Split-Personality or Just Taking the Middle Road?

Have you ever taken one of the "right brain" vs "left brain" quizzes to determine which side of your brain is the most dominant?

The right brain is the creative side of your thinking. It's where emotions, gut instincts, intuition, and visioning takes place.

The left brain is the more technical side of your thinking. It's where you analyze, research, and process ideas.

I've taken multiple tests of this kind and I always fall squarely in the middle. There is no "middle" brain folks. So what does this mean? All it means is that I use both sides of my brain to an equal amount. At times, I'm very analytical and methodical in making decisions, while at other times, I make decisions based upon my emotions or gut instinct. Sometimes both sides of my brain wrestle. I know what should be my choice based upon knowledge, however, my heart tugs me toward a second choice because it "feels" right.

I suppose that's why I have problems when I write. At times I'm letting my right brain control the word flow and feeling wonderful with what is happening...but then, my left brain editor kicks in and tells me this is all hogwash. It will never fly. The plot isn't strong enough, the characters need more development.

However, I need the right brain word dump to get the draft done, but the left brain takes over during the edits. Controlling which brain is dominant becomes the tough part. It's not a cognitive choice for me. I may "know" which side of my brain needs to drive, but real life and distractions come into play.

So, how about you? Are you right or left brain dominant? How does that play into your writing?

Thanks for stopping by.

All About Zeke and Girly Books

I had an interesting converstion with one of the senior managers at my work on Friday. Everyone is aware that my last day of work is December 31. Most know that I'm a writer. But, this man, I'll call him Zeke for the sake of annonymity, seems to be fascinated with that aspect of my life.

Zeke stopped in and asked: "Have you ever written one of those girly books about falling in love?"

Me: "Sure. That's what I write. I write romance books. Actually, romantic suspense."

Zeke: "Have you written a book where the girl and guy fall in love and then they lose each other, and get back together?"

Me: "Sure."

Zeke: "My wife reads those kinds of books. So, do you base your characters on people that you know?"

Me: (Thinking if he's wondering if I've used people I work with) "No, not really. I might sometimes use pieces of someone's personality or perhaps I've seen a stranger who looks interesting and I use a bit of description based on that person."

Zeke: "That's interesting. Have you ever killed someone in a book?"

Me: "Yes."

Zeke: "Have you ever had a woman kill a man in a book?"

Me: "No, not yet anyway."

So I proceeded to tell him the premise of my first book, thinking the psychic bond between sisters who can communicate despite one being dead, might give him something to think about.

Zeke: "Where do you get your plot ideas?"

Me: "Sometimes a person, or an interaction with a person, triggers something that turns into a different scene in my head. From there I develop a plot line. It's all created in my head first before I put it on paper."

Zeke: "That's very interesting."

Luckily, the telephone rang just then.

I may have to include Zeke in my next book. **grin** But today, I believe I'll take my three books to him and ask if he'd like to buy them for his wife. **evil grin**

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Scavenger Hunt for Free Books

Do you like to read? Want to win free books and more? Check out the White Roses in Bloom blog on Saturday for full details.

Sixteen authors, including me, will be hiding a beautiful mug somewhere on our blog or website. We'll give you the list of sites. All you have to do is find the different colored mugs and submit your answers to be included in the drawing for free prizes. Check out the details on Saturday, September 12, at White Roses in Bloom.

I've been so busy over the past week or so that I hadn't written any new pages for my manuscript. Yesterday, I entered the fictional world of my characters. What a blessing! It's amazing how I lose all track of time and place when I walk in my characters shoes. This transformation is rewarding. Nothing makes me more sure that I was meant to write than moments like this.

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Bats?

This morning I'm sitting in my chair and gazing out the window. Days are getting shorter. The morning sun is eluding the sky. No birds on the wires. A slight wind blowing, moving the leaves of the rose bushes, the leaves in the tree. Everything is in deep shadow with only a hint of gray light.

Whoosh. Whoosh! I stare at the fast flying objects. Not birds. Bats. It's the first time I've seen bats in my neighborhood. Only two. They have disappeared into a tree, perhaps across the street, perhaps in the top of my tree. Back to their roost to pass the day. No more movements. All is still. The morning awaits awakening.

I hope to see them again tomorrow. My morning view is amazing. I await tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by.

What Does A Writer's Desk Look Like?

My writer's desk is a piled up stash of magazines, printouts of important emails, camera, flash drives, pens, stapler, receipts, three-hole punch, tissues, calendar, plastic bag of crocheted crosses, nail polish, 2 calculators, cd's, tube of arthritis cream, speakers, small cat figurine, the last teddy bear my dad gave me, pics of the family, a jar of hard candy, my telephone, an empty glass...and probably a lot more buried and unseen. How does my desk get this cluttered?

Tonight I must clean it off. I can't write with all the clutter surrounding me. Time for an overhaul. Once I had a tiny desk. I thought the reason it got cluttered was due to the size. So, I bought a bigger desk. And now it looks just as cluttered as the small one. I might be tempted to get another bigger than the bigger desk, but I know it wouldn't fit.

This morning, my mind feels just as cluttered as my desk. Way too many scenes fluttering around. If only I could stay home and clear my desk and write these scenes...but, my day job is calling.

************

Time to announce the winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.

And the winner is--Carol Thompson.

Carol watch your email for a certificate coming your way later today. Congratulations!

Check my website in September for a new and fun contest!

Thanks for stopping by!

Eeew...That Was Scary!

Sometimes I frighten myself when my mind starts picturing deep, dark, villains. I wonder why it's so easy to identify with characters who are twisted. Once I made myself cry in writing the background for the villain in Hit and Run. His childhood was so horrid, so terrifying, that it really upset me. I could identify with him and I knew why he did what he did.

Villains come easy to me, but the hero and heroine aren't as easy to dream up. Their motivation needs to be strong. Their goals drive the story. So, why can't I identify with them as easily as the villain?

I'm a writer. I live in my imagination a lot of the time. But when I'm there, sometimes I frighten myself.

The book I'm working on now has a villain I can identify with. I wake up sometimes knowing he's breathing somewhere inside my brain. Eeew, that's scary!

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