 | 4 Nov 10 |
COMFORT READING*
Somewhere, there is a woman, sitting in a room, three days past a rape. Her bruises are turning purple and in a few more days, they’re going to be that greenish hue of ghouls. She hasn’t looked in a mirror, yet, but the swelling is starting to abate, and she can open her jaw without the execrable pain. The screaming is almost entirely in her head, now. The stitches hurting her remind her she’s alive and she’s not really sure why people keep telling her that, as if that’s a good thing. She’s not sure she wants to be. There’s been just enough time to get past the initial shock, the stunned chaotic business of having lost any sense of strength in the face of the world. She has had just enough time to be processed, and there should be a stamp for her forehead: file # 56449A.
Oh, people have been caring. They have been very professionally caring. All of the people, scads of them. They have been very careful not to touch her or move too fast. Everyone is diligent about addressing her respectfully, using her name, always making sure she feels like an individual. She can see it, see in their eyes how she is now different. The opposite of the person on the other side of the desk, where there are things like strength and weapons and confidence.
And right now, she is finally alone, though the moat around her has turned into an ocean, and the screaming, it just keeps on coming. For a few minutes, not having to deal with anyone else is good. A relief. But then there is the silence, and in the silence, it all happens again. She cannot close her eyes, because it’s all happening. Again. She cannot talk to someone, because the screaming will break free. Or the tears. Either may kill her.
She needs. Needs. To be somewhere else, other than here. Other than this thing she’s become. Needs to be able to step outside of her skin for a little while. Maybe a long long time.
She’s going to go to her bookcase and pick up something. Maybe it’s something where the woman kicks someone’s ass. Maybe it’s one where the good guy wins. Or the DA is brilliant. Or the girl comes of age and has confidence. Whatever it is, she gets to step outside of the bruises and the cuts and the broken bones for a little while. She gets to live a different ending. A different beginning. Have a safe place to be. And somehow, maybe, have a little hope that this thing, too, will pass.
Write a story for her.
~*~
Somewhere, there is a man, sitting in a hospital room. His wife has cancer, and he’s been there, every day, before and after work. Except now, he can be there full-time, since he’s lost his job. He’s spent days seeking help, trying to find a way to keep her there, to make sure she has the care she needs, when all of his benefits are gone. He’s filled out more paperwork in this one week than he’s done in a lifetime, and only barely understands half of what they’ve told him, if that.
He’ll try to get a second mortgage for the house. Sell off the second car, trade his in for something cheaper. The savings–such as it is, there’s not much with two kids–is gone. The retirement will go next, and that might last a month, at this rate. They don’t qualify yet for any sort of Medicare or help. His sister is at his house, boxing up stuff to sell. Doing it while the kids are at school, so they don’t see.
The screaming is almost entirely in his head, now. The anger, the rage, the helplessness. His wife’s asleep, and sleep is so rare with the pain she’s in, he can’t risk turning on the TV. She’s been in too much pain for him to leave the room, though.
He’s lost. He sees it in the eyes of the nurses, sees it in the eyes of the administrator. The woman running the accounts payable office. He’s become this other thing, this person he doesn’t know, and right now, for a little while, he needs. Needs. To be somewhere else but here. Someone else but him.
He’ll slump down in the God-awful chair they have in the room, punching a pillow that one of the orderlies found for him, and he’ll crack open that favorite paperback he grabbed on his way out the house this morning. For a little while, he gets to be a hero. He gets to fight crime or solve problems, save the world or save the girl. For a little while, he gets to have hope.
Write a story for him.
~*~
A lot of people in the industry are scared right now–things look bleak. If you’re pushing through NaNoWriMo or that draft on deadline or beginning a new project, you may be at that part of the process where you’re feeling exhausted–or scared to begin. Writer fatigue and fear are hard to combat in the face of a lot of bad news, and especially hard to slug it out when it looks like the possibility of selling is dwindling to nothing.
And this, ironically, is when we need story the most.
Story-telling has been around for millennia for a reason–we need to connect. We need to both transport somewhere other than our own daily circumstances and to connect to others, to know that someone out there understands us. Understands our fears, our desires. We need to escape, without physically abandoning our family and friends. Stories do that. We need the hope, the connection, the dream.
Write a story for us.
*originally posted at http://murderati.com – but it’s so relevant now, I thought I’d re-post it for you. I hope you’ll tell me what kind of stories you need most.
© 2010 – 2011, Toni McGee Causey. All rights reserved.
Toni McGee Causey lives in Baton Rouge, LA, and is the best-selling author of the BOBBIE FAYE trilogy. She has contributed a critically acclaimed short story to the KILLER YEAR: STORIES TO DIE FOR anthology edited by Lee Child and an essay in DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS. Additionally, she recently produced an indie film, LA 308. She and her husband, Carl, are licensed general contractors and, in order to support her writing addiction, they run their own company, specializing in civil construction.
Subscribe to Posts 
♥ This is my favorite blog post in the history of all blog posts in the world ♥
I really thank God there are writers like you out there, who write stories for the people. For us. I started reading, escaping to books, because I couldn’t face reality, because the world was too much for me to handle, because my life was too much for me to live. I read because I felt so alone, I felt that no one understood me, that no one cared. And, many, many times, characters have “held my hand” when I thought I couldn’t pull through the night. I’m not exaggerating when I say books saved me. I have no idea where I would be today if I hadn’t had that healthy, comforting, safe escape from reality.
All I can hope is that someday, I can, with my own stories, give that comfort to someone. Since I’ve started to read for escape, I’ve wanted to write, to give back to the world what was given to me. And, I hope to God to be given this chance.
Thank you, Toni. For writing. For blogging. For understanding. Thank you Rocki. Thank you, Allison. Lori, Sophie, Laura, Jen, Debra, Sylvia, Karin. It’s because of people like you that people like me have survived through hard times.
♥
by Barbie November 4th, 2010 at 12:55 amThank you, Barbie — I am so so glad that helped. I apologize for the lateness of my answering; my neighbor’s father died Tuesday night and my dear friend’s mom died last night. I have been offline most of the day.
I’m so glad to see you taking charge in your life. ;D
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:38 pmI love this post, Toni. I re-read it earlier in the week when someone (Janet Reid, I think) linked to it on their blog. I don’t know that I have any specific book or genre that I need to read. When I’m in that place, I just need to read – something, anything.
by B.E. Sanderson November 4th, 2010 at 7:53 amThank you, B.E. I hadn’t seen that Janet had re-linked to it. She rocks, that woman. ;D
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:38 pmAll I can say is… OH. MY. GOD.
by kris November 4th, 2010 at 8:18 amThat is a thing of sheer beauty. Thanks to you and all the other authors out there, I have a safe place to retreat to whenever I need it.
Aw, thank you, Kris.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:39 pmI remember this one, too. It brought tears to my eyes then, and did again this morning.
Books take us to other worlds, and we need those trips.
Terry
by Terry Odell November 4th, 2010 at 9:00 amTerry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
Thank you, Terry. Much appreciated.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:41 pmYou make me bawl first thing this morning,Toni, I could hate you for that if I didn’t love you so much. If I didn’t need this kick in the ass today to do what I’m supposed to do. What I love to do. Sometimes the actual writing part gets lost in the rest of this crazy business. And then I read a post like this — well few are like this, to be honest — and I remember the letters from readers who I’ve somehow touched in some small way with what I write.
Sheer power of storytelling, you have it, my friend, in spades.
Thank you.
by Lori Armstrong November 4th, 2010 at 9:12 amNow you made me cry. Thank you, Lori. And back atcha, woman. You’re an amazing writer–I constantly learn from you.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:42 pmBeautifully said, Toni! I agree there is a basic human need for stories, no matter what form they come in. Some people belitte commercial fiction, but these are precisely the stories many people turn to when they need an escape from grief or despair or frustration in their own lives. Stories can transport people and inspire people… thanks for reminding us why we grab that paperback on our way out the door.
by Laura Griffin November 4th, 2010 at 9:15 amThank you, Laura, and so so so true. It’s commercial fiction which fills such a huge void, such a huge need in humanity. It’s one of the reasons why I always roll my eyes when snotty NYT book reviewers disparage commercial fiction as being more “worthy” (in the words of the reviewer who was putting down Picoult’s and Weiner’s fiction as not being as good/important/worthy as Franzen’s, which is just ludicrous). Clearly, they aren’t factoring in a tremendously important experience and need that millions of people feel. If millions of people feel it, I’d venture to go out on a limb and say “it’s important.”
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:48 pmThe great thing about stories is I can pick what I need at that particular time. Sometimes I need catharsis, sometimes a laugh or a reminder of what it was like to be young. Thanks
by Sharon S. November 4th, 2010 at 9:59 amThank you, Sharon. Isn’t that wonderful, how much of a variety is out there?
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:48 pmToni, such a beautiful post and way of showing the great need we all have for story. It resonated deeply with me, showing that what I aspire to is not just creativity for creative sake but there is a higher purpose. Since I was a child, I’ve been grateful for authors who create worlds provding an escape from a brutish world. Books were and are my haven. It is so sad that illiteracy and the loss of interest in reading have deprived so many of this joy and emotional comfort. Thank you for reminding me of the power of story
by Dudley Forster November 4th, 2010 at 10:04 amForgot to mention HEA. I usually read very dark. When I wanted to read something else I usually went to Fantasy or “happy†SciFi. However, since I have discovered this site and took the plunge into more Romance I discovered that there is something restful knowing there is an HEA. This is especially true when I am in a depressive cycle. Just another way story gives refuge.
by Dudley Forster November 4th, 2010 at 2:48 pmThank you, Dudley. And I’m right there with you on the HEA.
What a lot of people probably don’t know is that I didn’t read romance for many years. I read mostly thrillers/ mysteries, some SF, and literary. A friend practically had to browbeat me to go into the romance section to pick up my first Jenny Crusie, and I was stunned how much I loved that book. (Welcome to Temptation). I was also equally stunned as to what amazing writing was coming out of the romance field. I found that there were times that I really needed that HEA to survive things I was going through. It was an amazing discovery, this variety.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:52 pmTo this day, I think of parts of that book and laugh out loud. Jennie Crusie has a true gift for humor
by Bonnie H November 6th, 2010 at 3:47 pmThis gave me chicken skin, and of course made me cry. I was that lady in the first half, only I was 13 and although I loved to read didn’t completely understand what a powerful, life-affirming escape books could be so at that time I just became self destructive.
by Bonnie H November 6th, 2010 at 3:52 pmHowever, as an adult I can FULLY appreciate how much of an escape books provide. As a pretty straight-up in-love-with-Jesus woman, I hear a lot of “christians” going on about how fiction has no place in the life of a believer – my response? Jesus used story to teach hugely important lessons and to reach out to people who were lost and hurting. So I think I’ll go with His opinion, thanks.
And the other day I was reminded again what an escape books really are – because of a basically ongoing (since she was young) struggle with and for my oldest dau, my heart is just in a world of hurt right now. It seems like every time the sun breaks through the clouds for her, another storm comes in. And to watch her my heart simply breaks. Some times are worse than others, and when the really hard times come, I read A LOT (like 2 books a day instead of the standard 1 LOL) I am a writer, but my writing has mostly taken the back burner for now just because I’ve ended up on the other side of the desk so to speak in the industry at this point, which is great by me. Just being a part of the “family” of the romance genre in particular is wonderful.
And in my opinion the romance genre, along with its many wonderful sub-genres, is the best escape – because the books always offer hope (even of there isn’t a “traditional” HEA) hope that two very different people can make it work, or that a relationship can survive or recover from some pretty damn hard stuff, or that if you are now alone for some reason it’s not the end of the world, you can survive and thrive even. Ok, NOW I’m done rambling, I promise LOL
haha I meant your post, not the comments but if I had brains I’d be dangerous – just ask Karin *snicker*
by Bonnie H November 6th, 2010 at 3:53 pmBonnie, my heart breaks for you, that you were that girl at 13. I know your pain. I am so glad you found what you’ve found–through books and Jesus and seriously, what a brilliant answer about the story-telling. Thank you for coming by.
by Toni McGee Causey November 6th, 2010 at 7:28 pmWonderful post. I love stories that take me out of the norm to where the good always win in the end and magic is real.
by Carol Shenold November 4th, 2010 at 10:18 amThank you, Carol. And I love those stories, too. Especially the magic part.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:54 pmThis post is so true. When I open a book, particularly when I’m down, I want a quick, fun read to take me away for a little bit.
by Anne November 4th, 2010 at 10:52 amThank you, Anne!
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:54 pmI. Love. This.
by Dawn November 4th, 2010 at 11:21 amThank you. Printing if off and will refer to it often.
Thank you, Dawn. Much appreciated.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:55 pmToni, this is such a beautiful piece. And, really, I shouldn’t be so crass after reading such a piece of elegant prose, but… I am bookmarking the shit out of this right now, because I know there are going to be days when I want to read this again.
by Brad Parks November 4th, 2010 at 12:58 pmBrad, you rock–thank you. I love the crassness; totally made me grin.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:55 pmToni, you have me in tears here. It is so easy to forget when things are going well that there have been times that were bad. Really bad.
When you wonder who you can beg from next to get $10 to buy milk and diapers. Wait! Your mother gave the baby $10 for Christmas, it is in the piggy bank. You look away from your little one as you steal from her little, pink piggy. You put her in the stroller to walk the two miles to the 7-11 because you have no car and even if you had a car you don’t have money to put gas in it. When that was my life, books saved me. I could trade in 5 or 6 at the used book store and have enough for a new (to me) one.
The next time I say I just wrote a little story, someone slap me. When I send it out into the world I don’t know who will need that story at a very down, or sad time in their lives. And be glad it was there.
by Jill James November 4th, 2010 at 1:20 pmJill, I have so been there. There were days where we had found enough change in the sofas or behind the dryer to get Carl a gallon of gas to get to work… where he had to finish the job *and* hope they would pay him the same day (how often does that happen, I ask you?)… so that he could walk down to the bank to cash the check (he didn’t have enough gas to get to the bank and then drive to the gas station), in order to make it home.
Books saved me from the harshness of that reality. We had two horrible, miserable downturns here that I didn’t think we would survive. (And luckily, we did. Knock wood, it’s much much better now.) But if I hadn’t had books to escape to, I am really not sure I’d have made it through sane.
(okay, that sane part might be up for debate.
)
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 4:59 pmWow. Just…wow. You always know how to go straight to the gut while touching the heart at the same time.
The best review I ever got came from a reader on Amazon. She read FAERIE FATE while in the hospital ICU waiting for her husband to respond to treatment. She told me she laughed, cried, and forgot where she was while she read. I’m teary-eyed and sniffling just thinking about it.
Yes, those are the stories I want to write. I try every time I sit at the computer. Thank you for the reminder, Toni, and the inspiration! I’ve been a little frustrated of late. I remember now that I have to touch my own heart before I can others. Back to the keyboard.
by Silver James November 4th, 2010 at 1:33 pmSilver, thank you — and don’t you just love those emails? I cannot tell you how many times I was so down on my writing, so sure I sucked massively, and then someone very kindly sent something about how Bobbie Faye had made them laugh at just the time they neeed it. I would sit there in tears in my eyes and I couldn’t express enough how much they meant to me. It gave me courage to keep on going.
I don’t think readers really fully realize how much we love them.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 5:01 pmWow. Thank you. This is important for all writers to remember.
by Rochelle Staab November 4th, 2010 at 1:38 pmThank you, Rochelle.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 5:02 pmI know that MSW’s very own Jen helped me at a very difficult time. My hubby was serving in Iraq & I was at home w/ our, at the time, 4 kids. My dropped dead of a brain aneurysm in my living room in front of my kids. A very horrible time.
My mom had come across Jen’s books and happily I was hooked. It was one of her books that I picked up one evening after the kids were asleep and hubby was still trying to return home for the funeral. I laughed and cried reading that night. I know that Jen’s book got me through and while I was typing this I started crying. Anyway, thanks to Jen’s website I found MSW and found a whole new to me group of authors. It was meant to be.
by HollyD November 4th, 2010 at 2:02 pmOh Holly, I’m choking up just reading this!
by Jen Lyon November 4th, 2010 at 2:29 pmOh, Holly–what an amazingly wonderful testament to the power of great writing, and our Jen is truly Great, isn’ she? I’m so glad you’re here.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 5:03 pmSo beautiful and much needed. Thank you for posting this.
by Scorpio M. November 4th, 2010 at 2:05 pmThank you, Scorpio.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 5:03 pmQuite frankly I don’t know what to say. So I’ll just add, this was a beautiful emotional post, thank you.
by Linda Henderson November 4th, 2010 at 2:16 pmAw, thank you, Linda.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 5:04 pmPerfect, Toni, just perfect.
by Jen Lyon November 4th, 2010 at 2:29 pmThank you, Jen!
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 5:05 pmtoni – that was breathtaking. thank you for reminding me of who we honor when we write.
by Sophie Littlefield November 4th, 2010 at 2:57 pmAw, thank you, Sophie.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 5:05 pmFirst, I am so sorry for the loss of your friends’ parents. My deepest condolences to your friends and to you. This is a profound post that hit close to home for me. I chose YOUR books recently when I was recovering, and in one of those places where I desperately needed to escape reality. Your books were perfect stories for that, and you’ve captured that sentiment exactly. I hope you are well and everything is perfect in your world. Much love to you and yours.
by Sharon N. November 4th, 2010 at 5:46 pmSharon, *there* you are. I’ve been trying to email you and it’s been bouncing. I didn’t know if you were home… will call you tomorrow.
Love you.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 7:16 pmToni, your post was perfect timing for me. I’ve been wrestling with wrapping up a book and frankly, this last week or two has been a struggle. It became crystal clear as I was reading your post why I have struggled. I had forgotten why I write. You reminded me. Thank you.
by Karin Tabke aka Harlow November 4th, 2010 at 6:38 pmAw, thank you, Karin. And it always stuns me when people as talented as you are hit the point where they struggle… but it helps me to hear it, because I have those times, too, and it makes me feel as though I’m not alone in that struggle. (hugs)
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 7:17 pmThank you for post Toni and for the reminder.
by Diane Sadler November 4th, 2010 at 6:45 pmThank you, Diane — much appreciated.
by Toni McGee Causey November 4th, 2010 at 7:18 pmThis blog post is printed and lives in my middle desk drawer. Every time I feel like giving up my dream of writing, or let someone convince me that writing is a “silly” hobby, I take these words out and read them again. It never fails – I always start writing. This one blog post has motivated me more than any book I have ever read. Thank you for sharing it again today.
by KellyJ November 4th, 2010 at 9:08 pmThank you, Kelly — I am so honored that it has been of any help.
by toni mcgee causey November 6th, 2010 at 2:24 amI have never read this before. Thanks for reposting it. I’m all teary-eyed now.
This is why I read – to get away (just for a little while) from my stressful job, aging parents – my Dad who has Alzheimer’s, some other personal issues.
Thanks to you authors that push on and gives us that chance to escape.
by Greta November 6th, 2010 at 10:38 amWhat a wonderful post this was, Lillie posted a link to it at writeminded readers group blog and I’m so glad she did. I like all kinds of stories, I read them all, what I like best is there is always a HEA. For me reading is a way to escape the stress of being a single parent to 9 children and helping care for 3 grandkids while being married, my husband is in the Navy and has been away from our family for the last 4 years so while I have a spouse he’s not here for me to lean on physically. Reading is how I escape the worry of how to pay the mortgage, car payments and all the other bills, deciding which Peter to rob so I can pay Paul and still feed the kids with having the power turned off yet again. It’s my way of being held in loving arms when there are no arms here to hold me, to have a man to protect and stand up for me, to take over my worries and make love to me even in some dark fantansy ways when I need it down and dirty.
Who am I?
I’m just average woman who needs to escape before she goes bonkers and walks away from everything to disappear forever.
Write a story for me.
Zina
by Zina November 6th, 2010 at 11:09 amoh, Zina, you made me cry. I so hope and pray your husband comes home safely to you very very soon, and that the worries ease tremendously. Thank you for posting today.
by Toni McGee Causey November 6th, 2010 at 7:26 pmWow. That touched a place inside me. Thank you for posting this! It reminds people that their is hope, even if it is a tiny hope! Thanks!
by Jennifer R November 6th, 2010 at 7:19 pmJennifer, thank you — so very glad it reminds people of hope.
by Toni McGee Causey November 6th, 2010 at 7:27 pmWhat a great post. It would have me signing up for Nanowrimo if I hadn’t already.
by Beth C. November 7th, 2010 at 1:40 amAfter years of writing my stories out longhand on college ruled paper, I finally signed up Nanowrimo this year. It will be the first time I write a story mostly on the computer(other than research notes)and the first time I have shared my work with anybody.
What you say about the need for fiction in a time of worry is very true. I don’t buy all the doom and gloom about our industry for this very reason, especially now that there are real alternatives for reaching the ever-hungry reading public.
by Steve Emmett November 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am