Jaycee Keef
 
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"I do a lot of talking to myself when I write, trying out the sound of dialogue. Neighbors must think I always have a roomful of company."--Tennessee Williams  

I read this quote and it made me laugh.  This is me, to a tee.  I laugh and I'm moved emotionally at my own work.  

 

A couple of years ago, I took a week off from work just to write.  I wanted to get to "The End" of my MS and I knew I needed some uninterrupted time.  So, my husband parked our travel trailer at one of the camping resorts we have membership to, gave me a kiss, patted the dogs on the head and left us there for the entire week. It was bliss.  A whole week by myself to write—undisturbed.

 

The only gadgets I took with me (besides my laptop) were my cell phone and I-Pod.  There was no internet access, so I had no distraction with e-mail and surfing the net, etc.  I didn't even have cell phone service unless I walked from the resort down the road and even then it was spotty and sometimes dropped calls.  But I loved it!  I got so much writing accomplished.

 

I would sit at my table every morning and start writing.  I would have to remind myself to take a break and walk the dogs.  It was lovely.  The only distractions I had were the other campers at the resort.  And there were people outside of my trailer.  Lots of older retired people who have time to travel around.  They were coming and going.  Moving trailers and whatnot.  My dogs let me know anytime they felt someone was too close to my trailer.

 

Then I began to notice who they were barking to.  The park manager who kept coming onto my site to check...I don't know something?? Water my site, etc.  My little patch of grass was flooded (I stepped out of my trailer into puddles of water) and a little sapling that was growing there drowned (poor little thing).  Some of the older gentlemen were sitting outside my open trailer window at the next site.  First it was just the old man that was parked next to me.  One day, his wife tried to get him to come in and he kept putting her.  In a moment...in a moment...just a moment...until she came out to see what he was up to and bring him inside with her.  Next he had a friend or two sitting with him.  My windows were open, but I didn't hear they talking.  The only reason I knew they were out there was because my dogs would bark when someone new would approach. 

 

I still think back on that week and wonder.  Did all those old men hang around my trailer because they were curious about what was going on inside my trailer?  I read my work aloud and had been doing so all week.  I had written some explicit, touching and funny scenes throughout those days.  Had they been listening to my story?  Or did they just think I was psycho?  Hmm...

 

Entered two MS into contests last week.  Wish me luck!  Going to need it...

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