I recently heard an interview with Parks and Rec co-creator Michael Schur (also a writer for The Office, creator of The Good Place, and co-creator of Brooklyn Nine Nine) where he talks about the list of ideas-in-waiting he keeps on set for those moments when a show runs short or a scene needs a quick drop-in joke. He calls this list his “Candy Bag.”
I think this is brilliant, because A) Who doesn’t love Candy? and B) It’s a great way to reframe all those random snippets writers have floating around. It might be a scene or infodump that was cut for space, or a joke that wasn’t working in its current context. Now, instead of feeling bad about deleting scenes or “killing your darlings,” you can simply think of it as adding to your Candy Bag.
So, in the spirit of Parks and Rec, I present to you my own Candy Bag for this blog, culled from three years of various notebooks, journals and sticky notes. (Unexpected added benefit, my desk is now much cleaner!)
Lunchtime Poll with Saffron Amatti*
This month is all treat and no trick. I am so pleased to welcome the wonderful Saffron Amatti to the Lunchtime Poll!
Saffron Amatti is the author of the Lucas Rathbone Mysteries, a series of historical cozy mysteries with a ghostly twist set in 1920s England. She lives in a rather pretty village in Derbyshire, UK, where she spends an unhealthy amount of time thinking about how to kill people and (nearly) get away with it. This is almost entirely in relation to her writing, but she keeps her family on their toes by throwing a little doubt in occasionally.
Read moreFavorite Fall Recipes: Sweet Potato Muffins
One my all-time favorites! I got this recipe from the now-defunct Wondertime magazine. I have been making these since my kids since they were toddlers and I can attest they are a hit with all ages. Enjoy!
Read moreDark Corinne: A SOMETHING BETTER Fairytale
Last week, I participated in a writing challenge that asked “What if your main character was a villain?” Now, some of you may argue that Corinne is already a villain, but in the spirit (see what I did there?) of the season, I’ve written a dark fairytale reimagining Corinne’s fate.
Read on, if you dare…
Read moreLunchtime Poll with Amanda McKoy Flanagan
In which I ask an author a bunch of ridiculous questions and a few serious ones.
This month I’m thrilled to be speaking with Amanda McKoy Flanagan. Her debut, TRUST YOURSELF TO BE ALL IN: SAFE TO LOVE AND LET GO, is an inspirational memoir about breaking chains of generational dysfunction by healing grief with love for self and others. Other themes include addiction/recovery and marriage/relationships (Full disclosure: I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book, and while I do not have experience with many things she talks about in the the book, boy, oh boy, did the discussions about learning to love yourself and let go of your fears hit close to home).
Amanda is a New Yorker who now calls Colorado home (we missed each other by a matter of months, and I’m still sad about it). She is a wife, mother, a licensed social worker, and the founder of Castle Rock Clubhouse.
In which I ask an author a bunch of ridiculous questions and a few serious ones.
This month I’m thrilled to be speaking with Amanda McKoy Flanagan. Her debut, TRUST YOURSELF TO BE ALL IN: SAFE TO LOVE AND LET GO, is an inspirational memoir about breaking chains of generational dysfunction by healing grief with love for self and others. Other themes include addiction/recovery and marriage/relationships (Full disclosure: I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book, and while I do not have experience with many things she talks about in the the book, boy, oh boy, did the discussions about learning to love yourself and let go of your fears hit close to home).
Read more