You survived, for the most part. You navigated through another holiday season of chaos, family, warm wishes, overeating, debt causing, fuzzy moments, and anything else you can throw into weeks of preparation that inevitably ends and disappears quicker than a fart in a tornado. Congratulations are in order, right after the leftovers are reheated for the 6th time and those 600lbs. of trash stuffed into two bags is taken to the curb, or recycled.
Now, comes the quiet, the silence, the eerie whispers of a job well done, of a family satisfied, of spirits returning to the afterlife having visited or haunted whomever they needed to tend to during Santa’s speed run over our planet. You finally have a chance to breathe, to take it all in, to wipe your brow. After all is said and done, it’s take for you brave warrior of the Xmas army, it’s your time to read and write with reckless abandon!
This week’s image comes from the captainkimo.com website and represents that morning glow of serene beauty that comes after the build up and subsequent release of holiday madness. I really enjoy it because to me, it’s like the last scene of a horror film, the final few seconds where we see the heroine, the victor finally stand up from the fight and make their way to safety. You all know exactly what I’m referring to, in movies it’s that last few frames of hauntingly romantic music with glowy screen edges and the sense of “yes, I survived” seeping into every inch of screen space. In some films, of course, this is where the villain/monster/mother-in-law makes one final grab for the lone survivor, but we’ll just ignore all that, this time. In books, it’s the wrap-up, the conclusion, the “happy ending” or just the “happy ending for now” minus the visuals.
Take a moment over the next few days and see for yourself in your hometown, city, or route to work. That feeling, that sense of magic leaving, spirits continuing on, the collective sigh of Christmas finally being over as everyone gears up to kick 2017 in the ass as they welcome 2018 with open arms. If writing, add those moments of beautiful silence or release into your work. They not only mark the moment when the book is drawing to a close, but it can also represent your characters’ epiphany moment or that moment when your heroine finally understands everything, what everything was for, why, the who, the how, and the what next. Remember what it feels like for you the next morning after Xmas has finally clicked onto the 26th, utilize it, love it, feel it!
These posts will be about showcasing a random picture I find in the hopes of inspiring others to create ideas for their writing. I have found that generating a quick 1-3 sentence scenario, a blurb, a scene, or a full novel concept based on a random picture has worked wonders in opening up the floodgates to new ideas and enjoyment in the world of fiction. It is my hope that others will find these images and possibly be inspired to jump into the wild world of writing and become the author they always wanted to be.
Without further ado, our 16th entry!-
Photo Credit: https://captainkimo.com/
Like it or hate it? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think! Write, Love, Read, and Share!
-Kester Finley
The Bearded Scribbler 