Well...the storytelling fairies are at it again...this time within a few hours of editing a scene about a Hawthorn Moon character, Loyalty, who loved to skate and who is devoted to her mother, I opened the paper and saw the Peanuts cartoon above.
If you followed my blog, you know that these rare coincidences, which appear guided and directly connected to the story being told, seem to be presented to the team telling the story as a way to encourage them, pat them on the back...as in Keep up the Good Work!
The editing of author Lisa Minneti's first draft of the Hawthorn Moon manuscript is proceeding at a good pace and her new novel, the sequel to Hazel Moon, should be out early in 2022.
Here is the scene from Chapter 8 of Hawthorn Moon dealing with skating.
CHAPTER 8 SINGAPORE SLING
Pulling up to the park where she always roller-blade danced with her taxicab-yellow skates and biker shorts, I sighed. The sky was so ripe, like the color of Georgia peaches at their peak. I felt out of sorts…why was I hanging around this virtual stranger, letting him kiss me, and being so whatever about it. I need to get my people around me. I never ever wanted to be some fake pass-around, living at the bidding of others.
Paused for a moment at the park, I said, “When she skates, it’s just like a glimpse of heaven,” waving to get her attention.
Loyalty was the babe of the family, but had this grandmother way about her—this common sense quality and sometimes it seemed that her mom, Khloe Tree, was the child and Loyalty was in charge of the household.
I gave Gutter a look. He was surprising in a good way sometimes, but he was an asshole no doubt—but not really one of those really bad fucked-up assholes. I was actually the one feeling fucked-up.
Why had I gotten sweet Marcus’ little sister involved in all this drama? Oh, yeah, to save me—I guess it really was all about me. Mr. Gutter doesn’t know it, but this is going to be the fastest video take of all time.
“Miss November!” said Loyalty who had come over to the car.
I tried to give her an affectionate smile, but under the circumstances could only muster a toothless smirk. Thank god for Gutter, he got out of the car and as a gesture of respect opened the back door for her.
Giggling in that cute teenage way, as she took off her skates, my mind drifted, weighed down with the feeling of being so responsible for everything going down. Gutter had put on a Christmas Rap CD and Loyalty was singing quietly to the tunes as Gutter droned on filling the air with big words like proletarian chic while suggesting a fashion look for the video.
I felt like I’d created this big burgundy water balloon, it was right overhead, and was about to burst leaving us all totally wet and unquestionably uncomfortable.