Taym Pers: On writing and inspiration

I love musicals. And thanks to L and C's incessant sisnging during our stint at MNM (it's really hard when you work with theater people; either mainis ka or you just go along and sing) one of my favorite musicals is Sunset Boulevard. My favorite scene is when Betty Schaefer and Joe Gillis are talking about the script they're making:

BETTY: Girl meets boy. If that's how you want it. She's a young teacher, he's a reporter. It's hate at first sight.

JOE: It won't sell, these days they want glamour: Fabulous heiress meets handsome Hollywood heel. The problem is, she thinks he's a (dentist) burglar. Would you believe it? A wedding in the last reel.

BETTY: It doesn't have to be so mindless. You should write from your experience. Give us something really moving; something true.

JOE: Who wants true? Who the hell wants moving? Moving means starving and true means holes in your shoe.

BETTY: No, you're wrong. They still make good pictures. Stick to your story,it's a good story.

JOE: O.K. Miss Schaefer; I give it to you.

Sigh. This doesn't really do it any justice; you really have to hear the song to feel it ;-)

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Ok, so this doesn't exactly encapsulate the story I'm trying to piece together. Although I love how stories embody just how flexible people can be, even when they think they aren't. Putting two such dissimilar people together can only result in two things: something really bad or something really, really good ;-) Being the romantic I am, I choose the latter as the premise for my story.

I feel kind of guilty sometimes because I've always been a big dreamer and I love drama. So I deliberately made some of the characters in the first book a bit larger than life. And on the whole I'm glad for all of your responses. I am gladdened by how you are able to relate to my characters' quirks and eccentricities---for me, that makes them come alive all the more ;-) Heehee. And for those of you who have asked who I am amongst my characters, well, I really can't decide. The truth is, I see myself in each one of them. Yes, even Jon and Marga ;-) I have always been glad of having a multi-facted personality that allows me to learn from different kinds of people. In that way, my experiences, both good and bad, have become part of my writing.

Furthermore, I believe that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things. And this probably is the underlying sentiment of all my stories. Whatever happens, I still believe in people ;-) Dreams don't cost a cent anyway. Heehee.

Anyway, I made this rambling post just to let you know that I am still alive and well---although snowed in with work---and I'm working to have the next few chapters ready for you soon.

Thanks so much for your patience!