Star Gazing – Write What You Know

About half way into TWA, the first night that Jimmy and Gina arrive at the WITSEC safe house in NoCo that would become Casa Claire, the now on the run couple sit outside on their back deck for the first time sipping wine while Jimmy narrates the night sky constellations he had taught himself in childhood. New York had too much light pollution to ever really enjoy the star scape. The night sky in NoCo was a real treat for the city-slickers.

Life is a matter of perspective.

I remember when I first started going to a Writers Group in Loveland, where I shared the completed draft of TWA piecemeal. One of the more established locals took issue with this scene. He was a really good writer. I respected his opinion.

He didn’t believe the stars would be so clear in Berthoud.

I know. I thought it was stupid at the time as well.

Given the nature of my written work, and all the amazing things I claimed occurred, that had a talking, psychic mule, and ETs, witches and ghosts, this writer was going to take issue with NoCo Nature. He rejected the value of my whole story because of this one little item.

I’ve come across his type before, in a class at the New School back in the late seventies. A woman student who grew up in Manhattan didn’t “believe” the short-story that I wrote called Why Kings Die. It was a fictionalized account of a real event, with real people I grew up with. She couldn’t believe the real parts, the parts I actually lived. It just wasn’t in her wheelhouse. So she didn’t like the story. Lou Meyers, my New Yorker published guru at the time, told me she was nuts, that he loved it and that I had found my writers voice and should stick with it.

That story gave birth to a central character, and became the title and core of a chapter, in my fourth book, Finding Jimmy Moran .

I don’t believe that woman ever published.

You see, a good writer writes what he/she knows. You can embellish the truth (a tiny bit, if you need to) in order to make it a little more fun or dramatic, but authenticity in writing comes from the writer’s belief in the truth of his/her story.

I believe there is magic in this world. That is my reality. I think it comes across in my work.

My characters, as colorful as they appear, are all based on real people I grew up with. Every one of them.

That is why people like my characters. They want to hang with them because I have expressed my joy and love for them in my writing. They feel real because they are real. The twin tech titans in KMAG are based on one of my charismatic and ball breaking brother-in-laws and his twin. Even the henchmen bad guys in KMAG are all kids I hung with who appreciated being added to the fictional universe. The notorious BC, who you will see dropping comments on a lot of my blogs, is the basis for his evil, Voldemort counterpart in KMAG. You play to form. Jimmy’s family is my family. No wonder they haven’t read it yet.

We won’t mention the more organized bad guys.

So last night, as I sitting on my back deck with Lisa, I mentioned that criticism by the NoCo writer and then snapped a photo of one of the constellations then floating above us. I prayed my iPhone camera captured my reality. It’s what I know.

Ursa Major. The Big Bear.

Still waiting on my CE5 contact, but it’s coming, I can feel it. Will snap a photo and leave the iPhone behind.

Well, it’s Sunday, a day of rest and football for most.

To the extent it is the reality of my fine, five readers, I want you to enjoy it.

I have a kitty to cuddle, rounds to make, and stars to gaze at before I take my wife to work.

Then some more chores.

But, no matter what else we have going for us, let’s make today a great one.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Brother Eddie, may all of your birthday wishes come true. Love ya.