Marie Alice

Diary of a writing project. Day 167: The gloomy novel idea I will never work on

At first, I thought it would make a good novel.

The in-famous Covid-19 was just starting to spread its viral wings-tentacles-thing-ys, and getting out of China was becoming a problem.
The government of my friendly country sent an airplane to bring many people home.
Among those people was a family of four.
Problem was, the husband, both with Chinese and Canadian citizenship, was to stay behind. In the infected zone.

On the radio-show I listen to every morning or so, for a week or two, we’d listen to her anxious plea to get her whole family back home. Back to safety.

In real-life, this story has a happy ending.

However, in my mind…

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Diary of a writing project. Day 166 (bis): from ghosts to homeschooling, there’s only 1 click

I’m so close to finishing writing that book. So. Close! I cannot take a 14 days a break from writing. I can’t. BUT.

It was in the news. In the air of my little Canadian francophone bubble.

Daycare closed. For 14 days.

Heck, everything seemed to be closing for 14 days, starting today.

My grand-mother always said to never start something on a Friday. For when you do, it takes forever, if ever you get around to finish said something.

Let’s hope for the best, dear grand-maman…

Writer Mom

Of the two of us working from home, I’m the one with the very slow day job.

While strong winds are driving the heavy rain clouds away, leaving my quiet small town shiny under the warm Spring sun, I’m processing the news.

I was doing some research about ghost mythology and, suddenly, I’m looking at homeschooling schedules, Montessori activities, heck, any activities really, to keep kiddo busy and keep this writer on a quest on the weekly writing goal track.

Today, for example, I was able to write less than 200 words, despite having carved out 3 hours for writing.

I’m so close to finishing writing that book. So. Close! I cannot take a 14 days a break from writing. I can’t. BUT.

But, like everybody else, I’ll have to dance with the corona virus music (have you seen, in Italy, people singing from their balcony at night? a welcome heartwarming sight).

Of course, it’s gonna be tough. Because, stay-at-home-moms are very, very busy people.
It is, in itself, a very full-time occupation.

We use to not think twice about it, because it was in the order of things: mom’s did the mom things, dads did the dads things.

I choose to be a mom. I knew what I was getting into.

I also tour several daycares before my beloved kiddo was even born. I wanted to keep working. I needed to. Still do.

In plain words: I do NOT possess the incredible energy, patience, resilience it takes to be a happy, content full-time stay-at-home-mom.

With a well-plan schedule and the help of Spring time, we’ll be okay.

To quote many vlog seen on AuthorTube: « it’s fine, I’m fine, it’s fine ».

Writer friends, once again today, stay safe and keep writing.

Until next time!

Diary of a writing project. Day 166: writing in the time of COVID-19

I spent the first half-hour of my 5 am writing session roaming Pinterest, looking for activities.

COVID-19 came to our small town, in the form of the ghost of fear and the ghost of panic.

Schools are closing. People are going nuts over toiler paper (oh by all the big G’s up there) and a dangerous, dangerous frustration is brewing.

It’s hard to focus on writing, with that health crisis in the back of my mind.

How will things change?

I know, it’s not kind, but instead of thinking of the poor people who caught that weird flu, I’m thinking about Mother Nature.

This morning, it’s quiet and cool, 4-degree Celsius, 40 Fahrenheit.
Canadian Gooses are goosing on the water nearby, loons are softly swimming around. Heavy clouds are holding the promise of heavy rain. There’s a warning for floods.

And yet, the roads are quiet, like the morning after Christmas Eve.

Theatres are closing, libraries too. No more hockey, no more basketball.

My day job simply stopped.

In front of the computer this morning, looking at my writing project, I’m thinking this is why I write.
To give hope. To make us, humans, dream when we’re happy, and when we’re facing a crisis of this magnitude.

I never feel like writing is useless. For one thing, writing keeps me mentally sain!
But these days, creating stories, to me, seems more important than ever.

We, creators of stories, can provide an escape, a comfort, a giggle or two. Our stories have that much power.

Dear writer friends, out of this worldwide crisis, out of the fears I have for my kiddo and my loved ones, I get sort of a re-assurance about the choice I made to go on this crazy writing quest.
Neil Gaiman said it oh so very well: « Art matters ».