high school typing teacher." Well, sure enough, she was. I smiled and waved my hand at the stack of books and told her, "As you can see, I haven't stopped since. Thank you."

What was so gratifying (besides her telling me she'd read my first book and wants to read my second) was when she told me, "I've always remembered you. I gave the class an assignment to type one paragraph telling about a favorite Thanksgiving memory. You wrote the sweetest sentiment, and it touched my heart." She went on to say how it didn't surprise her in the least when I became a writer. Seeing her and hearing that story touched MY heart. A short while later, going through the luncheon line, the woman at the checkout said, "Well, hello there, Famous Authoress." I looked over my shoulder to see if she meant someone else. She laughed. "I meant YOU, JoAnn." Those two moments yesterday were surprising and unexpected, but they are two of those wonderful "little" moments that will stick with me for a long time, thus making them pretty BIG. A few hours, and two unexpected memories.

Of course, the very sweetest of moments are those involving my children, and they transcend anything concerning my writing, as passionate as I am about it. My son, Matthew, is 15 now and high-functioning autistic (Aspergers Syndrome). When he was six, we took him to an esteemed child developmental psychologist in Boston who basically told us to have his IQ tested and questioned Matthew's mental capabilities. We're his parents, and we knew better; he's incredibly bright but learns differently than other children. When our son recently brought home his first report card from high school, it was all A's and B's. He made higher grades in freshman biology and math than I did way back when. I received an e-mail from his biology teacher last week telling me he'd received the highest grade on a recent test for the second time running! Even more gratifying? The comments from his teachers on his report card. Things like, "Great kid, the light of the classroom, Matthew makes my day . . ." You see, Matthew has the love of Jesus Christ in his heart. For a person with autism, he's atypical in being highly social. He expresses love to others both verbally and in unspoken ways. At times, his peers and adults don't know how to respond to Matthew since he will say and do things they don't expect. But, I tell you what: my son touches hearts. If you met him today, he'd ask your name and find out about you (if you'd let him). Even if you didn't see him for another couple of years, he'd still remember your name, where he'd met you and what he'd learned from you. And he'd ask how you're doing. And say, "I love you." Matthew amazes me every single day, and I have no doubt the Lord has great plans for my son. In his 15 short years, he's made an impact on many and provides me with a treasureload of those unexpected, incredibly precious memories.

In terms of writing, I like to infuse the plots of my books with similar "little" moments to intersperse with the bigger events. It makes a book resonate with readers when they can identify with the characters and their situation. What may be seemingly mundane or even silly to some may be poignant and meaningful to you or someone else. In writing contemporary romance, if I can touch the emotions and the hearts of my readers, they'll want to keep reading (and hopefully pick up the next book). I think that's true in most genres, don't you? It doesn't have to be anything big or significant, but simply a kind word, a sweet gesture, or a good deed, in an unexpected place from an unexpected source--that ultimately can mean so much.

What "little" moments of life have you had in recent days? Please share with us! I, for one, would love to hear about them!

Blessings, my friends. Matthew 5:16

JoAnn is the author of the popular contemporary romantic adventure, Awakening, and its follow-up, Second Time Around, both published by Torn Veil Books. She is an estate administration paralegal in Louisville, Kentucky, and lives with her husband and three children in southern Indiana. Visit her at www.joanndurgin.com.