So Evil

Last night after I was finished lounging on the porch I decided to lounge inside and watch the Sound of Music for the 104th time. Relaxing, harmless entertainment, right?

Uh, nope. All was fine until about half hour in when I saw a commercial for the new Dairy Queen Blizzard. Midnight Truffle. The description, straight from their website – “Rich truffle pieces blended with dark, decadent cocoa fudge and creamy vanilla soft serve.” Need I say more?

Oh my God how I wanted one! Only yesterday, as you know, was Easter so I was SOL. Damn! I propose that commercials for such wicked things only be shown during hours when they are readily available. Otherwise it’s just plain cruel to torture us like that, flashing pictures in front of us with no way to get to one. Evil bastards.

You’ll be pleased to know by the time I was heading home today the desperate need to indulge had passed…barely. They better not show that damn commercial again tonight. I have things to do and there’s not enough time for a trip to Dairy Queen. No, really there’s not. Repeat after me – I do not need a Midnight Truffle Blizzard. I do NOT need a Midnight Truffle Blizzard. I DO NOT NEED A MIDNIGHT TRUFFLE BLIZZARD!!! No, but I sure as hell still want one.

Characters Need Entertainment Too

A lot of fellow authors I’ve spoken with need silence to write. Some need soothing music. With others, it’s mood music. With me, it varies. It seems as if each story takes on a life of its own with a continual theme for the entire time I’m writing. My default writing background music is Warren Zevon. He’s also the default music for my life most of the time.

The last book I wrote needed show tunes. Of course I sang along. This one requires old musicals playing on the TV as I write. I can’t tell you how many times I listened to The Happiest Millionaire since I started this story. Last week it was Summer Magic, My Fair Lady, and Disney cartoons, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, and The Aristocats. Yesterday, it was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mary Poppins, and the Sound of Music. Now it’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and maybe later I’ll put on The King and I. By the time I play Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, State Fair, Oklahoma, and Singing in the Rain I should have this one finished. Good thing. I’m running out of choices.

I can’t wait to find out what my next group of characters needs as entertainment while they’re sharing their story with me. It’s always so much fun.