029 Inside the Emotion of Fiction VEILED VISIONS OF LOVE by Betty Bolte published on August 25, 2018
Were there other names you considered that you would like to share with us? I brainstormed a long list of possibilities, 43 in all. Some of them were Love Me Tomorrow; Visions of Tomorrow; Blinded by Love; On the Wings of Love; Remembering the Future (terrible, right?); A View to His Home. Some are too awful to share!
What is the date you began writing this piece of fiction and the date when you completely finished the piece of fiction? The initial brainstorming stage occurred throughout March 2018. I started writing the manuscript on March 30, 2018 and finished the final touches on August 3, 2018. (BELOW Betty Bolte in June of 2018)
Where did you do most of your writing for this fiction work? And please describe in detail. And can you please include a photo? I did my brainstorming in my sunroom, then worked in my office to write the story. My office consists of a desk, computer stand with my laptop and monitor on it, and a couple of bookcases with writing references and research books. I love having my own space again! Prior to April 2017 I worked in the living room with my laptop on a rolling table beside my chair. When we moved in 2017 one of the things I looked for in the new house was a room to call my own. We added on the sunroom as a light-filled airy space to read and write, and it’s one of my favorite places in the house.
What were your writing habits while writing this work- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? I set aside 8:00-12:00 each weekday to write. I usually have some coffee to begin and then switch to water midmorning. I brainstorm using pen and paper, but write the book on my laptop with a wireless keyboard and mouse. I listen to a variety of music on the radio while I write but when I’m revising I move to the living room with my lap desk and printed manuscript and red pen. Then I turn on the TV and have reruns of older shows like Murder She Wrote and Columbo on as background. My cat, Calliope, likes to come “help” me with revisions by sitting on the manuscript so I can pet her.
Please include excerpt and include page numbers as reference. The excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer.
(pp167-170)
Chapter Fifteen
As Keith had ducked to scramble down the steps, Beth spun away to take another look around the cabin. She’d love to take a vacation on such a plane. Elegant and sleek as well as comfortable. Not having to deal with the crowds and lines at the airport. Yet still having the thrill of going to other countries, visiting different cultures. She tossed her jacket on the seat of one chair and then settled into one of the closest chairs, running her hands over the buttery leather armrests. The seat welcomed her, gently embracing her body.
Her imagination took flight, images of daring snatches of other expensive planes before the owner had time to react let alone offer any objection or obstacle. Just her and Mitch, jetting from airport to airport, together. Her training gave her the self-confidence and strength to make her fantasies become realities. She flexed her hands, pleased by the increased strength in her grasp and her overall flexibility and resiliency. Between that and her newfound knowledge of planes and her sharpshooter skills, she could handle anything.
She peered out the window at the fading sunlight, the first few stars braving the night sky. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes. Imagined all the faraway places they could go. As successful repo agents, they’d have plenty of money to afford the best of everything. They could hire a pilot and crew and really enjoy the lap of luxury in style. She let the daydream play out for several minutes then frowned. She opened her eyes to stare about the quiet cabin. Too much time had elapsed without any sign of departure happening. Where was Mitch?
She tensed and jumped to her feet. She tilted her head, straining to hear what might be happening outside but no sounds filtered through the open door. Maybe she should go check to make sure he was all right. But Keith had told her to stay put. Still, if something had gone wrong… She started toward the door.
A large swarthy-skinned man burst into the cabin, his gaze searching and then landing on her with an angry frown. “Who are you?”
How to respond? Beth forced herself into character, made her tense frame relax as she smiled coyly at him. She’d dressed to be sexy, so she would act the part. If he thought she wasn’t a threat, then she’d have a better chance of mitigating his accusatory glare. “My name’s Beth. What’s yours?”
The only exit stood behind her adversary. She darted a glance around her, not finding anything suitable to use as a weapon. Nothing presented itself as even remotely acting like a weapon. She had her gun, of course, but Mitch had warned her about using it within the airplane. Something vital could be damaged, if not some part of the plane then some part of a person. If he came close enough, she could use her martial arts. She inhaled, preparing to do whatever necessary to protect herself.
“Never you mind.” He took two steps toward her, the muzzle of a silver gun glinting in the small space between them. “Put your hands where I can see them.”
The presence of his gun changed her options. Made her glad she hadn’t pulled her own, alerting him to the fact she had one. If she could grab his gun away, she might have a chance hand to hand. She assessed his wide shoulders, the firm grip he had on the gun, and swallowed hard. Maybe not. Staring down the barrel of the weapon unnerved her. One slip of his finger and she could be injured. Or dead.
Waves of fear and uncertainty crashed through her, rattling her confidence into doubt. She’d been training for action but when confronted, her self-preservation instincts kicked in. Mitch had been right to warn her away from trying to live the life of a heroine from a novel. Be careful what you wish for…you just might get it.
She slowly raised her hands to ear height. “What do you want?”
“For you to go back there and sit down.” He pointed with his free hand, the gun aimed steadily at her heart. “The boss will be here in a minute and he can decide what to do with you.”
Todd Walsh, the abuser? More thugs like the one in front of her would also likely accompany the man. She needed to escape, to get off the plane before someone—like her—got hurt. Maybe she could talk her way out of the situation. Her fighting skills might suffice but her courage didn’t measure up to the threat she faced. Tears pressed for release. All her efforts to be better, stronger, had worked to make her fully capable of protecting herself. Only to lack the bravery to meet the deadly challenge.
“Let me get out of your way then.” She tried to smile but feared she’d failed at that as well. “I’ll mosey on out of here…”
“Nice try. Get to that back seat and buckle up. We’ll be taking off in a few minutes. The boss is in a hurry.” The big guy indicated with his head for her to move as he’d said.
“But really, I don’t—” What had happened to Mitch and Keith? Her heart fell with the sudden realization they must be hurt and unable to reach her as a result. “My friends?”
“They’re a bit tied up at the moment.”
The deep rumble of ironic laughter unsettled her even more. “You better not have hurt them, or I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” He sneered and spun her around with a hard push toward the back seat. “Sit down and shut up.”
She caught her balance on the back of the chair, her fingers clawing at the leather to steady herself. The threat to her life was real. Beyond the chair only a few feet of open space stretched before running into the padlocked storage cabinet. No chance of escape or even to fight back. She’d asked for the excitement and daring of the job but never thought she’d end up a prisoner. She glanced at the man, who glared at her and motioned to the seat again. Sinking onto the soft seat, she clicked the seatbelt home. He tossed her jacket at her which she caught and laid across her lap. Then could only stare at the man with the gun, and forlornly hope for someone, anyone, to save her.
Why is this excerpt so emotional for you? And can you describe your own emotional experience of writing this specific excerpt? This scene is the moment when she realizes that as much as she thought she was prepared to do what’s necessary she isn’t. I drew on my n experience with learning how to SCUBA dive decades ago in Indiana. I passed the written knowledge tests and even the pool qualification dive. I thought I was ready and able to go out diving with my husband, who has been diving since he was a teen. I wanted to be able to go with him. I’d tried snow skiing and failed, but I could dive. Only, when we went to the quarry for the final qual dives, I panicked. I could walk in from shore and submerge and swim, but after surfacing in the middle I couldn’t go back down. I was terrified of what might be beneath me. I just swam back to shore and got out of the water. I was so upset about failing I cried all the way home. That feeling is what I tried to impart in Beth when she realizes she’s not as ready as she thought.
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Nathaniel Kaine’s Thriller Novel:
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By J.D. Trafford
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VOID
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ALLIGATOR ALLEY
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VOID
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THE NOWHERE MAN
By Marlon L. Fick
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VOID
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By Samuel Snoek-Brown
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“Pasture Art” from the short story collection by the same title PASTURE ART
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https://christalcooper.com/27-inside-the-emotion-of-fiction-rafael-by-faith-gibson/
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