Comments on: A Penguin Under Every Arm

By: Jamie Michele

Jamie Michele — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:21:36 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts, Dara. I’m so glad to hear that more romance writers are featuring non-White characters. My second ms features a heroine who is half-Chinese, half-White/Irish-American by both ethnicity and nationality. I found it an interesting exercise to describe her appearance without resorting to overdone stereotypes (”almond-shaped eyes”), and it got me thinking in new directions. I tried to avoid words like “exotic” or “unusual,” too. It just seemed too easy and wrong to define her as an “other,” as in, different from “us.”

By: Vanessa Barneveld

Vanessa Barneveld — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:55:06 +0000

Jamie, I’m so sorry you’ve had such an ordeal with your shoulder. Kudos to you for not letting it stop you continue as a writer.

A few years ago, I had repetitive strain issues in both arms at the same time. It was unbearable to even pick up a pen or a book, so I sympathise with you totally. For a while I thought I’d never write again–and *that* really was unbearable. But I brushed myself off, got intensive rehab treatment and voice-recognition software. It took about 18 months to fully recover and now I can type for long stretches again without soreness.

By: Liz Talley

Liz Talley — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:35:35 +0000

Wow, so many who’ve faced so much.

I think what connects me the most with what you’ve been through is the thought that we are strong and invicible. I’ve always felt that way. i’m built very muscularly, have always been flexible and athletic. But since I’m approaching 40, I’ve noticed I just don’t heal well anymore. If I pull a muscle, it take several weeks for it to heal. And I’ve got something major going on with my elbow. It was my back a month ago and my shoulder two weeks before.

I’ve concluded that it sucks getting old. But the alternative is worse.

This year I’m going to focus on doing pilates and yoga to help strengthen my body. And I’m going to drop a few pounds. And I’m going to let my heroines feel some of what I feel.

By: Sherry Weddle

Sherry Weddle — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:41:53 +0000

Jamie,
I saw your link on Clues ‘N News and had to respond. In February I had two major (8 hour) surgeries on my back. I’ve had scoliosis since a teen but have been active (not athletic, I’m a klutz!) since then. I’m 63 now, had six children including a set of twins, had my own home daycare for 17 years, usually infants and toddlers. Been a teacher, too, years ago. I’m the one who takes care of everyone else, so having my back get progressively worse was quite difficult to deal with. First I had to quit daycare since picking up the babies was difficult. Then I couldn’t do what I used to do, which is be active 14 hours a day! or more.
I found out in April of 2008 I needed surgery, it had progressed from 38 degree curvature to 73 plus 42 and 24 degree curves above and below. I looked the same but shorter.
I had a couple of complications after surgery, so was in ICU for 20 days, plus rehab for a total of 32 days. Got home and fell on my face when I entered. OUCH!
A month later I was hospitalized for pneumonia which left me exhausted for two months. In June, I fell once again, walking out of my laundry room, on my face and broke my nose plus jammed my right shoulder, so am in therapy for that as well.
I’m normally an upbeat person but this has been soooo hard to deal with. I couldn’t write for months. I’m easing into it by writing short stories, less to concentrate on. I’m still on pain meds but cut the pills in half so I’m weaning off them.
I do understand all you’re going through!!! I’m amazed you’ve been able to write.
I have to tell you about the health benefits of chocolate, tho. Go to http://www.lechocolatbar.com to learn more. The owner, Cathy Bouchard, had fibromyalgia which she cured by eating one ounce of pure chocolate (read the label, no butterfat, etc, just cocoa and cocoa butter, maybe vanilla) She eats this in the morning on an empty stomach. She started feeling better the first week and was ‘cured’ in six weeks. I’ve met women who had bad arthritis and had amazing results with this chocolate.
So, there is a fun cure!
Hope it helps.
Sherry Weddle

By: Dara

Dara — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:22:47 +0000

For my one WiP, my MC’s appearance is one of the major hurdles she’s got to overcome in the story. She’s half-American/half-Japanese in a time and place when being mixed race wasn’t accepted at all. She’s got to learn to accept who she is and her heritage–something she has a hard time doing since being an outcast has always been something that defined her.

I don’t go into a huge description of what she looks like–I just let the reader know that she’s so obviously a blending of two distinct cultures that neither side ever really wants to accept her because of the obviously blending and the fact she’s seen as “half caste.”

Anyway, I hope you’re shoulder feels better soon!

By: Jamie Michele

Jamie Michele — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:36:22 +0000

Thank you all for sharing your stories and experiences!

By: Laurie Kellogg

Laurie Kellogg — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:37:12 +0000

Interesting exercise, Jamie. Thanks for suggesting it.

By: Kelly Fitzpatrick

Kelly Fitzpatrick — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:55:27 +0000

Jamie, my husband says I’ve already lost my mind.

I flunk my glaucoma test every year. If I could study for it I would. Then they run me through all sorts of eyeball torture tests and declare me OK for another year. I’m afraid one year they will not declare me okay.

By: Tina Joyce

Tina Joyce — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:26:54 +0000

Hugs Jamie on the shoulder problems, but kudos on transferring your experiences to your writing.

I’ve always loved horses and riding, and one day (a year ago) just after transitioning into a canter, I felt an awful sensation in my back. I thought I’d pulled a muscle, put heat on it and went about my business. A couple days later I decided to ride again and felt the same terrible pain…so bad that it took my breath away. A month later, I learned I had compression fractures in two vertabrae in my back–that my bones were already thinning, and I haven’t even reached menopause yet. What a terrible sensation to wonder how much longer I’d be able to do something I’ve always loved. I still ride, but every time I give the cue to canter, there’s a second or two when I hold my breath and pray my back holds up.

But you’re right. You can transfer life experiences to writing. I’ve done that in several manuscripts whether it was my characters facing some physical challenge or by having a deep-rooted belief challenged. And I always get teary-eyed when I push them through it, even more so now that I’ve had my own mini-crisis.

Great post! It’s always great to see how other people face their challenges and persevere!

By: Elise Hayes

Elise Hayes — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:26:52 +0000

Hey Jamie, thanks for this really thoughtful (and thought-provoking post). On the fictional level, I love the idea of giving your hero/heroine a really strong physical characteristic–and then taking it away. I think that’s why I loved my last heroine so much: she trained and worked so hard to be a man (she was raised to be a knight), that when she had to be a woman, it was like losing her physical self–her strength suddenly became a sign of her monstrosity (the story is set in the medieval period), rather than something to be proud of.

On a personal level, I’ve actually had the reverse journey than yours. I grew up with asthma and couldn’t even climb a flight of stairs without wheezing and gasping for air. Then somehow I outgrew it as I entered adulthood, so for the first time in my life I was able to be physically active. And I *know* how much being physically active means to me now–as a kid, I was always the last one to come in from a hike or a run, always the weak link on whatever sports team there was in PE class. Now I’m physically strong, but in my head I think I’ll always be the kid with asthma who couldn’t bike half a block without stopping.

Hats off to you for reaching for that inner strength this year–and I hope someday your shoulder and arm can once again leave you feeling like you can move.