The tickle of curiosity. The gasp of discovery. Fingers running across the keyboard.

The World of Iniquus - Action Adventure Romance

Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts

Saturday, April 2, 2016

What I Learned Playing a Victim at an Airplane Crash



That's me, the drowned rat, laying on the ground in a hangar at Richmond International Airport as a CERT member (more about that HERE), volunteering as a victim in a plane disaster.

That picture was taken three hours + into the exercise. I was wet to the bone and shaking uncontrollably. Hubby snapped the picture just before I laid down on my place in the triage black zone. 

I was dead. They ticked off the black box on my triage badge, and they gave me a time of death. 

Dead. 

But still incredibly cold.

Let me tell you how I got to that spot on the floor. 



The morning of the event was warm. I knew I'd be outside -- but outside and too warm is just as bad as outside and too cold, so I changed into some lighter pants and layers. As the rain started in earnest, and the temperatures dropped considerably, I grabbed hubby's coat from  the back of the van. Thank goodness. It was my saving grace. 

The clothes you put on your character/soon-to-be-victim are incredibly important to their outcome. 

FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

  • Cotton absorbs and wicks fluids. That means even if your shoes have been water proofed, you will have puddles inside your shoes from your cotton socks.
  • Wool is so much better - it wicks more slowly and even wet is warm
  • Fleece - My coat was lined in fleece. My pants transferred water up my legs to my shirt and everything under my waterproof coat was thoroughly saturated/wringing wet (including my bras, ladies -- just sayin'). BUT Where I was covered with the fleece I was warm enough.
  • While waterproof coats don't keep you dry underneath. What they do do is keep the wind off and help keep the fire foam at bay. 
  • Leather absorbs water  but seemed (from talking to fellow victims) to be a warmer more comfortable choice than tennis shoes. The fire fighter said tennis shoes would probably have melted in the fire. Erp.
  • Along those lines - according to USA Today travel tips - 

Stick to Natural Fabrics. Make sure your travel outfit is composed of natural fibers such as cotton, linen and wool. They are the some of the safest fabrics to have on in case of a fire. High heat melts synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester against your body, burning and blistering skin, while natural fibers turn to ash. Natural fabrics also keep you comfortable in normal flight situations, as these fabrics allow your skin to breathe, keeping you cool and comfortable in hot or humid conditions.
         Footwear -  Inappropriate footwear can pose major problems in the event of an evacuation. Open-toed or loose shoes such as flip-flops and other sandals can get caught on debris or wreckage or otherwise trip you up when you try to exit, and high heels can puncture escape slides. If you lose your shoes trying to escape the plane, you then are left with unprotected feet in an area that could be filled with sharp metal and other dangerous wreckage debris. Flat shoes or shoes with a low flat heel are ideal. Also make sure that the shoes you wear on the plane fit well, allowing you to be agile in an escape situation.

After our IDs were checked and we were bussed to the emergency site, we went through the procedures to find out our designated injury and stand in line to get moulaged (more about that HERE). 

This is what my assignment said:



Yup. My leg had been amputated in the accident. I went up for moulage to get in character. They held up the white face paint to make me "very pale" as per my designation and the makeup guy decided I was pale enough, he couldn't get me much paler. Nice.

They handed me my fake wound and sent me outside to the airplane.



Look at the picture just behind my head; there is a black square on the tarmac. That was a propane mat that they lit up as the fire crew raced to the scene. 

The fire fighters hosed the area down with water first. LOTS of water. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of water. Then came the foam that burst from the ends of the hoses like a blizzard and suddenly the plane and everything around it looked like it was covered knee deep in snow.

A handful of us designated victims waded out to get on the plane. 

HOLY MOLY. 

The plane was extremely small inside - it was only used for practice; it was much narrower than you would think. It was burned out and smelled thickly of smoke. When they shut the door, it was very dark. Imagine if you will, the injured splayed out all over the place, moaning, screaming, begging. You couldn't see and all you could smell was fire.

Yeah, it was a little much. 

I like to think of myself as a brave(ish) woman  - but I just couldn't. This scene lit all of my "flee! run!" hormones up. I had to get out of there. Even though this was a training scenario, my adrenaline spiked, and I was sweating and panicked. It was hard to breathe that air. I can't imagine the horror of just the trapped feeling in a real emergency. 

I did what any smart heroine would do given the chance. I stood up, opened the back door and called for a ladder. The fire fighter chuckled and said, "Yeah, it can feel pretty intense in there." 

Yup. Pretty intense.

Out I went to the tarmac. I lay on the ground with my foot tucked up under my hip and my fake amputation stump Velcro-ed in place. It was raining pretty steadily, and there was already a lake on the tarmac from the water hoses and the foam. I was glad my tag said I was sitting up - others weren't so lucky.

Getting the very last victims processed - photo from CERT FB page


So here's what I learned. 

  • There are a lot of people on a plane and so there are a lot of people who need help. You'll be laying there for a while - it's not going to go fast.
  • It's chaotic 
  • It's a carnival for the senses - the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations.
  • People are odd ducks. And personalities seem to be amplified in these scenarios.
  • It was 67 degrees - and it was FREEZING freaking cold. I can't imagine what it would be like in the winter in the rain/snow/and lower temperatures. The tarmac is exponentially the temperature of the day. (I did a bomb scenario at the hospital last summer, and we were out on the black surface with the temperatures in the high 80s. People weren't faring well - their skin was getting burned and blistering where they lay against the ground.)
  • The foam that they sprayed was odd. Very odd. It didn't go away like soap bubbles in your kitchen sink. It floats on top of the water and sticks to you - but doesn't pop right away. I'm still not sure how to get it out of my hair. I found the picture below on Wikipedia so you could see what I'm talking about.

Firefighters sprayed foam on structures in the Mammoth Hot Springs complex on September 10, 1988. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


  • The backboards that they use to transfer you from one place to another are pretty narrow, and it feels like you're going to slide off. (I very much appreciated that the firefighters didn't grunt when they hefted me up.)The straps don't feel like they could stop you from falling - but that's a false sense. When I actually needed to sit up, my arms were secured down -- well, securely. Very securely.
  • One of my tasks was to only speak French to the rescuers. That was pretty funny. 
    • Each of the rescuers did the speaking louder and slower bit. But I stuck to it and only talked about "I can't find my husband; can you help me find my husband? I can't find my leg; can you help me find my leg?" and so forth. 
    • One guy tried to mime "lay down", but it came off as one of those Italian gestures for "up yours." Maybe a few more miming classes for the new recruits. . .  
    • One guy said in a very southern drawl, "Je ne parle pas francais, he he." (I don't speak French, he he) Then every few seconds, he'd look at me and ask, "Bien? (well?) he he." He was trying and obviously self-conscious - which was pretty sweet and much appreciated.
  • They put ribbons on our arms (or ankles) and fill out your triage tag:

A system that has been used in mass casualty situations is an example of advanced triage implemented by nurses or other skilled personnel. This advanced triage system involves a color-coding scheme using red, yellow, green, white, and black tags:

  • Red tags - (immediate) are used to label those who cannot survive without immediate treatment but who have a chance of survival.
  • Yellow tags - (observation) for those who require observation (and possible later re-triage). Their condition is stable for the moment and, they are not in immediate danger of death. These victims will still need hospital care and would be treated immediately under normal circumstances.
  • Green tags - (wait) are reserved for the "walking wounded" who will need medical care at some point, after more critical injuries have been treated.
  • White tags - (dismiss) are given to those with minor injuries for whom a doctor's care is not required.
  • Black tags - (expectant) are used for the deceased and for those whose injuries are so extensive that they will not be able to survive given the care that is available.
  • resource
  • As they got our colored tags on us, they got the ambulatory folks to walk inside. The rest of us were put on back boards or these carriers that looked like cots on very short legs. The fabric was a black mesh. They looked very comfortable and they kept those victims up out of the water stream. They moved us to stage for the ambulances. The red got the rescue squads first. So moving us was sort of like putting us in the taxi queue to wait our turn for the next rescue squad as they lined up to take their patient to the designated trauma hospitals.
  • Blankets didn't show up until the end of the exercise when actors started having ill-effects from the cold and wet. One lady was hypothermic. I imagined that blankets would slow down assessments, but at the same time, shock can be lethal. I suppose how it is handled at an actual emergency would depend on the actual emergency.
  • It was incredibly soothing on the scene to have an emergency worker talking to me. Calm friendly faces saying they are going to help really means something. At one point, a firefighter took off his coat and laid it over me to keep me warm. He had to grab it back all to soon when someone else was in worse shape than I was. But that he put himself in the wet weather for my comfort was meaningful to me, and I thanked him later.  That the rescuer attempted to speak French when he obviously couldn't was meaningful. The cop who figured out that I was miming and asking for my husband, and told me they would take good care of him, and we would be together soon, while he squeezed my thigh to keep me from bleeding out? Meaningful. Small gestures made by your heroes will make vivid memories (good or bad is up to you) for your character. And I would say from a psych POV make a big difference in the victim's recovery as well.

 A huge thank you to the professionals who keep us safe!

And as always, a big thank you ThrillWriters and readers for stopping by. Thank you, too, for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.





Sunday, March 13, 2016

Invisibility Cloaks: On Writing Characters with Invisible Illnesses and Disabilities

These masks are part of an exhibit called &quo...
. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Today, my dear friend Joanna has joined us to talk about her experience with an invisible illness. It is not unusual for people to have illnesses that have a major impact on their lives that no one can see. Often, this kind of illness is discounted. For some, this is a mental health issue (brain chemistry issue); for others it is an autoimmune issue or other chronic and debilitating challenge.

One of my most popular articles here on ThrillWriting was about writing characters with physical disabilities. People like to read about characters with whom they can identify. Also, as always, I want to advocate the position that when we write, we educate. When we write, we normalize. 

We have so much power as writers. Including people from demographics which aren't normally included in stories is empowering, edifying, and interesting. It's a challenge to be sure.

Above, there is a tab called DIVERSITY IN YOUR CHARACTERS where you can explore topics such as economic diversity, nation of origin diversity, and ethnic/racial diversity , among other topics. 

Fiona - 
To start, can you define, for those who have never heard the term before, "invisible disability"?

Joanna
Yes, an invisible disability is a chronic condition that can't been seen readily by others. They may look normal to you for their age, but what you can't see upon first observation is that they have some kind of auto-immune illness or pain condition that can severely limit their abilities to function consistently as a "normal" person.

Fiona - 
Can you please tell us a little bit about your journey and your blog?

Joanna - 
Sure - I'm Joanna, and I live with chronic pain called fibromyalgia. In my, case, my nervous system doesn't work normally. It interprets input about temperature, activity, muscle soreness from exercise, normal joint pain from arthritis, exposure to allergens, sensation of fabrics, pressure, wind and emotional stress in an atypical way. 


For example, when I get too cold, I pass out and when I wake up I hurt all over. Or I have to be very careful when I go to the gym to work out because too many repetitions of weight lifting or too many minutes on the elliptical trainer has a delayed reaction with fully body pain 48 hours later that prevent me from standing for more than a minute at a time. I've been aware that my chronic pain experiences are not normal and have worked with many professionals and done my own studies over the last decade to find ways to manage ­­­­­­and live a normally functioning life despite my atypical nervous system.

My personal Reiki practice has been one of the main ways I've managed on my own - the principles helped me learn to let go of suffering and the relaxation practice helps me cope better with the pain. I found such relief and help from my practice that I spent years teaching others what I learned through a professional Reiki practice. I used to blog on a regular basis, but I am currently on a sabbatical to pursue other studies.

Fiona - 
A personal story - I remember being at the store one day and a woman wanted to know why we were using a service dog. I explained the dog's job was to prevent my daughter from having diabetic seizures. She turned and stared at my daughter and pronounced, "She shouldn't use the dog. she looks perfectly normal." Huh. 


Joanna look perfectly normal - beautiful, in fact. Why does this make your disability so much harder to deal with than someone where it is more obvious to the normal person's perceptions?

Joanna - 
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Well it's those asumptions that people make. They assume that because you look a certain way, you should behave the way they expect you to. It means they decide in advance that you are perhaps a hypochondriac, or you are exaggerating for attention, or they don't want to take you seriously.

And they take it personally when you don't behave like they expect, and get upset and angry at you.

Fiona - 
Scientific findings on  fibromyalgia is coming to light - but back when you were diagnosed much less was known - from your experience, did the doctors etc. support you or did they also diminish your experience?

Joanna - 
Great question. I believe the average length of time from when someone starts experiencing symptoms until they receive a proper diagnosis is something astonishing like 6 years, still. 


While I had an extremely supportive nurse practitioner who believed in my experience and sent me to many, many specialist - it took a very long time before the right diagnosis, medications and management plans were determined. One place we tried was a pain clinic, and I had a terrible experience. I went with my mother, who had been to this clinic previously with both my father and her mother with positive experiences. She was stunned to see how the doctors treated me - in my 30's but looking more like in my 20's - as a drug seeker and complainer - and did not take my complaints or description of my fitness routine seriously. My mom stood up for me, since she lived with me at the time and attested to the truth, but ultimately I decided to go to another pain clinic that could treat me more respectfully despite my age.

Fiona - 
I have never read a book where a chronic, invisible medical issue (outside of psychological issues) has been in the plot line, though it's rampant in our communities. I wonder why - what do you think? And what are the implications of not having those with invisible illnesses a part of literature, TV, and the movies?

Joanna - 
Well my guess is that only someone who experiences it first hand, whether in themselves or a loved one, would have a real perspective on what it's like - and those living with it are probably too busy to write a book or make a show! 


I suspect that mental illnesses are more well known at this point, and our media culture tends to glamorize (even in a negative way) psychological illnesses that lead to violence, murder, mayhem etc... It makes for an interesting story. 

Reading about the courage and willpower someone with an invisible illness has to summon up from her soul for years to get a diagnosis and then to just live with a condition that isn't going away and might get worse - that seems more like a tear jerker sort of story. Harder to write and to read. 

Our daily lives can be painfully tedious in how much we have to pace ourselves and be disciplined and make choices about how much we can do in any given day without costing us too much out of tomorrow. I imagine it doesn't make for an exciting story at all. However, by not portraying this struggle through media (very few celebrities come out with invisible illnesses as well), people stay ignorant and uninformed and prejudiced.

Fiona - 

You developed a Facebook group where writers might be able to connect with folks with invisible challenges so they can inform themselves and write their WIPs right. Would you share the name?

Joanna - 
It's called My Illness is Invisible but I'm Not

Fiona - 
What would you like a writer to know as they plotted a book that included a character with an invisible illness. Are there some global experiences that you've learned about from your group?

Joanna - 
One of the biggest challenges is other's perceptions that we'll feel or get better soon, and it's incredibly frustrating. These illnesses are generally life long, and it's not like having the flu. It's also often not life threatening, so dealing with the inconsiderate comments and advice from outsiders is a running frustration for us. Also having to explain over and over again to people who meet us about how we have to make choices an average healthy person doesn't have to make, and living the spoon theory, that should be in any book.

­­http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/

Fiona - 

What are some choices that you have to make that the average person doesn't need to -- can you take us on a short trip through your day and how various things might affect you or someone with your diagnosis?

Joanna - 
I am lucky, in that for the most part, I live a more normal life than many who struggle with my diagnosis. I have a full time job instead of being home on disability. That job is super important to me and my happiness, so I make choices on a daily basis to make sure I have enough "spoons" (see above listed article to understand this concept) to perform well at my job. I wake up early, so I have time to sit up in bed and get through the initial aches and pains that come every morning. I can't move quickly, or it gets worse instead of dissipates. Some days, I just don't have the energy or ease of movement to go through my morning routine, so I skip a shower and making coffee and lunch, and just get myself dressed and out the door. 


Now that it's cold out, I have to figure out how cold it is and which extra layers I need to wear. I drive to the train station and wait in the car until the train is approaching. I sit in a certain seat every day that I know has heat so I stay warm enough during the commute. I spend my time on the train meditating and clearing my mind of the last night's bad dreams and pain so I can be focused at work. I arrive early so I have extra time to pick up the food I couldn't prep ahead of time, and so I can move as slowly as I need to my office. I take off all my layers and try to decide if today is a day I can go to the gym. I work until lunch and then I assess where my body is at - would moving at the gym help me function better this afternoon - or would it make it harder? I either go for a walk if it's warm, find a spot to meditate if I'm struggling or go to the gym on my lunch break, or on occasion have a meal with a friend for some social fulfillment. My choice depends on what will make the afternoon go more smoothly and productive. If I didn't get to the gym at lunch, I check in at 4pm to see if I can handle a workout after work. I can go more slowly after work, so I more often end up going in the evening when there is no time constraint forcing me to move more quickly than is okay for me. 

After my workout, I sit in the locker room for a while resting. Then I get dressed, bundle up, and start my trek home. If I'm not too uncomfortable, I may have plans after work - but usually those are only with people who can handle a last minute cancellation if the pain is too high. Or I may make dinner and prep food for the next day. If pain is high, but not too high, I may climb into a hot bath for an hour of relief. If not, I go straight to bed. I'm in bed laying down to let my body rest by 9pm because the routine starts again the next day at 5:30am. I don't sleep well, so I spend more time in bed "resting" to make sure I have as many spoons as possible for tomorrow.

Fiona - 
Thank you. Is there anything I didn't ask about that you think would be important for a writer to know about writing characters with invisible illnesses/disabilities? 


And here I will mention that despite all of the issues Joanna faces, she is still a highly successful business woman with an MBA, and has a rich social life including close family, friends, and dating. . . so a writer wouldn't have to write a plot that takes place on a couch.

Joanna - 
That's true! I do have an MBA and had my own business for many years. I do socialize on the weekends, but rarely during the week due to my limitations. I spend a lot of my free time taking classes like yoga, meditation etc... they help me manage the pain or in appointments like getting a massage etc.. so that I can feel my best.


Its just that my best is not what a normal almost 40 year old feels like at her best. To be honest, a large part of my social life is long distance - I stay connected with my closest friends online and on the phone. I don't see a whole lot of people during the week unless they live in my house or work with me.

I do try to go off on an adventure at least once a month, whether a road trip or plane trip, but I have to plan ahead for pre-emptive R&R ahead of time and post R&R after to recuperate. I don't stay up or out late because getting a solid 6 hours of sleep is super important to me functioning, and it takes 9+ hour in bed to get 6 good hours.

I have a very rich emotional life and a large circle of friends. I see those who live close by and who are in my inner circle on the weekend, and the rest once in a while or via Skype or phone call. 


Since my body has limitations, that's probably why most of my "fun" is introspective work - taking spiritual classes, reading, learning how people tick, helping others. I also volunteer for a couple of non-profits, mostly work I can do on a computer from home. I am happy and my life is mostly filled with enjoyment, as I learned a while back that while pain is my constant companion, suffering is optional.

Although I might add, also, that this level of challenge for me in getting through a workday is one of the reasons I have let go of the idea of becoming a mom. I can barely get myself to work and to the gym and fed, how can I do that for someone else?

Fiona - 

A huge thank you to Joanna for sharing her personal story in order to help us write it right.

As always, a big thank you ThrillWriters and readers for stopping by. Thank you, too, for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.



Saturday, January 23, 2016

The 6th Sense in Your Plotline: Psychics 101 for Writers

English: Energy Arc, central electrode of a Pl...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Fiona - 
I would like to introduce a friend of mine. I will call her "Winter". Like many with psychic abilities, Winter prefers to remain anonymous because she holds an executive's job and there is a stigma to having 6th sense abilities. Winter has inspired many of the scenes in my Lynx series. 

Lately, I have been reading a lot of works that include 6th sense abilities and thought a writer's primmer might be helpful. 

Winter, would you tell us about your psychic strengths and back ground (in a general way).

Winter - 
Hello! Growing up I was a very emotional tween and teenager. I never knew how I would feel or what was causing me to feel, but it was all so intense and exhausting. I remember my mom saying to me, "This isn't the real you." But I didn't know what she meant.

Years later, in my twenties, I learned that I was an Empath and Highly Sensitive Person. An Empath is someone who doesn't just empathize with someone else's plight but who actually feels their emotions in his or her own body, often confusing them for his/her own emotions because they are so vivid and real (an Empath can't tell is she's angry or if that guy next to her is angry). A Highly Sensitive Person is someone who is sensitive not only to other people's emotions, but also to the energy of the environment around you.

Being psychically aware of both my environment and the people around me was draining, exhausting, overwhelming and made me feel crazy until I learned how to manage it.

Now, I would say that being able to pick up on what people are feeling and the general vibe of any situation or environment is a strength that serves me in everything I do in life, as long as I'm able to stay in a neutral observer role and witness the information instead of experience it in my body as if it were my own.

Fiona - 
You are also clairvoyant can you define that term and give us a list of other abilities someone might experience as a 6th sense?

Winter - 
Clairvoyant means being able to see energy and pictures in your mind's eye that give information about a situation or person. Some of the other ways of processing 6th sense information could be a strong knowing in your gut or mind without being able to say how you know it, hearing information in your mind, empathy which I mentioned already. Also information could come through dreams or through objects or places that hold an energetic impression. Also someone might experience the ability to give others healing energy.


Fiona -
Here's a short list of some skill set terms your character might have developed so you can do your research (with folks who actually have the skills). 
  • Reading auras - Perception of energy fields surrounding people, places and things
  • Auto-writing - Writing produced without conscious thought.
  • Astral projection also called OBE or out of body experience - in which an "essence" or "soul" becomes separate from the physical body.
  • Clairvoyant - to see
  • Clairaudient - to hear
  • Clairsentient - to feel
  • Divining - Gaining insight into a situation, most commonly through a ritual or use of a tool such as a pendulum or cards
  • Dowsing - Ability to locate objects, sometimes using a tool called a dowsing rod, pendulum etc.
  • Energetic healing (such as Reiki) - Healing by channeling energy. This is often accompanied with information such as clairvoyance, clairsence, or clairaudience.
  • Channeling (medium) - Communicating with spirits.
  • Premonition and precognition - Perception of events before they happen.
  • Psychometry - Obtaining information about a person or object, usually by touching or concentrating on the object or a related object.
  • Remote viewing - Gathering of information at a distance.
  • Retrocognition - Perception of past events such as crime scene investigators. In my Lynx series, Lexi's mentor uses retrocognition to solve crimes.
  • Scrying - Use of a reflective item to view events at a distance or in the future. Crystal balls, puddles of water, mirrors can be used for srcying, for example.
  • Telepathy - Transfer of thoughts, words or emotions in either direction.


Using the sixth sense is on a continuum. Some people, like yourself, Winter, are born with or grow into their psychic abilities. Some are jarred into their abilities from a traumatic experience. In most people I speak to, it's not a "gift" at all. Being psychic is quite overwhelming and invasive. Some people will think they are going crazy and self- medicate with alcohol and drugs to make the feelings go away, others like Lexi in my books, and you in real life, train and practice to understand their abilities and use them proactively. Can you discuss training?

Winter -
Sure. I was motivated in my 20's to start training because I was so uncomfortable and unhappy. I started with something simple - meditation. I found that making quiet space every day helped me start to be able to tell the difference between what was mine, and what feelings belonged to others. I started studying with different teachers to learn as much as I could and find techniques to try to manage what was happening to me. There are teachers out there approaching this stuff from every angle, and now that we're all online it's easy to find a teacher or class or book or exercises that you can experiment with on your own. There's no one practice that fits all - it's going to vary based on your particular situation and what works for you with your lifestyle and maybe even belief system/religion.

What was helpful for me personally was studying how energy moves around the environment and in the body with a Qi Gong teacher and then further with the Reiki system. I found the Reiki principles to be particularly helpful as a guidance system for how to handle tricky situations I found myself in with too much information about other people and places. And my daily meditation practice has been a centering force in my life. I start every day with meditation so that I know what is "me" and can hold onto that awareness as I move throughout the world. Also included in my daily meditation is an important aspect that I consider as essential to well being as brushing your teeth: a practice of grounding, helping the body connect to the earth and feel safe and deliberately releasing all the energy that isn't yours that you've picked up through your daily life.

I believe the key to managing your sixth sense is trial and error and experimentation until you find practices that work for you. Then practice them every day, but also give yourself permission for your practice to evolve as you evolve.

Fiona - 
You've read my Lynx series and while I pushed the envelope in that Lexi is visibly physically hurt when she connects with the victims she's trying to help, this does happen in true life. Can you talk about taking on other's pain?

Winter -
Thankfully, I have not experienced the degree of physical damage that Lexi experiences in my life, but you're right that without the right "tools" people can inadvertently take on other people's pain.

When we haven't built up the psychic muscles to keep ourselves distinct from a person we are trying to help (or who just happen to be in our proximity), we can get overwhelmed and all the signals crossed so that we are feeling their physical discomfort and pain as well as their emotional pain and suffering. We might actually be such great "healers" that we allow others to consciously or unconsciously use us as a vessel for dumping their pain, so they feel better. 

This is how ancient/traditional shamans worked - sacrificing their own well-being for another's. While noble, this is not necessary for helping others. In fact it really ends up being unhealthy and detrimental. There are other ways of helping others that don't come at a cost for you personally. I loved how in the book series Lexi is eventually exposed to more advanced ways of working with her psychic abilities that weren't so painful for her.

Fiona - 
When you read a book or see a show that includes a character with psychic abilities - what do you see often portrayed incorrectly?

Winter - 
Hmm great question. What comes to mind right away is a show I loved, where I feel the character was portrayed correctly! It was called Ghost Whisperer with Jennifer Love Hewitt. In the series, she faced many challenging situations, but she always knew that she was safe and could yell STOP to reign in the visions she was receiving when they were too intense and painful. She trusted her abilities, and while they sent her on adventure every episode, her faith and confidence in herself was very empowering to watch as someone with six sense abilities.

A lot of what is portrayed incorrectly is how otherworldly information is communicating with us - it's not usually big and dramatic and furniture moving type communication. It's a hunch or a whisper or an insight that gives us a subtle clue, and then we can use our tools (like meditation, or oracle cards or pendulums etc... ) to dig in for further information. We are detectives a lot of the time. Also characters with these abilities are often shown as evil or using their abilities to hurt others, but I believe most people with a six sense want to help themselves and their families with the information they receive. They just don't always know how.

Fiona - 
How does someone with psychic abilities use the information they receive?

Winter - 
How we use the information we receive from our other senses is an important topic. Most of us are compassionate people, and we want to use it to help others. But we have to be very careful to stay neutral and allow others to grow or heal at their own pace. We have to be careful we don't become invested in changing someone or their situation because of the information we have received, as a lot of the time it is not about us. And we have to let others have their own journeys.­­­ Sometimes we receive information that it's just not our place or the right time to share with someone else. Or sometimes they just aren't ready to receive the information. There's a lot of moral and ethical gray area here about how to proceed. ­­­­­

Fiona - 
Along that vein can you talk about psychic ethics and why they're important? I remember a scene from Practical Magic where the woman is warned by the aunts that a love spell "making" a particular person fall in love with them was a bad idea.

Winter - 
Yes! I agree with the aunts on that completely. As human beings we have free will - to grow, to heal, to learn our lessons, to love etc... Trying to put our own agenda on another person is manipulation and unethical. It interferes with how the Universe works. 

Our jobs are to become the best versions of ourselves, not to change others. That never goes well whether manipulation is done psychically or verbally or abusively, the energy becomes warped and twisted and it's just not going to produce the results someone hopes for, even with the best intentions. A better approach to a love spell or healing would be two parts - to focus on removing barriers inside yourself to falling in love or being healed - and to open yourself up to receiving the love or healing you desire in whatever form the Universe finds fits you best. Then you are not manipulating free will, and you are focused on yourself. The Universe brings you the solutions when you are ready to receive them.

Also when it comes to healing, one important thing to know is that healing is not the same as curing. We can sometimes help others heal by sharing information, love, compassion, even healing energy - but it is a healing on an energetic or spirit level. The free will is still here - the journey that person's spirit chooses may or may not include the curing of the body or saving of the life, and we can't force an outcome we prefer.

Fiona - 
What did you hope I'd ask but I didn't? What w
ould you like writers to know when they write a character with psychic ability?

Winter - 
Well one thing I'd like writers to know is that not all of us with psychic ability are easy to spot. We aren't all wacky, burning incense, dressed in robes with moons and stars on them ­and known to be eccentric or weird. So many of us have regular jobs, do normal things like go to gym, try to figure out what's for dinner, and pay the bills. 

This private other side of us isn't apparent to most people meet us. We don't divulge or let people in on this side of us, unless its absolutely necessary or we trust and know the person is open minded or has similar abilities. Look around a room and there is probably someone in there with psychic abilities that you would never have guessed.

Fiona - 
It's true, if you met Winter, you would never guess how much she can know/read about you. Luckily, she is highly ethical. Is your character equally ethical with their 6th sense?


As always, a big thank you ThrillWriters and readers for stopping by. Thank you, too, for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Diversity: Writing Characters with Mental Health Issues with Olivia Vetrano

Mental Health Awareness Ribbon
Mental Health Awareness Ribbon
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Writers have an enormous role to play. We entertain, but we also educate. 

In the book Wired for Story, we learn that psychological tests show that humans are predisposed to live through others’ stories in order to grow and learn. Let me give you an example. I do not go to the woods to have picnics with bears. If I saw a bear while I was eating my sandwich, I would leave my food, make a great deal of noise, hold my body as big as I could, and back my way out of the situation. While I’ve never met a bear, I've learned through stories that they are dangerous. I’ve heard of others who have encountered bears where things have not gone well. Hearing their stories and knowing what could happen if I invited a bear to my picnic may be lifesaving information. 

When our brains are being told a story, the brain rewards us by sending all kinds of happy hormones into our bodies. We read for pleasure – but biologically we developed the feel-good pleasure hormones so we want stories and thus learn to stay alive. Pretty heady stuff, huh? 

And this is  a major reason that here on ThrillWriting that I preach (probably to the choir) that it is really important to get our facts straight. People are biologically predisposed to learn from our stories. They’re learning not just the caliber of bullets or the hand position on a bow and arrow, but also how to analyze situations, how to interpret interactions, and how to respond in our real every day existence. 

Today, I have invited Olivia Vetrano to chat with us. 
LINK to Olivia's Amazon Author Page

Olivia writes with such poignancy that she physically shook my world with her book Neverland. And without giving away the plot, I will tell you that there is a medical issue therein, and I had to for peace-of-mind’s sake go and research the outcomes of the medical issue, so I knew the chances for the heroine's survival. But more about her book in a moment.

We have been working on a new research tab on "inclusivity", and Olivia is here to talk about mental health and how it is portrayed in writing and how that writing influences our society. Olivia is both a writer and someone who experiences issues with her mental health.

Fiona - 
Can you start the discussion? What do yous see as mistakes in the plot framework  that include mental health as an issue or character quality?

Olivia -
You are absolutely right in that while writers are certainly here to entertain, they must also act as educators; which is a terrifying responsibility. It led me to write what I was familiar with, what I had already lived. I figured there was no way to mess that up. 

I realized, there were other people trying to tell me my own story, and they were telling it wrong. There are many aspects of society, not just books, that try to set the stage for how mental health issues should be perceived. 

When I was finally ready to take the pen and write my own narrative, I found my platform tainted, skewed and half occupied. I grew up hearing and reading things about how a person acting in a way you didn't want made them "crazy" or "unstable". And how those were perfectly justifiable excuses to leave them behind. 

Over the years I had subconsciously built up the idea that in order to be loved, in order to make people stay, you couldn't be "crazy". Authors have vivid imaginations and with that comes the ability to be open minded. So I don't think that any kind of writer should put such a versatile topic into such tight boundaries. 

Mental health issues don't fit neatly inside the lines. They tear through the do not cross tape, and if authors are willing to move with them, they might find a story truly worth telling.

Fiona -
Let's start with the biggest myth - I'm not sure what to call it -injustice maybe. 

Someone with a metal health illness could get over it if they tried hard enough - powered through it. That's like asking a person with cancer to think there way out of that diagnosis. 

You mentioned that a narrative is already in place and it doesn't reflect your truth. What other misconceptions or responses do you see that try to identify/interpret you in ways that you wish wasn't part of our communal understanding.


Olivia -
There aren't enough adjectives to describe how I feel when I hear the way too common argument that most mental health issues are just the person's inability to cope with daily life. 

First and foremost, it hurts. A lot. But it's also incredibly embarrassing. It's like saying, some people are hit by buses and survive, but you can't handle being sad. Which is a pathetic concept. Pathetic; there's another good descriptor. There's also shame, frustration, and the uncontrollable urge to placate everyone by pretending it's all in your head (no pun intended). 

There are things I have been diagnosed with that I had an entirely different perception of before being given the actual definition by a mental health professional. I think that's because writers, and others, want certain disorders to be understood in a way that best fits THEIR story. A character has a short temper and keeps changing her mind? Let's call her bi-polar. Another character throws a fit when people don't clean up after themselves? Let's say she has OCD. And what all these misidentifications have in common is that they are all negative. 

Some of the people I have met that actually have these disorders are some of the most incredible, loving, wonderful human beings I have ever had the honor of knowing. But so many books and stories turn them into demons and encourage the readers to root for their demise, or at the very least, for the protagonist to escape them. In many instances, a character with mental illness is the Loch Ness monster of the literary world. Something you can't see with your own eyes, but is clearly the villain.

Fiona - 
When a character is given a diagnosis by a writer, besides researching the parameters of that diagnosis, what ways could an author research the ins and outs and daily impact of a diagnosis so they can portray their characters in a life like 3D way and not in a damaged cookie cutter kind of way? Do you know of resources? Your blog for example.

Olivia - 
The first thing a writer needs to realize is that no two people are going to have the same experience with a mental health disorder. While there is certainly a vast common ground between people with the same disorder, what each individual does on that ground is where writers are going to find their story. 

Blogs are definitely a good place to start (and that's not just me shamelessly self-advertising). Any form of testimony from a person who's been through a mental health disorder or is currently living with one is like research gold. Writers should also go into the research process accepting of the fact that they might not understand what they learn. One of the most comforting things I ever heard from a friend was "I don't understand what you're going through, but I want to try".

Fiona
What should we writers understand that I didn't ask you?

Olivia - 
I'm insanely grateful to be part of a generation that is working so hard to erase the stigma attached to mental illness. But erasing that stigma means addressing it. And I think that's half the battle.

Mental illness is far from black and white, and there are no comfortable grey questions. I'm not sure what I would have liked to have been asked, but I do know what I'd like to say: Be flexible. Be open. Be understanding. There are so many people out there fighting invisible enemies until they're bruised and broken just to feel like a real person. There are so many people who don't feel valid; don't feel human. If writers give them the room to define themselves, they may be surprised to discover characters worthy of the leading role.

Fiona
I love this interview - I think it will touch writers' hearts and make them more aware. Thank you.

This is my review of Neverland:
Read It Now LINK

It has been a long time since I have read a novel that physically affected me. Two days after I finished NEVERLAND, I can still feel the story painting over my skin. As I read Vetrano's last few words, I found myself physically shaking. I was right there in that last poignant moment of the story. As a mother, I had lived through a similar experience, and Vetrano's words brought all of those sensations vividly back to me nine years later when I thought they had been buried. After finishing this novel, I needed a long walk and some bourbon.

This book is a rose that takes time to unfold, so be patient. As it spreads its petals, the fragrance and beauty become so heady that you get to go to that magic place where reality isn't, and you just get to experience - and in this case what you get to experience is desperate hope. I found myself crossing my fingers and holding my breath. This is one of those novels that you want all of your friends to read too, so you can share the experience

Thank you Olivia.



Keep up with Olivia here:
Keep up with Olivia here:







Keep up with Olivia here:
Twitter: @oliviavetrano
instagram: @oliviarosevetrano

BLOG - The Disordered Dreamer
blog: thedisordereddreamer@blogspot.com 


As always, a big thank you ThrillWriters and readers for stopping by. Thank you, too, for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.




Sunday, November 8, 2015

Hitting It Out of the Park: Writing Sports in Your Story with Monte Dutton

ThrillWriting welcomes author, sports journalist Monte Dutton.

Fiona-
Monte, so great for you to come over and share your expertise with us ThrillWriters. Can you give me a quick glimpse at your background as a sports writer?

Monte - 
I'm one of those kids who starts writing three graphs for the local paper when he's 14. I started writing diaries about football practice as a means of getting better at typing. I planned on being a lawyer when I went to college and got accepted, but, after four years of pre-law, I had developed a dislike of lawyers. I decided to take a year off, got a writing job, loved it, won a bunch of awards, and kept at it, not knowing, of course, that one day the slow death of newspapers would begin. I always wanted to write fiction, though. It was just a matter of honing my skills.

Fiona - 
Amazon Link

And you took your love of sport into your writing. Your Kindle Scout Winning book, CRAZY OF NATURAL CAUSES (which, by the way, I thought was fantastic) centered around the football field BUT it wasn't really about football at all, and this Canadian girl--who understands very little about football--was still intrigued by the story line. Can you tell folks about your book, and then how you were able to write about sports (football) while still not writing about sports? Making it accessible to all kinds of readers?

Monte - 
Crazy started out being even crazier, I wanted to write sort of a farce, but once I invented Chance Benford, the maniacal football coach who loses everything, I had grown to take him a bit more seriously. 


Chance becomes a man buffeted about, reinventing himself on the fly, swept away by a current and coping the best he can. He's a good man, but a flawed one. Not a saint. Not a sinner. Like most of us, somewhere in between. In short, I came to care about Chance. I wrote through him and made some changes based on how this man I created would react in this absurd world in which he, and, to a lesser extent, most of us, is living. It's amusing, but it's not a comedy. It's perilous. He acquires enemies. There are people out to get him. He was a football coach, though. He's resourceful.

Sports is in all my three novels so far, but only the middle one is really a sports novel. The first, The Audacity of Dope, is about a pot-smoking songwriter who reluctantly becomes a national hero. 
Riley Mansfield is an ex-football player. 

The Intangibles is centered around a high school football team, but it's about the South and civil rights and the 1960s. 

Chance starts out as a football coach. What I love about sports writing is that it's all right there in front of you. In other areas of life, people fold under pressure and commit fouls, but most of the time, it's behind closed doors. A ballgame is right out there in the spotlight. To summarize, in writing about other issues, I tend to include sports because it has been a vibrant part of my life and I know a lot about it.

Fiona - 
If a writer is including sports in their writing, what guidelines could you give them so that it doesn't read like a play by play of a Monday night game?

Monte - 
Here's one suggestion that I have come across in sports-themed novels. Sometimes the narrative seems to suggest that the character being voiced is something of a simpleton, even as it is obvious from the narrative that he or she is most definitely not. It's a lot of the reason I've written in third person so far. 

Secondly, remember the writer's obligation to tell the reader something he doesn't already know. Know the game well enough not to botch its details, but, in fiction, dwell more on motivations and emotions. A sporting event is worthwhile for writers of thrillers. Lots of shocking things happen. Lots of clues are left. I dramatic game or auto race could easily be the basis of an allegory.

Fiona - 
Let's talk about characters. In sports there is the dynamic of team and individual. How can you balance those in your character and how do you keep from making the whole thing into one great big cliche?

Monte -
I think I'm more of a myth buster than perpetuator. I'm irreverent by nature, and journalism naturally cultivates cynicism. It's easy to typecast people. I'm a populist as a writer and in general, I like to knock the high and mighty down to size. My characters are resourceful, mischievous, likable, flawed, and more than what appears on the surface. There are few stock characters in my books. I don't know. Some might say they are predictably flawed, mischievous, et al. I just try to conjure up characters that intrigue me, figuring there must be others out there who will feel the same way. It's hard to describe a concrete way to avoid clichés, It's sort of like keeping score at a baseball game. There's only one way, which is the way that works for you.

Fiona - 
You have a new book on Kindle Scout - one that is not sports-centric. Can you give us a peek?

Monte - 

Forgive Us Our Trespasses

by MONTE DUTTON
Good cop vs. bad politician. One must die.
Denny Frawley is a corrupt prosecutor with ambition. Hal Kinley, who has known Frawley all his life, is a good cop who has watched his friend grow into an unscrupulous monster. Among the obstacles in Frawley's path to the governorship are an alcoholic spouse, a scheming mistress, and his drug-dealing twins. The kids are as awash in corruption as their father. Kinley's son has been drawn into their orbit. Kinley is determined to save his son and stop his old friend. The odds do not favor him


Fiona -
If you go to this LINK and give this book a thumbs up - it will be delivered to your Kindle for FREE if Monte earns the contract.

Does this novel have any sports in it?

Monte - 
A little golf and baseball. It's a fable about the corruptive influence of patronage. Good cop vs. evil prosecutor and his conniving, murderous minions (not cartoon variety). Denny Frawley is a mean, bigoted crook who wants to steamroll his way to the governorship. He has an alcoholic wife, a scheming mistress, and a pair of drug-dealing twins, who are chips off the old block. Hal Kinley has known Frawley all his life. Kinley's son has fallen under the spell of the Frawley twins, and Hal's goal is to stop Frawley's rise and win back the respect of his son.

Fiona - 
If I were writing about a sportscaster/ sports journalist, what personality traits would be helpful to have and what characteristics would make them a bad fit for their job?

Monte -
Hardworking, underpaid, all sorts of dysfunctions bred from travel, cynical from years of being manipulated and lied to. Sports writers are often flawed. They are fun-loving, and inevitably they are embittered as their world changes. 

Broadcasters have greater egos, are generally prettier, and grow adept at putting on airs, owing to the dramatizing that comes with the job. Sports writers are more insecure. Broadcasters crave adulation. Then, of course, there are exceptions on both sides. Broadcasters are seldom hard-bitten, though.

Fiona -
Thanks, Monte. And now, we insist that you tell us a sports related, perilous story of near woe.

Monte - 
Sports writers have many weaknesses, but they work long hours. Most show up early, and most work late. The sports palaces are darkened and empty hulks by the time most scribes trudge back to their cars, and from there to the room, the airport, and occasionally even home.

I traveled the country following race cars for twenty years. I still write weekly columns about them. About five hundred times I watched, listened, asked questions, transcribed the answers and tried to assemble a series of stories – typically a race story, notebook, a few facts and quotes for what we called “the rail,” and a column – and ship them electronically back to the home office for dissemination.

Five hundred races create the inevitability of randomness.

Hours after a NASCAR race at the sprawling track in Kansas City, Kansas, as dusk was settling over the mass desertion, three friends and I stacked our papers, filled our briefcases and backpacks, donned our windbreakers and headed out.

Behind the Kansas Speedway suite level – the press box is generally the suite with the worst food and fewest drunks – is sort of a breezeway, a long, open-air hall, with the suites on one side and rails on the other, interspersed at regular intervals by elevator cylinders.

We were all about to get on the elevator when one’s cell phone rang. He answered, and it was obviously a call he had to answer. The office, maybe, or his wife, maybe even a race car driver he had been trying to reach for his day-after column.

The rest of us could have boarded, but, out of collegiality, I suppose, we waited.

It was the best phone call ever, even for those of us who still don’t know who it was.

We got on the elevator, and, apparently, the noise reduction, or whatever elevators have, masked the sound of shots being fired because, at the precise time we were descending, at the bottom of the shaft, an armed robbery was taking place at the track’s box office, or whatever they called the place where people counted lots of money on the evening after a NASCAR race where about eighty thousand people had paid their way in.

An off-duty police officer was shot. If the box office had been on the same side of the cylinder as the elevator, four journalists might, too, have been shot. The timing that saved us was crucial. It was the time one of us had been talking on a cell phone and the other three randomly decided to wait.

We walked out of the elevator. We heard the screeching noise of a black station wagon – they don’t call them station wagons anymore, of course – speeding away. As we walked across this plaza, sirens started going off, and police officers started converging – several careening cruisers, two individuals sprinting wide open, and even a helicopter! – although, thankfully, they didn’t see four sedentary sports writers strolling out in the open as possible perps.

Being the keen observers that we journalists are, we became mildly suspicious that something was amiss. We retreated to the elevator and the press box, made a few calls, and started working on an unexpected story.

And pondering whether, by the fateful accident of a phone’s ring, we had cheated death or injury. Destiny just missed
.

Fiona -
Thank you, Monte. 

ThrillWriters, can you take five seconds to throw some support behind Monte? Go to this LINK and give his book a boost.

You can stay in touch with Monte Dutton:
  • On his blog - mostly fiction and book reviews and essays on writing: wellpilgrim.wordpress.com
  • Mostly non-fiction: montedutton.com
  • Twitter @montedutton and, slightly more irreverent and generalized, @wastedpilgrim
  • Facebook Monte.Dutton
  • Instagram Tug50

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.