Recovering From a Gut-Punch

I had every intention of blogging yesterday and then I was gut-punched.  I work full-time during the day (until my literary brilliance is first discovered and then shared with the world) and my day job did lay-offs.  Now, lay-offs are a normal thing in my industry following Labor Day but this particular season, in this particular economy, looked more like a bloodbath.  We laid off 9 people, including my dear, sweet, funny, elegant, classy, West African assistant.  I still can hardly even see the words in print without tearing up.  I hate this world that could do this to her, the most deserving person of good things that I know.

When the idocy of my industry had me in a stranglehold, the calming, dulcet tones of her lyrical accent never failed to center and balance me.  I will miss her radiant face more than she will ever know.  I went home and cried.  Today, when I went in and she wasn't there for the first time, for forever, my heart nearly broke in two.

When I got home today, I received my first copy of Wirter's Digest and fortuitively, there was an article from a brilliant writer about what to do with your writing to get revenge.  He suggested that when you have a bad day or a traumatic event, write out your rage, your frustration at a broken system, your hatred for some thing or some person.  And Mary Higgins Clark suggested to take your revenge out on someone who has done you wrong by making them a victim in your next story.  I LOVE that idea.  So much so that I have a notebook page dedicated to a whole bunch of people who will figure prominently in a bestseller coming to a bookstore to you soon!  I share now with you, a few of those new "characters":

To the person who made the decision to cut my beloved Bineta from my life - he/she becomes the victim in a Bernard Madoff-style pyramid.

To the person who blithely cut me off in traffic today - they become the parent of twin teenage girls who are addicted to texting AND driving the family car on a daily basis.

To the bank manager who will not let me have access to my funds on the same day I deposited them - they become the victim of identity theft and their name is used to open scores of credit cards in their name.

And finally, fittingly, to the agents who have passed on my manuscript - well, you know what happens here.  They are clearly missing out on what my cherished First Reader calls "quite something here."  I rest my case.

I hope you share with me who in your life will become a victim in your next story.  Remember, don't get mad, get writing!