Finishing my book

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books, challenges, personal, postaday2013, writing

I’m looking forward to Nanowrimo (National November Writing Month) because it worked beautifully last year to force me into my chair to write, and those chapters were relatively easy to produce. This year I definitely need the structure of the challenge to help with the difficult last quarter of the book. I got my characters all the way to their transatlantic voyage and I am, for some reason, having a hard time getting a feel for how Madeleine will take to New York of the twenties. I have been watching as many programs that have to do with the gilded twenties in New York and Board Walk Empire has been a must see t.v, if only because prohibition plays such a strong role in the New York chapters.

I know why I have been having a hard time writing the last piece of the book. I am having a difficult time articulating in the most honest way possible, the ambivalence that Madeleine will feel, the culture shock, the excitement, the homesickness and the fear. Having been on a cruise ship, I have the overseas voyage mapped out and that will go well, arriving at New York and disembarking will bring Madeleine into a whole new universe. She knows Paris, but New York in terms of energy is Paris on steroids. Food is her passion, so that will be another challenge for me, how exactly to show the differences and her reactions, because though the food is different she is adventurous in her gastronomic pursuits.Family is another conundrum, Madeleine lives for her family and now she will be the outsider in Jack’s family and I have to figure out exactly, given Jack’s line of work, how much proximity there will be between Jack and his family.

I know how to portray their night life and their restaurant outings, it is the in between time that will be a little difficult. I don’t think that Madeleine will get a job, so what will she do? Will she be Jack’s partner in crime, if I am channeling my great-great aunt, then Madeleine will be Jack’s partner because my great-great aunt was a bootlegger, so Madeleine get ready to put your ingenuity to work. Writing this has made me feel better about my being stuck and the plan on getting unstuck. Why do I make i more difficult in my head? All that I need to do is sit down and let the words get out.

Daily prompt : Clothes

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clothes, fashion, fashion shows, postaday2013, style

How important are clothes to you? Describe your style, if you have one, and tell us how appearance impacts how you feel about yourself.

Clothes are very important for a variety of reasons. In my opinion clothes first and foremost cover up and protect the body from the elements, they also provide privacy from others. These are the two most basic reasons for clothes, yet clothes provide even more than that to so many people. What is the saying? Clothes make the man? There is something enticing about a man in a well tailored suit, with a beautiful colored dress shirt and a strong pattern in the tie. The suit should also be of an elegant fabric, a fabric that hangs well on the body.

I love clothes on others, I especially love architectural designs that I see at the fashion shows when the House of Chanel unveils its creations. I also appreciate Victoria Beckham as a designer, I love strong lines and structured shapes. Hermes is another fashion house that has my attention each time I see a clip of their shows.

Having said all this, for myself, clothes aren’t important in the sense that I dress for fashion. I dress for comfort, to look neat and tidy and to be warm. I don’t have the eye necessary to figure out what suits me and what makes me look attractive. I am too judgmental on myself so when I am in the dressing room, I don’t see the good points to an outfit, I see that it makes my legs look fat, or the pants on too snug even if they aren’t, I say snug when they are fitted and should be, this constant drone in my head when I have to go clothes shopping makes shopping a huge chore. That is why I consider myself the luckiest lady in the world because my hubby loves shopping and he especially loves to buy me nice clothes. Which helps me very much because when he takes me with him to a client’s dinner, I can go feeling comfortable in the knowledge that I am wearing a pretty dress that he picked out and I look pretty in his eyes.