October 19th, 2022

Yes, it's out, and Esparan's rocking it! I got some awesome 5-star reviews up, and I'm tickled pink! Remember to leave your review (5-star or not!) These help authors SO MUCH. I've also included the freebies of the month at the bottom; get them before November!

Meantime, I got sick. Not COVID, just a nasty cold that made me sleep for a few days. I'm back at it now in time to hit up the Surrey International Writing Conference this weekend, so YAY! And my little one is better, too, so I don't have to feel guilty about leaving Daddy to solo a sickie!

But it got me thinking; when do I read about colds in writing? Usually, if they are a plot point! If the character is stuffed up, but the villain is about to use some kind of aerosol; or if the person is dying of a chronic illness and has to come to terms with it; or the plague is moving through, changing their society, then you'll find disease in the story. Characters don't just get sick, get over it, and move on without it being relevant. 

Characters don't do many things unless there's a point to it. They don't go to the bathroom, burn dinner, or forget their glasses one day, unless some part of the story needs them to, whether to make a plot work or build a character. And we judge these details quickly in books, assuming that each is important. 

Douglas Adams pointed this out in the Hitchhiker's Guide series; that his main character Arthur Dent didn't do a lot of things 'on screen' as it were. And he had a point. I used to laugh about how few bathrooms were on the map of the USS Enterprise, and no one ever seemed to have to take a break! (some harder core fans will probably correct me!)

That's probably for the best. A book that just emulated everyday life wouldn't be entertaining. And I'd get frustrated reading about tiny details that are irrelevant anyway. But I might put in a common cold at some point. Seeing how people behave when they are sick adds to a character! It's just not a detail I'd thought about much until now!

Stay healthy out there!