"Flighty"--the Essence of Creativity?

Flights of Fancy 

Though not exactly the same words, this thought was one of my daily horoscope readings. It stayed with me, because while I'm not a classic flighty person, I do occasionally drift into flights of fantasy.

The dictionary has numerous meanings for "flighty."

1. Given to capricious or unstable behavior
2. Easily excited
3. Characterized by irresponsible or silly behavior.

None of these suited or pleased me. All are somewhat derogatory. I am none of those.

The Century Dictionary gave me this interpretation:

1. Indulging in flights or sallies of imagination, humor, caprice, etc.
2. Given to disordered fancies and extravagant conduct.
3. Volatile.
4. Giddy.
5. Fickle.
6. Slight delirious.
7. Wandering in mind

I appreciate this group of definitions much better, especially "wandering in  mind." This seems to be a common condition of those who write fiction--maybe non-fiction, too. My husband has brought me back to earth often by speaking a little more loudly to get my attention. Yes, he knows my mind has wandered off into some unknown realm, but he doesn't understand that I'm in deep, creative thought. It only appears that I've become addle-brained.

The second good definition is "indulging in flights or sallies of imagination."
Don't we who are authors consider this an absolute necessity to write fiction?

Where do we get our ideas? Books, movies, images, people, places, dreams, and even news headlines. Any one of those might set me off into the wild blue yonder, imagining the beginning of a story or creation of a character. 

What attributes do we need to be good storytellers? Passion, patience, a thick skin, ambition--and perhaps an occasional bout of flighty behavior.

At least, I don't think it would hurt.

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/celiayeary
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NEWEST RELEASE:

Lone Star Dreaming-a Western Romance Collection

Four Novellas--$2.99-Kindle or Nook

Also available in print at Amazon and B&N

  Angel and the Cowboy

Addie and the Gunslinger

Charlotte and the Tenderfoot

Kat and the U.S. Marshal

Amazon page:

http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Star-Dreaming-Celia-Yeary/dp/1479224804/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348775365&sr=1-12&keywords=celia+yeary

Barnes and Noble page:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Celia-Yeary?keyword=Celia+Yeary&store=book

   

Writing a Novel is as Easy as Making Mac-n-Cheese

The problem with my claim is that I cannot make good homemade macaroni and cheese. The dish either comes out too thick and heavy and sticky, too dry and thick , or too stringy and tasteless.

My favorite recipe that I can more often cook correctly is called "Pioneer Macaroni and Cheese" from a 1954 Betty Crocker Cook Book (the ring binder version). The best thing about this recipe is that I do not have to make a sauce, béchamel or whatever. I cook the macaroni, place it in a baking dish, dot it with cubes of sharp cheese (does these mean cheddar or Velveeta?), dot it with little blobs of butter, combine 3 cups of milk with two beaten eggs, and pour over the contents in the baking dish. Then bake.

Still, it's not creamy Macaroni and Cheese. The recipe for that kind is listed directly under this pioneer dish. (Did you know pioneers made mac-n-cheese? I didn't.) This presents a huge problem because I must make a creamy sauce to produce a dish that melts in your mouth and isn't chewy like the pioneer dish.

Sometimes I like something that's smooth and creamy and goes down easy, but sometimes I like something I can get my teeth into, something chewy and satisfying. And if I'm not extremely careful, I can't create either one.

See? The process of cooking is very similar to writing. If I'm not vigilant, my story will be too soft with no satisfying substance, or my story will be too heavy and hard to chew.

Maybe I should stick with making quiche. I can do that. My quiche is perfection, my husband loves it, and I have the knack down to a "T."

By some stroke of luck, I began writing Western Romance novellas we call 99Cent Dime Novels. I did not have the recipe for these, but my publisher, Rebecca J. Vickery did, and she encouraged me to write one. With the help and advice from the artist, the incomparable Karen Michelle Nutt, we  created alluring (not too sexy) covers using Jimmy Thomas photos.

I wrote four Dime Novels, and to my surprise and delight they were highly successful. I may never write anything that gave me as much satisfaction as these have.

Now, all four Dime Novels are available in one book titled Lone Star Dreaming-A Western Romance Collection. $2.99 for the ebook, $11.95 for the print.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Star-Dreaming-Celia-Yeary/dp/1479224804/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348775365&sr=1-12&keywords=celia+yeary

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Celia-Yeary?keyword=Celia+Yeary&store=book

 



The individual 99Cent Dime Novels are:
Angel and the Cowboy
Addie and the Gunslinger
Charlotte and the Tenderfoot
Kat and the U.S. Marshal

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/celiayeary
My Website
My Blog
Sweethearts of the West-Blog
My Facebook Page