A New Perspective

Write on Edge Prompt: This week we’re going to play Victor/Victoria. If you typically write from the male perspective, switch it up to the female. And if you generally write female, go for the male.

We’re going to keep it short. As difficult as that can be for the more verbose of us, myself included, it makes it far easier to visit the more links and share our thoughts and opinions. So, let’s go for a nice, easy 300 words.


Here's my take on this week's prompt.  Now I know it isn't quite what the prompt said, but I wanted to do something a little different.  I frequently write from both male and female points of view - but I usually do so from an adult perspective.  So I decided that, rather than changing just the gender point of view, I shifted the age as well.

And yes, it will all fit into Shawn's story in the end.  I promise.

He looked up when shadows tumbled into the room.  The man standing in the front door was huge, like the soldiers on his Saturday morning vids.  Eyes wide, he dropped the toy fighters and ran into the back room.

“Mama!”

“What is it, Kier?” she looked up from the washing machine.

“Der’s a soldier man at the door,” he whispered.

The powder scoop slid from her hand, soap falling like snow.  Her face paled.  Kieran’s eyes widened even more, his lower lip trembling.  A single fat tear crept down his cheek.

“Oh!  I’m sorry, baby!  It’s ok.  Mama’s just surprised.  Let’s go see who he is,” she gave him a quick hug.

Kieran sniffled and nodded.  He was careful to hide behind Mama’s leg as he followed her back out.  He watched the soldier and Mama talk, thumb creeping to his mouth, a fierce grip on Mama’s leg.  He didn’t understand their words.  He saw the soldier was bleeding and Mama sounded angry.  Kieran tried to tuck himself even further behind Mama while watching the soldier.

His movement did the unthinkable - the soldier noticed him.  His piercing blue eyes struck Kieran.  Trembling, he buried his face in Mama’s leg, clutching her with both arms, hoping he couldn’t be seen.

Mama untangled him and gently pushed him forward.  Kieran tried to resist, but Mama was insistent.  He looked up, pleading with silent eyes.

 “It’s ok.  He isn’t going to hurt us.  His name is Shawn.  Can you say hi?”

Hi,” Kieran was almost inaudible.

Shawn crouched down meeting Kieran’s eyes, “Hi, Kieran.  I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Mama’s hand on his back kept Kieran from fleeing to safety behind her.  He tried to hide anyway.

“I’d like to be friends.  Will you be friends with me?” Shawn hadn’t moved.

Yep. I must be Crazy.

The title of this particular post says it all.  I am attempting to participate in at least the June edition of Camp NaNoWriMo.  I haven't decided on attempting August's yet.  Why is this so crazy?  Well, in case you missed a few of my earlier posts, my first child is due in August.  The dear hubby and I are in the process of tearing most of our house apart to get ready for the big event.  We're only about half done and August is no longer that far away.

But I have this character, Shawn, roaming around my head.  He's getting pretty demanding looking for a way out.  I'm either gonna have to give in and write his story or go even crazier - if that's possible.  So, here's to my attempt at clinging to the last vestiges of sanity and getting a draft of his story on paper so to speak.

And good luck to any of the rest of you tackling Camp NaNoWriMo this year!

Write On Edge: Location, Location, Location

Here's what Write On Edge had for us this week:

The prompt for this week is to use setting to deepen the development of your story. You can use it to give insight into a character or a conflict or simply to evoke an emotional mood from your reader.

You have 250 words, so make them count!

Once again, I went back to visit Shawn's world.  If I can get my act together enough I am going to write his story for Camp NaNoWriMo this year.  I'll let ya'll know how it goes.  But, in the mean time, here's another glimpse into Shawn and his life.

Shawn caressed the worn, tattered photograph.  That it was paper and not electronic was almost unheard of anymore.  But it was the image that captured his mind.  He closed his eyes and sighed.

He could hear the inexorable wooshing against the slate grey rocks.  He always believed it was her heartbeat – steady, soothing.  Small pebbles like drops of blood dotted the shore.  He loved the occasional discovery of those semi-precious gems, even though it’d been years since he’d been there.  Shawn could smell the dampness, feel the crisp air against his skin, even though he was currently on a different planet.  He remembered the icy bite against his skin when he waded in despite the heat in the air.  It was a beautiful greenish blue.  Not the turquoise of the tropics, but darker, more fitting with the woodlands of the north.

Staring at the photo, he remembered how deceptive that serene calm was.  She’d get angry in winter.  That gentle, steady heartbeat became ferocious, beating against the immovable shore.  The greenish blue transformed into a turbulent grey mimicking the storm clouds above.  She was lethal at those times.  Many an old sailing ship went down on her, all hands on deck, when her mood went that way.

Shawn tucked the old photo back into an inner pocket.  There was no use daydreaming about a place he’d never see again, a time he’d never get back.  He stood up, shouldered his pack, and slung his rifle.  It was time to go.