Do you know what the title of this blog means? Neither do I. I found it written on the note pad next to my bed on Sunday morning. No, it's not a note from aliens, but something I wrote myself in the wee hours, the fruit of a disorganized brain. It's a brainstorm I had, about a story I'm developing.
Fortunately, this doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it's frustrating! Most of the time, I can figure out what these cryptic notes mean, even if it says only "The Man," or, as last week, "End with fire."
I've given it two whole days and still nothing comes to me. Could I have been reminding myself to contact Twist Phelan, my wonderful fellow author? Did I think of putting a twisted family in this new story? Was I going for a Dickens thread? I don't think so.
So, here's my offer: a prize for the most creative suggestion about what my note might mean. Who knows? Maybe someone will randomly come up with what I actually had in mind!
19 comments:
Well, let's see. A plot device that turns things around is sometimes called a Twist. Maybe you decided to throw a plot twist into your next book, dealing with the main character's family? Or possibly they'll be in a tornado - (twister?)?
Since you write dollhouse mysteries perhaps you were planning to have a doll family at the center of the plot. I have seen tiny dolls made of pipe cleaners twisted to form their bodies. The story should have twists in the plot as well.
PS - the boy doll should be named Oliver!!
I love the plot twists and the Twister! and of course, Oliver!
I think you meant to put a twist into the story of the family you're writing about. For example, a son who thinks he's his family's sole legitimate heir finds out he's adopted, or that he has an illegitimate brother. Or he finds out he's really the milkman's son. That sort of "twist" can really shake things up in a story, not to mention in the family concerned.
Or maybe some folks named Twist just moved into the neighborhood and you jotted yourself a note to remember to bring them a casserole.
All sorts of twists are possible! You will remember which twist it was just as soon as you stop trying to remember it. Let your subconscious mind take over and you'll soon have your answer.
Fat Cat
An illegitimate sibling -- a definite twist! I doubt my original twist was that creative!
Sometimes the roles family members normally act out get twisted due to "life happens". This is certainly true in these uncertain economic times. Other times it happens because of personal goals change, people do evolve, that are not static. Or a child seems to be the one doing the parenting while the parent has to do a little more of those growing lessons. Taking the familiar characters in your story and twisting them a little to them fresh.
Oh dear way to many typos and missed words in that posting, time for bed perhaps?
Since I didn't notice them, Karen, it must be time for bed for me too! -- 1:40 am here.
I'm awake enough to appreciate the "twisted" family roles, however!
Bill Deeck was famous for a speech about an author named James Corbett. (Quite possibly the second-worst writer I've ever seen in print.)
Corbett used the "unknown twin" routine so often that once, when he wanted a real surprise he came up with an Unknown Triplet.
Now that's twisted.
With your dollhouse/miniature stories in mind, my mind went to actually twisting the family. Perhaps a huge argument between Geraldine and her nephew the detective, or a falling-out with her sister-in-law ... and then something happens to them or she needs them for something ... I like the word "something" lol!
Maybe you were thinking of a family of dancers who did "the Twist."
You're lucky to could at least read what you wrote. When I leave notes for myself, they often go around edges of papers and are generally totally illegible.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only night owl. Camille, when you say you stay up late, you really mean it.
Yet more twists on Twist! I didn't think of the dance, Betty, and I'm not sure I could stand a serious riff in the Gerry Porter family, but it's worth a thought!
There *is* a Twist family on Australian tv. I only know about it because I was there for a year. Probably not on your mind, unless you get tv from Oz. But that's all I could think of!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_the_Twist
Mysti
Food and hair come to mind as in a twist pastry or hair in a twist. There must be a "family" of both food twists and hair twist ie: different kinds of twists. Of course the difference would be the clue to who dun it?
Or harkening back to Dickens, what was Oliver Twist's original family like or his ultimate "family," or in reference to living as part of Fagin's family? A family of criminals might be an interesting twist.
I think you plan to twist the family's backstory so that hidden motives for crime become apparent as the story or series evolves. This, of course, can apply to any family you feature—the victim's, the suspects', or even the protagonist's.
Maybe you should replace your notepad with a digital recorder so you can get more info!
Happy writing!
Molly
Twisted Family, you know psychologically.....aren't we all?
Family who just loves Chubby Checker?
The game Twister...kind of sexy.
Maybe it's a clue for the reader: all of the miniatures collected by the family have spiral fluted table legs. The table that doesn't have spiral fluting...
Maybe while browsing you came across the Twist family blog at http://thetwistfamily.blogspot.com/
There are samplers and quilt pictures in a sidebar.
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