Ryshia Kennie ...The adventure begins today!: Taking Time To Recharge

The easiest way for me to recharge is to step away from my writing and take some time alone. It's not for long but it's enough to rejuvenate my energy, my excitement about a project and my focus.

The best place I've found is a quiet little corner of the world in a local grocery store that also holds a small coffee shop.

With my Soy Latte and an e-book, I settle down to read and watch what's going on. There is inspiration everywhere, at least for character action. For, a gesture, a word, an action will be the catalyst to begin fleshing out a fictional person. The lady who is doggedly trudging onward with her groceries, a look on her face like she's had nothing but arguments from her pint-size companion. Now she is marching ahead refusing to turn to look, as if assuming that her small son who is trailing after her, will still be behind her when she turns around. She's given him motivation or maybe an encumbrance not to bolt, for he has his own bag of groceries to carry. But I can see his heart isn't in the task. He's slowing with each step. The odds that he's going to arrive at the exit at the same time are beginning to look slim. She turns around with a look of frustration, bends down and whatever she's said, the pace has picked up. I turn my attention to the lineups at the til. I see a white-haired woman with a walker. I won't say elderly as my mother would let me know how ageist that is. Don't make assumptions she would say and she's right. Right across the board. I won't categorize for I know no one's history nor will I but what I can do is be inspired by a few mannerisms, a hair style, an attitude for a character in a book. I strike off the distracted boy and the determined woman with her walker. But what about the young man with a shifty look. In real life he might just be shy, uncomfortable. As a character - a whole other story - he's up to something.

Despite all that, today was not the day to find characters. The draft I'm working on already has its characters and the new one I'm adding already has her own personality. Instead I went back to my book and my coffee.

If you live in warmer climes I can only say that I'm sorry for missing out on this:

There's nothing better than a soy latte on a chilly winter day!

With my batteries recharged and feeling motivated to return to the back country of Afghanistan, I'm off.

Life is Unexpected - Safe travels

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com