Thursday - 10:30 p.m.

Wal-Mart, 10:30 pm, buying acrylic craft paint.  Contrary to what you might assume, the purchase was not to paint a portrait of my cat.  (Not all mid-twenties cat-owners are crazy cat ladies…  Just most of them).

Here I am standing in the 10-items-or-less line listening to the cashier give a customer a lecture about the side effects of smoking.  Pretty sure the customer knows these side effects, since this lane is also for tobacco purchases (and of course, the only open register).  And from the looks of it, Mr. A-Carton-a-Day would probably shrivel up and die if he quit smoking at this point.

I glance at the other 49 gajillion closed registers.  Pretty sure they’re mocking me along with the chatty cashier’s button that reads “How may I help you?”

It’s rolling on 10:42, and finally the customer in front of me must feel adequately berated because he takes his $100 nicotine purchase and leaves.  My turn.  The little paint bottles roll their way up the conveyor belt.

“How are you today?” she asks.

“Fine,” I say.  I slide my credit card through the machine.  Maybe I can speed things up.  “How are you?” I finally mumble.

“Great!”  She exclaims.  She’s way too perky for nearly 11 p.m.  She looks at my purchase and pauses.  “What are you making?”

“Something for my boss.”

“Oh, really?  Like what?”  Beep, beep goes the register.

“Something for her baby shower,” I admit.

“Is that what the paint is for?” she asks. 

I feel something snap inside my head.   “No, I’m planning on huffing it later.”  No more beeps, the register is quiet.  She’s actually stopped ringing me up to stare at me.

Uh oh.  “I was kidding.”

“That’s not really funny,” she complains.  “That’s serious.”

“How serious can that be?  It’s acrylic paint, craft paint, you know, for birdhouses and Sunday school projects.  You can’t even huff it!”

The cashier narrows her eyes at me.  “How would you know?”

Oh dear lord.  “How much do I owe you?” I ask, trying to distract her.

“There are places where you can get help,” she replies.  I look behind me.  I’m pretty sure the guy in line holding a bag of dog food takes a slight step back.

“I don’t need help, I just need my paint.  And my receipt.”

“You need your paint?” she asks, stressing the word “need.”  The cashier continues to eye me suspiciously, as if she’s trying to place my picture from a recent episode of America’s Most Wanted.  After a long, scrutinizing pause, she hands me my bag of un-huffable paint and my receipit.  There’s no “thank you,” or “have a good night.”  Just another long look.

“Thanks,” I mumble.  I grab my bag and head to the car. 

10:48 on a Thursday night.  Finally, after nearly twenty minutes in line at Wal-Mart, I can go home and get started painting that portrait of my cat.  

If This Were Sixteen Candles

I often think of my life as a movie, specifically a coming-of-age film complete with a self-depreciating voiceover and indie rock soundtrack.  There are moments that happen every day that I know will inevitably find their way into a screenplay, a story, or some random file on my computer, (along with downloaded pictures of Andrew Garfield).

I was standing in line at Paradise Donuts this morning reading a text from a coworker when I heard a husky voice ask, “Is that one jelly-filled?”  I looked up to see a handsome, dark-haired stranger gazing into the glass case.  The woman behind the counter was just as caught off guard as I was.  “Uhm, yeah,” she finally mumbled back.  She then smiled.  “Why, yes it is.” 

The stranger ran his hand through his hair, indecision contorting his (what I would assume to be) usually handsome features.  It was at this point that I could have inserted myself into the conversation.  I could have suggested that he try a crueler, or maybe a bear claw, but alas, I kept quiet.  I stood frozen in line, lost somewhere between the coffee machine and the exit door, hovering there just like the lingering scent of sugar in the air. 

If my life were a movie, I could have spouted, “You know, a real mean  would try sprinkles,” or something infinitely more witty.  He would smile, and I would smile, and our moment would quickly develop into a conversation covering everything from comic books to local bands, all the while discovering that we had an absurd amount of things in common.  But at that instant, my nerves were as pliable as the jelly-filled pastries lined up in the case before me.  And also, my life is NOT a movie, contrary to any long held notions of mine. 

The door dinged and Handsome Stranger left with his dozen (probably non jelly-filled) donuts. 

I turned to the woman behind the counter.  With a sigh, and a slight smile she asked me.  “And what would you like, dear?”  

If You Buy the Dress...

Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest places.  Like a little dress store, for example.

A few weeks ago, I was shopping with a friend (this is also known as Stage 3 Writing Avoidance), and the cutest dress caught my eye.  It was blue and gray satin with some fun beadwork detail around the waistline.  So of course, I started making up excuses in my head about WHY I should have this dress. 

“Eureka!  I could wear it to a film premiere for my movie!  Yeah!”  The thought of buying a dress for the premiere of a film that hasn’t even been made yet is pretty presumptuous.  Will the dress still fit by then?  I know the answer to that – NO!  Especially if I keep pounding back the cherry cokes and mini-chocolate donuts like I have been.  Ugh.

I’ve convinced myself that it was a good purchase using a Kevin Costner, Field-of-Dreams-style mantra.  Instead of “if you build it, they will come,” it’s now, “if I buy the dress, the movie will be made.”  Ridiculous, I know.  But what can I say?  Sometimes a girl just hopes for the ridiculous.  

Strangely enough, after the dress purchase, I completed the second draft of my screenplay, and am now nearly finished with my third.  Coincidence?  My little dress and I don’t think so.  ;)

Photoshop is the New Cure for Writer's Block

Hey Blogging Buddies. :) Above are the book covers I designed for my first YA novel, "The Fall of Orion." Thanks to my friends William Tyler and Heather Hanson for modeling for the photo shoot and the book trailer.

Moral of this story? When you're feeling frustrated during your latest bout with writer's block use that time to work for you. Work on a project that inspires you, and encourages you to keep going. :)  And as my friend Feliza told me, "the more time you procrastinate, the better you get at these book covers."  :)

Writer's (Building) Block

I assume that like me, most of you have experienced writer’s block from time to time.  In fact, you might be experiencing it right now, which would explain why you’re reading this little blog post instead of finishing your word count for the day. 

Writer’s block can attack anyone at anytime and can be incapacitating, so be prepared.  There have been instances (which are more often than I’d like to admit) when I’ve walked past my laptop in an effort to avoid the blinking cursor, like it was a bully prepared to pummel me for my lunch money. 

So, what can you do when you break into a cold sweat every time you look at your computer screen?  What about when your fingers tremble at the idea of writing that climactic scene?  Use this “break” in your writing schedule to work for you.  Take this time to sketch out a book cover idea.  Dabble with iMovie to create a fun book trailer featuring your favorite song.  These little projects will not only inspire you to keep going, but they may also turn out to be something pretty awesome that you can share on your website. 

What do you do to cure writer’s block?  

Who Knew Inaugural Was So Hard to Spell...

(Excited/Nervous Sigh).

My inaugural blog.  And yes, I did have to use spell check on “inaugural.”  It’s a word that I haven’t really used too often in my own life, and a word that I generally only hear every four years.

So…  My blog… 

Welcome!  Thanks for reading (and hopefully following in the future)!  As far as background information goes, it will be short…  My name is Marcie Price, I’m an aspiring author and screenwriter living in southwest Oklahoma.  I’m currently finishing my first novel, “The Fall of Orion.”  It’s a YA novel mixing science fiction and paranormal romance genres, and I hope to begin querying agents regarding this nearly 105,000 word novel by the end of the year.

Check back soon!  I hope to post my query letter, as well as other (hopefully exciting) information regarding my journey into the world of publishing.

Thanks!

J Marcie.