  Drama
This week: Edited by: Adriana Noir  
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| Life is full of drama, especially around this time of the year! Amid all the hustle and bustle, remember to take a moment or two for yourselves and your writing. After all, a brand new year is almost upon us, and with it will come new inspirations and challenges! |
| ASIN: B004PICKDS |
Product Type: Toys & Games
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Amazon's Price: Price N/A
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I had the best of intentions when it came to writing this month’s newsletter. I wanted to focus on some of my all time holiday favorites, such as A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life and explore the dramatic elements behind them. But, as the old saying goes, the best laid plans often go to waste. My family has been rocked this month with it’s own bout of drama. My husband’s great uncle passed away almost a week ago, on Friday. Three days later, his grandmother was rushed into the emergency room, and through bouts of tears, he kept me updated as she went through CAT scans and exploratory surgery. It was a long, long night in the hospital’s waiting room as we waited for any updates the staff was willing to give.
I’m glad to say she pulled through and is recovering well. But while I sat there, I kept asking myself why? Why now? Why this time of year? Why so soon after the parting of another family member? Perhaps it was morbid, but I truly expected the worst, until science and medicine proved otherwise.
Then, I got to thinking how the holiday season always presents its own unique brand of drama. Everywhere you look, people are hustling about, frantic in their efforts to get the best deals, the best gifts, the biggest hams, etc. Black Friday has seen people trampled and mauled, all in the name of holiday cheer.  Then, there is the financial stress brought on by buying all those gifts, food, and trappings. One day of shopping in nearby Belden Village is enough to provide its own dramatic arc. I suspect it could even qualify as a horror story!
The point is, like a story, sometimes the point can become lost beneath all of the drama we endure. One stress, one curveball after another can quickly dampen spirits or bury plots, if we are not careful to keep the underlying meaning in sight. Focus, and when possible, tie everything back to the true intent of your story (and the reasons for your shopping).
A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life are both fantastic dramas fueled by emotion, regrets, and ultimately, change. But I think it is the plot, the message they convey that is the most important. During these tough economic times, the holidays can place added strain on both heart and wallet. Take a moment, draw inspiration from it all, if you can. But at the end of the day, take a deep breath and remember it is not what we get from others that matters, or what we manage to acquire on our own. These are not what memories are forged on. The true meaning of life lies not in what we give or get, but in the relationships we build. Love is the greatest source of joy there is . . . and best of all, it’s free.
Happy holidays to you all, be it Chanukah, Kwanza, Christmas, Winter Solstice, or any other celebration you choose. I hope that love and inspiration surround you always.  See you in 2010!
Best wishes,
Adriana Noir
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Here's a variety of holiday items I found across the site:
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| ASIN: 0997970618 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 14.99
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Acme : Let’s face it. No one is going to cry for a woman across the country who mourns her life every time she looks in the mirror. No one but her.
Minutes turn to hours, hours to days, weeks to years: all time wasted. Time you can never get back. Squandered opportunities filled with “what could have been” and “what should have been” slip by unnoticed until, one day, you wake up and realize life has passed you by.
'cor, Adriana, after reading your newsletter I feel all Ron Weasley, as if I shall never be cheerful again...
erm, good newsletter, though!
Thanks, Acme! 
billwilcox: Adriana,
Procrastination (not to be confused with pro-castration) has always been mans worst nightmare.
 I’m not even sure what to say to that one, Bill! Though there are times, I think I’m definitely in favor of both!
Coolhand : Hey Adriana,
A simple but sightful piece of advice--in fact, it's essential. Characters must act, move, and change to be effective. I always enjoy your newsletters.
Thank you so much, Coolhand! I try. That’s all I can do!
djm7401: Great advice, Adriana, and some good fodder for stories. Personally, I try to live for the moment rather than suffer regrets later.
Thank you! I’ve never mastered that art. I have heard that can bring about its own set of regrets through. I guess to err truly is human!
Mara ♣ McBain  : Fabulous topic. You really got me thinking and inspired me to dig back into my novel.
Good!  My work here is done! I’m glad you actually followed through on that comment, Mara. I’ve missed that novel terribly.
bronxbishop: A writer is an artist and life is the model. Fortunately, every artist has a different and unique model and their own special way of depicting it. Great newsletter. My drama came from one girl and five boys. My-oh-my, what fuel for the fire!
Oh, I bet! My two girls and one boy keep me more than busy and inspired! I’m thankful for the variety of experiences people share. It makes reading much more interesting, don’t you think? Thanks for the feedback!
 Thanks everyone for the feedback this month! Don't forget to send in any questions, topics, or stories you would like to see featured in next month's issue! |
| ASIN: B085272J6B |
Product Type: Kindle Store
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Amazon's Price: $ 9.99
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Drama: December 16, 2009 Issue [#3435]
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