Phase I to Short Story Submission

As our first deadline approached and minutes clicked away to April 8, I luckily was sucked up into a whirlwind of inspirational story spinning.  I spent approximately 3 or 4 days absorbed and consumed and as a result placed several black letters on ivory paper.  Life of course caused a major “writus interuptus” and it has been several days since I was in that zone.  My piece has sat but I made the Phase I of our joint deadline submission to have;  plot, character, POV.   
Big breath in ………. And out………. So here it goes;
The story takes place in a stairwell in a 12 story tenement in Redding, a small town, in 1958.  The main character, Rosalie is 47 years old in search of her first son, Jack, whom she has traced to an apartment on the 8th floor.  Rosalie is a very strong woman in spirit and will and has survived a hard life on a rural farm, raising 7 other children.   Widowed in the last several years, she took on a career as an in-home nurse in her rural community to support her family and farm.  She was raised by an indifferent father and an abusive mother, Ruth, who made Rosalie give up her first son.   Another supplemental character to Rosalie is her Aunt Addie, who gives Rosalie hope and survival skills to handle an abusive mother intent on “ridding” Rosalie of her first son. 
In Rosalie’s climb to meet her adult son for the first time, she encounters a man who provides for her the will to continue and see the hope in her conquest; one she takes with much anxiety and fear. 
A conquest that will reunite mother and son for the first time in 32 years. 

The POV is third person omniscient. 
Now, if I can get the story to pull together!!! 
If you have your idea drafted, please share here! 

The Part-Time Writer with Full-Time Obligations (and Material)

I seriously thought about retirement last year and anticipated, envisioned even planned for September 2012.  My husband and I had lengthy discussions, even announced the news to the boys and family.  Well, things change. 

I read an article today in the April edition of "The Writer" magazine; "Why I don't want to quit my day job" by Jacob M. Appel, an instructor at Gotham Writers' Workshop in New York City.  He also happens to be a full-time practicing physician at Mount Sinai Hospital. 

This article parallels many of my thoughts as I second guess my decision to leave my career as a police lieutenant and possibly teach, workout, finish various home projects, WRITE and be there for my kids at every turn.  Then I honestly began thinking, when I am done with those projects, tired of teaching, waiting for my kids to get off the bus (and quite possibly heading directly to their friend's house down the street leaving me standing waving "see ya"), I would WRITE!!! Of course!!! 

About------  well, house projects I have completed, the various aerobics classes I have taken, teaching security-police-rules of evidence type classes and saying hello and then goodbye to my boys as they head off to spend time with someone besides mom.  Not very interesting material to form and mold into a readable much less enjoyable story. 

I have a very vivid imagination however science fiction is not my cup of tea.  Therefore I get most of my material from actual events (non-fiction) experienced or witnessed in police work or stories I fictionalize from real life.  That is also why I believe in the position taken in this literary article by Jacob Appel where he states, "A writer's non-writing professional life often provides an excellent source of material that she knows well....."  I also believe life experience can also parlay into great "story".  So for those without a saucy work life to draw ideas, at least with a tenured life (notice the carefully chosen word, tenured) on this earth you would have experienced ample amount of "life" and relationships to garner worthwhile story telling. 

So, for now there are no plans to retire.  Those plans have been tabled for several reasons, writing being only a personal one. 

So to all those Part-Time Writers with Full-Time Obligations (ahem.....) Material,
Onward!!

April 8: Our deadline to have character, plot, POV anything you wish to share for the competition!! 

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I figured things out late in life, like what I wanted to do, getting married (age 30), having kids, (36 and 38) and changing degrees about 3 times. Now as a cop of 19 years and in my mid 40's, I am finally figuring out some things. My first career or dream of becoming a writer is playing more in my head and daily life than ever. I love it. Thus the blog. It is all mine. I also love being a mother. They are all ours. I love my husband and as a cop, wow.. have I seen some things. Street degree. I got it. Let us learn together. I also am on She Writes.