Pacing . . . the Tortoise Way

One aspect I struggle with in my novel writing is pacing - this scene goes on too long, that scene is too short. It's something I'm working on.

But I'm not the only one in my house who struggles with pacing...of a different sort.

The tortoises are usually pretty quiet creatures but once in awhile, Larry decides to be rambunctious. I'll be in my office, writing (or trying to) and I'll hear a thunk from downstairs. A minute goes by and then another thunk. The pattern repeats itself over...and over...and over. This is the sound of Larry pacing back and forth in the tank. He walks to one end, scrabbles in the corner a bit, then turns around, banging his shell up against the glass or the hide or the rocks or Mrs. Larry before walking to the other end and doing it all over again.  

I've explained to Larry how I'm trying to work and need quiet and how he's not being the hard-shelled muse I need him to be. He just looks at me like this...

...and continues pacing. Hmm, maybe he's trying to tell me something - keep at it, don't give up, go until I no longer can then rest before I start again, the other side of the tank offers a different perspective that just might help me see things differently. Or maybe he's telling me to go put on those noise canceling headphones so we can both get back to our respective pacing issues. 

Do you struggle with pacing like Larry and me? Or is it plotting or showing characters' emotions or something else? Or maybe it's all good and you're mellow like Mrs. Larry, who spends her days dozing with her head on a rock, basking in the heat and light of the lamp?  

Mrs. Larry Holds Down the Fort, Um, Tank

I never considered myself a pet person. I liked animals but in an abstract way. Growing up, my family had a cat, then a dog but they weren't mine, you know?

Then my husband and I brought home the tortoises. Now, I know. A lot of people don't "get it." Tortoises aren't like dogs or cats. They don't snuggle and cuddle and lick your face. They don't play catch or chase a ball of yarn. But Larry and Mrs. Larry have their own personalities and their own way of being a part of our family. And when one member of your household is sick, it affects everyone.

Both Larry and I were sick on Monday but poor Larry was throwing up sick - not a good thing for anyone but especially not for a tortoise. He was listless and droopy and just looked sad, much like we all do when we're not feeling well. My husband took Larry to the vet. We figured the doctor would check Larry out, give him some medicine, and he'd come home. 

But Larry is still at the vet. They had to give him a sedative because he is a tough little guy who does not like to be poked and prodded. They drew blood and did x-rays and figured out Larry has an obstruction in his stomach - some cuttle bone lodged in there funny - and it needs to dissolve and be "passed." But until it does, the vet wants Larry to stay there a few more days so they can keep an eye on him and keep him hydrated. 

I explained all this to Mrs. Larry. She looked at me like she understands but she seems a little lost, confused. Sad. She's been sleeping in a different spot. She doesn't plant herself in the warmest corner like she usually does. Instead, she perches on the water dish - just like Larry would do. She even left food in the dish as if she didn't want to eat it all. It's the first time Larry and Mrs. Larry have ever been truly apart. To see only one tortoise in the tank when there's normally two throws both my husband and me off. We all miss Larry's wrinkly little face and hope he comes home soon.  

So, yeah, I guess I'm a pet person after all.

That's Larry resting on the Mrs.

Homecoming

It is three years ago today that my husband and I brought Larry and Mrs. Larry home. So, since they were (and still are!) the inspiration for this blog, I thought it'd be appropriate to re-run the very first post they starred in . . .

*****

How This Blog Got Its Name

I've always loved turtles and tortoises. This past summer, my husband and I brought home two baby Barbados Red Foot tortoises. We named them Larry and Mrs. Larry, and they have since become my little hard shelled muses. They are the perfect symbols for my writing and creative process - slow and steady with a hard shell to hide in when rejection rains down (and believe me, it does, oh it does...)

But, unlike the torts, I can't stay tucked in my shell all the time. And so, this blog. It's a small step, to be sure, in a world where it seems like everyone is tweeting and on Facebook etc. I'm just adding my small, quiet voice to the mix and hope someone hears it, likes it, and maybe learns a little something from it.

Oh, but the name of the blog. Well, my husband and I were watching our tortoises burrow a bit, and Larry in particular was digging away in the corner, as if he was trying to escape (he wasn't, or so we hope!) We were reminded of the Stephen King book/movie (Rita Hayworth and) The Shawshank Redemption. It took about two seconds before we both said, "No, it's The Shellshank Redemption! Ha ha!" And a blog was born...

Just Another Day

This is what happens downstairs while I'm trying to work upstairs...

[That's Mrs. Larry in the hide. Unlike most of us, ML doesn't mind having her backside photographed. Larry, apparently, thinks he's a mountain goat. This is a variation of when he hangs out in the water dish and pretends he's a sea turtle.]

The Tortoises Shell Out Some Advice for This Valentine's Day

Larry and Mrs. Larry haven't been together all that long - only a few years - but they've learned some things about love that they'd like to share with all of you.

* No matter how much you love each other, sometimes the tank you live in can start to feel a little small and confining. It's okay to take a bit of a break from each other. Everyone needs a little "me" time.

*  Sharing what you love with who you love makes it even better.

* You've got to let the other tortoise be who they are - even if it's a little unconventional. (Mrs. L would like it noted that it's Larry being "unconventional" in the two photos below.)

* No matter how hard-shelled you are, there's nothing like having someone to lean on.

Happy Valentine's Day from all of us here at The Shellshank Redemption!

Cheerleader . . . or Troublemaker?

I still haven't decided yet if this is Larry's way of cheering me on from his "rooftop" this NaNoWriMo or if he's just causing trouble and trying to get attention.

Ah, it doesn't matter. He's a cutie either way. (And so is Mrs. L, although her support is much more subtle and ladylike.)

Weekend Winners!

I'm happy to announce the winners of the Tortoises' Favorite Things giveaway -

CATHY

SALLY

JULIE

Congratulations to the winners! If you three will email me - MadelineMora-Summonte (at) hotmail (dot) com - with your mailing addresses, I'll get your prizes out soon. Also, let me know if you have a prize preference - I'll do my best to accommodate.

* But, wait! That's not all!  *

Larry and Mrs. Larry really appreciated all your comments and they don't want anyone to feel left out, so they would like to send a little something along to DONNA and JILLIAN as well. So go ahead and email your mailing addresses, too. 

Thanks for entering the giveaway and for hanging out with us here at The Shellshank Redemption!

Giveaway! - A Few of the Tortoises' Favorite Things - Giveaway!

Every once in awhile, Larry and Mrs. Larry like to make their presence known here on the blog (they're the silent partners of this writing team.) and their favorite way to do that is by having a giveaway.

Now, don't get excited. They will not be giving away any romaine, radicchio or basil. However, they do want to share some of their other favorite things:

Their favorite book: Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer edited by Robert Swartwood (W.W. Norton). The tortoises have also guaranteed that I will sign my story's page if the winner would like.

Their favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption. A DVD of one of the best movies based on a Stephen King novella. This is according to the tortoises, who may be a bit biased...

Their favorite story: "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption". This is one of four amazing novellas in the Stephen King collection, Different Seasons, a paperback of which will go to one of the winners.

How to enter: Leave a comment in this post telling us about...um...something related to tortoises, hint fiction, or Stephen King. (Did you ever save a tortoise crossing the road? Don't know what hint fiction is? Too scared to read a SK novel? It's pretty wide open.) You have until Friday, October 7th at 12 noon EST to enter. Larry and Mrs. Larry will choose three names out of a bowl and I'll announce the winner some time over the weekend.

Good luck!

Happy Birthday to. . .

. . . Larry and Mrs. Larry! (Okay, since we don't know exactly when they were born, it's really their "observed" birthday, sort of like Columbus Day and Presidents' Day.)

The tortoises are now two years old and they're as personable and alert and rambunctious as ever. You think I'm kidding, I know. Tortoises? Yep. Sure, they often sit around for hours, looking like little green rocks (okay, bigger green rocks now) but then there are the times when they do not stop moving. When they push and shove the other one out of the corner. (Never mind that there are three other corners to settle in.) When they climb all over their food dish, their water dish, each other. When they look you right in the eye as if they're listening...and then yawn in your face. (Apparently, they were listening after all.)

But how you can not just love them? Look at these wrinkly faces -

So, once again, happy birthday to the little hard-shelled muses, Larry and Mrs. Larry! They're a constant reminder to me that slow and steady is a perfectly acceptable way to get where I'm going. (But that yawning in someone's face is still rude, no matter how cute you are.)

And the Winners Are...

The two winners of Larry and Mrs. Larry's Shell-f Full of Books Giveaway are . . .

LINDA
and
MILO

Congratulations!!!!

Go ahead and send me an email at MadelineMora-Summonte (at) hotmail (dot) com with your mailing address.  Also, let me know what kind of books you like - if I can tailor the boxes a bit, I will.

Larry & Mrs. Larry's Shell-f Full of Books Giveaway!

I went through the trauma of clearing out my bookshelves a few months ago, saying goodbye to old friends who are moving on, welcoming new found loves. My husband and the tortoises witnessed my meltdown and tried (my husband, not the tortoises) to convince me that since I donate the books, they'll go off and find new readers who'll like them and pass them on or who'll fall in love with them and keep them. Good deal.

But instead of donating all the books to the local charity, I decided to keep some aside and do a book giveaway here on the blog. Larry and Mrs. Larry were gracious enough to lend their names to the contest but they thought it'd be better if I chose the books to give away.

Ah, but here's the rub. You won't know what titles, or how many books, will arrive in the box. It's a mystery, my friends. (Don't blame me - that was Larry and Mrs. Larry's idea.) I will say this - the books are gently used and anyone who knows me or reads this blog has a pretty good idea of the kinds of things I like to read.

So, here's how it works. Leave a comment on this post. That's it. The only thing I ask is that the winner pay it forward somehow - pass on one or two of the books after you've read them or before, if they're not your cup of tea. Deadline is midnight, EST on Friday, March 4, 2011. I'll choose TWO winners at random and announce the names over the weekend.

Please give my books a good home.  Sniff.

A Lesson from Larry

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I learn a lot from Larry and Mrs. Larry.  They're young tortoises but they're also wise teachers.  (Even if they don't know it.)

Larry is a tortoise.  I believe he knows he's a tortoise.  But, every once in awhile, I catch him sitting in the water dish.  Sometimes he's just soaking, but other times, well...  You know how people say you should "be yourself" and not try to be someone you're not?  Well, I think this is good advice most of the time.  But I also think there's something to be said for occasionally pretending or imagining you're someone or something else.  I think Larry would agree. 

So, Larry is in the water dish but he's not soaking.  He angles himself so his front half is propped up on the edge.  He starts moving his front legs in a graceful motion.  He stretches his neck up, his face to the light, eyes closed.  Larry is now a sea turtle.

I watch him and I wonder when was the last time I closed my eyes and pretended I was a movie star or a dinosaur hunter or a...sea turtle.  (And I don't mean it in terms of trying to figure out characters, etc.) Why is "pretend" only for children and tortoises?  Maybe if adults played "pretend" a little more often, we'd be happier people.  Or happier fairies.  Or happier knights in shining armor.  Or happier...whatever.

Of course, you always want to go back to being yourself when you're done playing.  I know I'm glad when Larry goes back to being a tortoise.  I think Mrs. Larry is, too.

The Tortoises' Resolutions

Yes, I know it's already a couple of weeks into the new year but you try getting two stubborn tortoises to hurry up and make resolutions - to hurry up and do anything! - and then come talk to me.

Anyway, Larry and Mrs. Larry hope that by making their resolutions public, they'll actually stick to them.  In 2011, the tortoises hope to:

Eat more greens
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Bask in the sun
Be nicer to each other
"Slow down" and enjoy life (like dining alfresco while munching fresh basil)

Hmm, they sound like pretty good resolutions to me.  Maybe those little tortoises are on to something...

Tort Report

I spend the majority of the day talking to myself, to my characters, and to the tortoises (Larry and Mrs. Larry, for those of you just stopping by.)  I'm sure other writers do something similar, and it makes me wonder how much help their pets are to the writing process.     

I check on Larry and Mrs. Larry during the day, and I usually eat lunch in the same room with them.  But sometimes, when I'm stuck on a scene or I'm just not feeling the story, I plop down in the chair nearby and we have a chat.  Same goes for the nights when it's just me giving them their "soak" - that's when I bounce ideas off the little hard-shelled muses.

Let me set the record straight:  I know they're not going to talk back to me.  I know.  I get it.  But when Mrs. Larry cocks her head and shows me one of her intelligent dark eyes, I do wonder if maybe my solution to a writing problem is a pretty good one after all.  Or when Larry blinks lazily at me, I consider that my idea might actually be as boring as it sounded. 

Hmm, maybe I need to get out more...

Anyway, how, if at all, do your pets play into your writing process?  (Please don't tell me I'm alone here with this!)   

Larry and the Last Line

My husband and I took the tortoises to the vet for a check-up.  It was the first time for all of us, and I don't know who was more upset, the tortoises or us.  Really, it was more of a toss-up between Larry and myself.  At one point, Larry was so nervous, he pulled so far into his shell, you couldn't even see his head.  But it all worked out fine in the end, and by the time we were on the way home, he was out and walking around the carrying tub.

The whole experience got me thinking about a particular story I'm working on.  I'm happy with it overall...except for the last line.  It just doesn't work.  I don't know why, but it just doesn't.  The line is there, though - in the back of my mind, hiding in the story's shadows, waiting in its shell until it's safe to come out and walk around.  I've learned that prying it out when it's nervous and scared, when it's not ready, doesn't do anybody any good. 

So, I wait.  I tempt it by changing the word order, by trying out other words, by scratching my original idea and coming up with something new.  So far, nothing has worked.  But I know that, just like Larry, my last line will eventually emerge, stretch its legs and find a comfortable place to settle down...right at the end of my story.

Anyone else have any ideas for how to coax out a line or a scene?  (Chocolate only works on the author...)

The Hunt For The Next Idea (And For Romaine Lettuce)

Sssh!  I'm sneaking up on a new novel idea.  It's so skittish, and I don't want to spook it.  I won't look it directly in the eye or make any big, sudden movements.  A quick jot of a character's name here, a possible plot point scribbled there.

(I feel a bit like Larry when we hand feed him.  He likes to sneak up on the lettuce, stalk it from the side until he's ready to "pounce" on it.  Ah ha, take that romaine!)  

But my pile of scrap paper and post-its has grown and moved into a notebook.   A simple "What if...?" question has spawned generations of others:  "And then...?"  "What happens now?"  "What happens next?"  "Why?" 

The idea is now too big and unwieldy to outrun me and besides, it has grown used to my presence at its edges.  I still approach with caution because I've met a similar creature before.  Many, many times.  Just when you think you've got "it" - the best plot, the perfect characters, the big idea, the bestseller, etc. - it scampers away.

If only ideas were like Larry's romaine lettuce - wilted and hand fed to me.  Then maybe even I'd be able catch one of them. 

What I Learned from Larry

The tortoises were feeling rambunctious the other day. Well, at least Larry was. He was rambling all over the place...until he arrived at the spot where Mrs. Larry blocked his path. She sprawled, full after eating, content and serene, minding her own business.

Now, let me say this: Larry had plenty of room to go around her. He had options. He had choices. But, Larry apparently decided this was his path and he was going to stay on it no matter what. He bulldozed over Mrs. Larry like a small, determined tank...until he was balanced precariously on top of her shell. (Meanwhile, Mrs. L looked like she couldn't care less what was happening.)

Maybe he should've gone around her in the first place. Maybe he should've gone back the way he had come. But none of that mattered now. He had charged ahead with his plan and now he was flailing. What's a tortoise to do?

Larry had a choice: he could slide back down, skulk around Mrs. L, then continue on his way OR he could push himself forward and end up on the other side. As Mrs. L rolled her eyes, (I swear that's what it looked like!) Larry tipped himself forward and marched onward.

This is what I learned from Larry: persistence, baby. Keep going. Don't let obstacles stand in your way. If Larry can do it, then so can I. So can you.