Catastrophe du jour by Cynthia Reese

I almost don't want to write this.

Because I know it will invite the continuation of the jinx.

No, I am not superstitious. I know we create our own luck. But the burnt child fears the fire. 

While I was on deadline, the following has happened to me in the last month and a half. 

My fridge died.

My gas stove blew up.

My new gas stove did not work.

My fridge died again.

My car needed four new tires.

Our roof needed replacing.

Our back door needed replacing.

Our bathroom sink sprung a spectacular leak and mortally wounded our vanity.

Every time we fixed a leak on the new bathroom sink, three more took its place. 

The Kiddo needed medical tests which meant two trips to Atlanta. 

Our 14-year-old cat Furball got sick and had to be put down.

And just when I thought I had negotiated all of these crises, my laptop died. 

Aaack! That is the worst news for a writer.

Fortunately, right before my laptop died, I had just sent in the full manuscript of my next Heartwarming book I affectionately called THE FIXER UPPER. By incredible coincidence, it's about a woman who lives in a 126-year-old huge monstrosity of a Victorian house that is falling apart around her. 

The past month? Well, it felt like method writing to me! I don't know whether this book has invited my current fate, but I am hopeful that things will get better. And I am really glad that full is safely in the hands of my wonderful editor Kathryn Lye. 

Just in case Fate is listening, I know. I KNOW. It could have been a WHOLE lot worse.

Comments


  1. I tried not to laugh, really I did.
    Oh, and tell me that your next book is not about a funeral home.

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  2. Cynthia, I can't believe you were able to write at all during these crises. But some say fiction mirrors truth so you did have real-time research. But so sad about your cat. And hope your daughter's tests were all good. One of my mom's favorite mom-isms was "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Well, girl, you ought to be Amazon Lady by now.

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  3. What a series of unfortunate events! I've found that things pertaining to the story I'm working on are happening all around me, as well as people giving me new perspectives that have no idea what I'm writing about. I like your term of method writing. My story features a house that needs fixing as well, though not that old and not for the same reasons. I hope that things get better for you, and that your story is all the better for your first hand experience.

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  4. Oh, Cynthia. My sympathies. I really do think the flurry of activity we create when we're working, thinking, researching, calls things to us, whirls it all up like a tornado of character and plot elements, then spits out what we need. You had to be mind-melded to your heroine when all this was going on. Now that you know you're that powerful - be careful! And imagine what you could accomplish when you're life settles down. Sorry about the cat - I know how hard that is. And please tell us that your child is OK.

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  5. Wow, girl! You need a serious cleanse (and I'm not talking about drinking go-go juice). Here's to better things on the horizon.

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  6. I think you should be very careful when writing your next book, like Pam said. And I tried not to laugh, too, but it didn't work. I hope all is better now.

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  7. Cynthia....I don't know what to say except maybe WOW! Ditto the sentiments above about your daughter and the loss of Furball. Like Roz's mom, I choose to believe that what doesn't kill us does indeed make us stronger, but sometimes I wonder--does it have to maim us so severely in the process, lol?

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  8. Cynthia... You poor thing. Well you've had some bad stuff so surely now it's going to be all good

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  9. Cynthia,
    I'm with Muriel on this one! For your next book, I would envision a brand new kitchen and the heroine living with perfect working condition electronics. Especially her laptop!!! Yipes. I'm so sorry and all that is more than frustrating---it can really be discouraging. I am very sorry about your cat. The loss of our pets is a heartbreak that is hard to explain to those who don't understand the animal world. Sometimes I think I understand their world better than I do the human being world. Know what I mean?

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  10. It seems you've got much work ahead of you. I think you should really pursue working on those as soon as possible, whether it's the replacement of your roof or the other stuff. Listing the topmost priority tasks should help you get fulfilled and all set enough for the rest of the year.

    Fredda Dangelo @ Accurate Roofing and Siding

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  11. That’s a lot of disasters in a month! If it were up to me, I'd begin fixing the ones that is being the most inconvenient, but I see that everything that was involved are equally important for daily functions. Well, I hope you coped well with all of these troubles.

    Mathew Robinson @ Browns Roofing Company LLC

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