Flyin' By The Seat Of My Pants...

Many of you may not know I am somewhat of a science fiction fan...to me, that is sometimes easier to believe than romance!  Not too long ago, I was just surfing and I found an interesting blog.  Alex is a soon to be published author, October 19th to be exact. 

I said all that to say this, he and some friends have hosted a series on writing how to's and how come's and all that.  I discovered they were hosting something September 24th.  To participate, you sign up and write about a character...I thought!  So, my ever quick fingers signed me up before I read ALL the information.

I am supposed to write about writing a good character...I think.  My solution, as I wipe the egg from my face, is just to write about a character.  So here goes nothing...

Born in 1917, my father was half Irish and half English.  He would tell the story of his grandmother's voyage to Ellis Island with light in his eyes.  She was so ornery, he would say, a sailor grabbed one foot and held her over the side of the ship, promising to drop her if she didn't behave.  She was only five, so Dad thinks maybe he came by his orneriness honestly.

Oh, the tales he told!  A different life time shared with first the children and then the grandchildren.  He could weave a tale with such humor and suspense, you would sit waiting for the end and yet hope the tale never ended.

The first thing you would notice about Dad would be his eyes, blue as the sky and so full of life, they twinkled.  He was small in stature but his presence was larger than life.  Maybe five eight, I have seen him back a six foot plus man into a corner with just his words...not angry words, but strong and truthful words.

Dad was a self-educated man and was always learning.  His heroes were Rachael Carson, Will Rogers and Edgar Caycee.  He was a veteran of World War II and he served proudly.  He never spoke of war except  the funny stories.  The other, he said, was not suitable to tell or to hear.

My father taught me what a person's word is worth, what it means to work hard for your dreams, and how to laugh and what love truly means.  I would be his daughter all over again if I had the chance.

So I have written about a character in my life not how to write a character.  I hope you were entertained.
Sorry, Alex, I will read more closely next time.