Back in July Writer's Digest (my hooker of choice) offered a special on a couple e-books. One of which was a book that offered a different writing prompt for every day of a full calendar year. I wanted to start immediately, but seeing as how the book began on January 1st I thought I'd wait until that time to begin. Especially since the prompts grew more difficult with each passing day.
Like most things I say "I'll remember this for later." I very nearly forgot. It wasn't until Writer's Digest sent me another dirty tease about that book which reminded me of it's existence on my computer. So, if all of my other resolutions fail I wish for this one to at least go. I think I can write everyday and post it on here. (Can't I?)
The first prompt of Year of Writing Prompts (by Brian A Klems and Zachary Petit) is very fitting for the first of January.
"January 1. Your Resolutions. What are your New Year's resoltuions? Take one and create a fictional story surrounding it."
Like countless thousands, I have made at least one resolution. Though being the lazy overachiever I am I have made a list of 6 different things I would like to accomplish in the new year. Whether I actually achieve them is an entirely different story. One of my favorite quotes is from the movie Forest Gump which perfectly sums up my feelings about resolutions and a new year. The scene is of Forest,Captain Dan, and the two hookery girls in a bar watching the ball drop in time square. One of them with big doughy eyes watches and says in a whisper "I love new years. Everybody gets a second chance." And if I am given a second chance I'm going to at least mildly attempt it with gusto.
My Resolutions:
1 - Finish my book.
2 - Get in shape. I'm 58 lbs overweight.
3 - Read at least 12 books.
4 - Get spiritually settled.
5 - Start a family.
6 - Pay off my credit cards.
Derek and Moira stood nervously in the exam room. Despite having told her numerous times to sit Moira had refused. So instead he wrapped his wife in his embrace. He pressed his cheek to hers and hum a tune of his own creation. It was one of the things she loved most about him. The gentle melody soothed her nerves and she could focus on more important things like fertility and being pregnant.
This was round number four in their battle with her failing uterus. In one of there attempts she thought she had a knock out but it came in with a sucker punch and knocked all the wind from her gut. The two had been devastated and spent nearly a year recuperating.
"Do you think she's taking so long because it's good news?" she asked. She kept her eyes shut and focused on her and him, blocking the rest of the world out. In her mind she and he stood in the vast expanse of the galaxy among stars and moons.
Derek stopped humming and hugged her tighter.
"It will be what it will be." he said.
Luckily her eyes were shut, and him not looking cause he would have been offended at her eye roll. It was the best he coud offer at such a time. He was just as clueless as her and she knew that.
They had prepared in the car before they dare enter the office. And prior to that they had spent all night talking it through. The final conclusion then was if this didn't work they would have to adopt. Derek had made such a beautiful altruistic case for it.
"There are so many other kids in this world desperate for a family. Why would we deny them a loving home?"
She had hated him for his sense of logic. Even a tiny bit jealous. She had always assumed he felt the same as her when it came to biological or not. How could they be close to one that wasn't made up of the two of them? It was an absolutely selfish thought. She knew that. But with all her knowledge she couldn't change the pressing fear and guilt weighing in her chest.
Please, God, she prayed for the billionth time.
With a click of the door the doctor swooped into the exam room. He instinctively looked at the table before looking around the door.
"Good afternoon," he said.
The two stepped from the other's embrace and stood, only inches apart, with their hands clasped together. Derek like the gentleman that he was offered his hand to the doctor. The white coat clad physician took it and gave it a firm shake. Already his confidence and cool demeanor had Moira hopeful. Of the times before she had known, before they had spoken a word, the crushing answer.
"So we got back the test and I have some bad news and some good news."
Moira's heart froze in her chest. Derek tightened his grip around her hand. They could do this, it said.
"You are definitely pregnant," he said then looked down.
"You know what, Dr. Stewart, You can stop there. Unless the bad news is that it would somehow harm my wife I don't think we should know. At this point, no matter how the baby is we will love it all the more. Because it's ours."
Moira looked at her husband, studying his square features and stubbled complexion.
"Okay." The doctor said.
Derek met his wife's gaze and smiled.
"Because it's ours," she said.
Showing posts with label adoption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adoption. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Reflection
So, here I stand poised on the precipice of a new year. Looking back at 2013 there was no particular milestone in my wishful career choices (aka writing, aka becoming an author) but the major things of note are: getting married to the man I’ve spent the last ten years of my life with; and going to a place I have dreamed of going to since I was a kid, London. Besides these major changes, my life was relatively stagnant for the majority of the year. These things didn’t even occur until November. So… At least I’m ending the year on a high note. Oh, and the other thing that was a major and wanted change was I finally broke my husband down, after years of discussion, to where he wants to adopt. Seriously… that’s big.
As per my usual M.O. I intend to dedicate this upcoming year to getting my book published. I feel optimistic about it because I’ve spent a lot of time mulling it around in my brain trying to make sure all the plot points and stories line up. I tricked my husband (can you tell I like saying that) into listening to the first chapter and give me any critiques he may have. It was truly helpful and brought about a different perspective. So I will make the necessary changes and move on to the rest of the story. Now if only I could get him to read the rest of it. But that’s more complicated than actually finishing-finishing the thing.
This Christmas my husband (there it is again!) got me a gift that I feel embodies this coming year. It is a watch. Now, it may seem like an ordinary object but for me it holds a lot of meaning, because sewn into the leather band is a tiny compass. For me it seems to say: it’s time to reach my destination. I’ve pussy-footed and dicked around when it comes to my novel long enough but it is at the point that it needs to be done.
So this years goals:
1 – Finish my novel
2 – Get an agent
3 – Lose 50 lbs.
4 – begin the adoption process.
By this time next year I’m hoping that things will be very different and that I myself will be unrecognizable.
As per my usual M.O. I intend to dedicate this upcoming year to getting my book published. I feel optimistic about it because I’ve spent a lot of time mulling it around in my brain trying to make sure all the plot points and stories line up. I tricked my husband (can you tell I like saying that) into listening to the first chapter and give me any critiques he may have. It was truly helpful and brought about a different perspective. So I will make the necessary changes and move on to the rest of the story. Now if only I could get him to read the rest of it. But that’s more complicated than actually finishing-finishing the thing.
This Christmas my husband (there it is again!) got me a gift that I feel embodies this coming year. It is a watch. Now, it may seem like an ordinary object but for me it holds a lot of meaning, because sewn into the leather band is a tiny compass. For me it seems to say: it’s time to reach my destination. I’ve pussy-footed and dicked around when it comes to my novel long enough but it is at the point that it needs to be done.
So this years goals:
1 – Finish my novel
2 – Get an agent
3 – Lose 50 lbs.
4 – begin the adoption process.
By this time next year I’m hoping that things will be very different and that I myself will be unrecognizable.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Prompt 4 of 31
The Writer's Book of Matches pg.74 "If we have this conversation, it's going to end badly for you. Consider that a fair warning."
Start time: 12:23
"Believe me, Tristan, if we have this conversation, again, it's going to end badly for you. Consider that fair-"
"But, Jonathon," Tristan cut in, "I need some sort of hope or conclusion. I made an agreement with myself that I would decide, by the time I was thirty, whether or not I am going to have kids."
"We're gay, Trist, we can't have kids. We don't have the parts for that. Remember?"
"I understand that," Tristan said, he ran his fingers through his hair. "But there are other options. We could do surrogacy. Hell you could even have sex with a woman. I wouldn't care, as long as it resulted in a kid."
Jon looked at Tristan with disgusted disbelief.
"You must be out of your mind! I'm not going to do that. And let's just forget the fact that I physically couldn't, since my little general won't salute to the pussy platoon, I won't have a biological child. I won't."
"Why?" Tristan said, throwing his hands in the air. They landed on their white sofa with a muffled thud.
"HOw long have we been together, Trist?" He paused but not really for any sort of answer. "Twelve years. You know what my family is like. We have diabetes, schizophrenia, obesity, obsessive compulsive disorder, colon cancer. Why would I want to potentially pass on these fucked up genes to another living being? That's insane. It's a miracle I have dodged as many genetic bullets."
"The likelihood of that-"
"Is too much if even a chance that it could."
The two sat in silence. Their eyes locked in an invisible bond.
"Wanting kids as gay men is so selfish if it's biological."
Tristan opened his mouth to reply but didn't. His bottom jaw just hung slack.
"Think of it, Trist, there are so many kids in the system that have no one to love them. How callous, conceited, and cruel must you be to want to bring another life into this world when someone out there could use parents to love them. Anyone, to love them."
"But what about your family's troubles with adopted kids? Didn't Andrew try to burn down the house with everyone in it?"
"Try to, are you kidding. He tried once and succeeded the other."
"That's what I'm talking about!"
"That is an isolated incident."
Tristan rolled his eyes.
"Regardless it's still a risk."
Jon laughed and shook his head.
"Trist, that's a risk with any child. You know how mental illness runs in my family? What if our kid ends up schizophrenic? Or even if the kid is yours biologically, you yourself have a high risk of cancer and alcoholism. No one is immune. Us as gay men have to take into account so much more when it comes to having kids. It's not like a heterosexual couple that can bang and it results in a child. It just doesn't work that way for us. It just doesn't."
Tristan pressed his lips together and furrowed his brow.
"Trist, believe me I would love to see a little me running around. I would. But I would just feel guilty when I know there is probably a kid that wants so desperately to be loved that he would do anything. Most of the time that kid grows up and has other issues to contend with. Don't you want to save a kid? Wouldn't you want to look at our child and know that we took him in and gave him everything he could have ever wanted because we could do that. We may not be able to give them life, Tristan, but we can sure as hell give them love and a heightened chance at a successful life."
end time: 12:40
Start time: 12:23
"Believe me, Tristan, if we have this conversation, again, it's going to end badly for you. Consider that fair-"
"But, Jonathon," Tristan cut in, "I need some sort of hope or conclusion. I made an agreement with myself that I would decide, by the time I was thirty, whether or not I am going to have kids."
"We're gay, Trist, we can't have kids. We don't have the parts for that. Remember?"
"I understand that," Tristan said, he ran his fingers through his hair. "But there are other options. We could do surrogacy. Hell you could even have sex with a woman. I wouldn't care, as long as it resulted in a kid."
Jon looked at Tristan with disgusted disbelief.
"You must be out of your mind! I'm not going to do that. And let's just forget the fact that I physically couldn't, since my little general won't salute to the pussy platoon, I won't have a biological child. I won't."
"Why?" Tristan said, throwing his hands in the air. They landed on their white sofa with a muffled thud.
"HOw long have we been together, Trist?" He paused but not really for any sort of answer. "Twelve years. You know what my family is like. We have diabetes, schizophrenia, obesity, obsessive compulsive disorder, colon cancer. Why would I want to potentially pass on these fucked up genes to another living being? That's insane. It's a miracle I have dodged as many genetic bullets."
"The likelihood of that-"
"Is too much if even a chance that it could."
The two sat in silence. Their eyes locked in an invisible bond.
"Wanting kids as gay men is so selfish if it's biological."
Tristan opened his mouth to reply but didn't. His bottom jaw just hung slack.
"Think of it, Trist, there are so many kids in the system that have no one to love them. How callous, conceited, and cruel must you be to want to bring another life into this world when someone out there could use parents to love them. Anyone, to love them."
"But what about your family's troubles with adopted kids? Didn't Andrew try to burn down the house with everyone in it?"
"Try to, are you kidding. He tried once and succeeded the other."
"That's what I'm talking about!"
"That is an isolated incident."
Tristan rolled his eyes.
"Regardless it's still a risk."
Jon laughed and shook his head.
"Trist, that's a risk with any child. You know how mental illness runs in my family? What if our kid ends up schizophrenic? Or even if the kid is yours biologically, you yourself have a high risk of cancer and alcoholism. No one is immune. Us as gay men have to take into account so much more when it comes to having kids. It's not like a heterosexual couple that can bang and it results in a child. It just doesn't work that way for us. It just doesn't."
Tristan pressed his lips together and furrowed his brow.
"Trist, believe me I would love to see a little me running around. I would. But I would just feel guilty when I know there is probably a kid that wants so desperately to be loved that he would do anything. Most of the time that kid grows up and has other issues to contend with. Don't you want to save a kid? Wouldn't you want to look at our child and know that we took him in and gave him everything he could have ever wanted because we could do that. We may not be able to give them life, Tristan, but we can sure as hell give them love and a heightened chance at a successful life."
end time: 12:40
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