Linsey Lanier
Sally Kilpatrick
Sia Huff
Romily Bernard
Darcy Crowder
Marilyn Baron
Tami Brothers
Sandra Elzie
Carol Burnside
Debbie Kaufman
Maxine Davis
Tammy Schubert
Susan Carlisle
Pam Asberry
Lindy Chaffin StartBad Hare Day
So this month we’re focusing on inspiration. We’ve even been given a nice sentence to help illustrate the theme.
“I was just____ and it hit me____!”
“I was just in a rabbit costume, and it hit me…heat stroke!”
The sentence might sound crazy, but… Fifteen years ago I agreed to dress as a white rabbit for an Easter parade in a local neighborhood. Little did I know I’d be walking two and a half miles in oversized bunny feet, covered in thick wool fur and suffocating in a ten pound plastic head that smelled like car tires and sweat.
Did I mention it was over 90 outside and I worked for four hours without a break?
So, yes, heat stroke was imminent, but the least of my problems.
I was attacked by a seven year old Mike Tyson impersonator who thought it’d be funny to punch Peter Cottontail in the stomach. Children yanked my tail, poked my mesh eyes, pulled my ears and one even tripped me.
I also held screaming babies and fidgeting toddlers on my lap while I waved to a photographer who moved slower than a turtle with arthritis.
After hours in the costume, a jab in the gut, no water and the odd stink of deodorant, rubber and BO swirling around in the mask I’d had enough.
I fainted.
In front of everyone.
Of course to a child, a six foot rabbit losing consciousness looks exactly like a six foot rabbit dying. I was told later (after being placed on a gurney…headless but still in costume, loaded in the ambulance, and rushed to the hospital) that most every kid at the festival under 6 years old was sure the Easter Bunny had died of a heart attack and then was quickly beheaded.
How’d you like to explain that one to your toddler?
I’m thinking there’s not enough Cadburry Eggs in the world to help them forget that horrifying image.
Anyway, though I wouldn’t volunteer to be a holiday mascot ever again, the experience wasn’t all bad.
In fact, it became my inspiration for my contemporary novel, Blessing in Disguise.
My heroine wears a costume at a holiday parade, suffers from heatstroke and faints right into the arms of the hero.
Right now the story is under publisher consideration. I’m crossing my fingers!
So the moral of this totally true tale is – inspiration can come from just about anywhere. You just have to know where to look.
Keep dreaming, keep writing, keep submitting!
Have a great day,
Tamara DeStefano
Tags: inspiration
About the author
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Tamara DeStefano | I'm a writer, reader, movie junkie and Oreo eater. All though I should invert the order of this list. Oreo double stuff cookies and milk...THE BOMB BABY!
My favorite genre is paranormal, love those vamps. I write paranormal, historical and contemporary. I've even tried my hand at YA. Writing makes me happy.
Hope what you do makes you happy too!!
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May 14th, 2010 at 7:01 am
LOL Tamara I can Soooooo see this whole scene. You poor thing. And to think I used to be a medic who would have had to scrape the road-kill up and put you on the gurney!
Great story and keeping my fingers crossed that the publisher “considers” it a hit.
Sandy
May 14th, 2010 at 7:04 am
I LOVE IT!!! This is so you, Tamara! I can see it happening. I’ve got my fingers crossed for your story. I can’t wait to read it. I truly envy your critique partners.
Still laughing about the “every kid at the festival under 6 years old was sure the Easter Bunny had died of a heart attack and then was quickly beheaded.” part. Then Sandy came in with that “Scrape road-kill up” sentence. You guys crack me up!
Tami
May 14th, 2010 at 7:06 am
Oh, Tamara, I just thought of one more thing.
If your editor thinks your book is a winner and buys it, you’ll be the winner…by a hare! hahahahah…get it? Get it? Yes? No? Oh well, …
Sandy
May 14th, 2010 at 7:51 am
Yes! Sandy. A winner by a hare…very good. he he he.
Wish you could have been there to scrape me up off the ground. Well, either you or the hero from my book.
That would have been really nice huh.
Thanks for the props!
Have a happy day!
Tamara
May 14th, 2010 at 7:53 am
Tammy,
You know I can laugh about that whole scene now…thank goodness. Unlike my heroine, they kept me in the hospital for nearly 8 hours feeding me fluids through a tube.
And at least my heroine got paid. All I got was a sock in the gut.
Thanks so much for pulling for me on the publisher!
Have a great morning,
Tamara
May 14th, 2010 at 9:05 am
That is a hysterical story. And a great inspiration for your book.
And I loved your post. Good luck with publication.
Marilyn
May 14th, 2010 at 9:30 am
What a “hare” raising story! Good luck with the book. Proof that everything happens for a reason.
May 14th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Hysterical. Now include some of that humor in the story before she passes out!
May 14th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Hey Marilyn,
Thanks for the comment!
Hope to see you tomorrow.
Have a nice Friday,
Tamara
Nicki,
Great pun! And I definitely agree…everything, everything happens for a reason.
Thanks for the comment!
Have a great day,
Tamara
Debbie,
glad you thought the story was humorous. I hope the editor thinks the story is a tad humorous too.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Have a wonderful day,
Tamara
May 14th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Awesome premise–I can’t wait to read it.
They roped me into being Madeline when I worked at Borders. I was lucky, though–it was air-conditioned and no where near 4 hours. My only complaint was that Madeline got a big ol’ head.
May 14th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Tamara,
That is halarious – well, not that you fainted and all, but the rest of it is!
I have a good feeling about this book – keeping my fingers crossed
May 14th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Tamara, what a funny story! Glad everything turned out all right.
The dh once performed puppet shows at children’s parties, which is not a job he cares to go back to.
Good luck with the book!
May 14th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Tamara, even the 2nd time hearing/reading this story, it still makes me laugh.
Good luck with your submission.
May 14th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Madeline huh?
Yikes…just the thought gives the willies.
Glad you didn’t suffer the way I did. I think it would have been fun if it wasn’t for the heat.
I hope the idea does the story justice.
Thanks so much for the comment!
Have a great day,
Tamara
May 14th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Nancy! So good to see you here.
Thanks for the words of encouragment!
Have a great afternoon,
Tamara
May 14th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Cinthia,
Thanks so much for the comment!
I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
Have a great Friday,
Tamara
May 14th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Lots of people are into wearing costumes. They’re called Furries or Fursuiters. Check out Furry Weekend Atlanta online. It is waaayyy more popular than people imagine. How do I know about this? I wen to Furry Weekend Atlanta…and wore a costume my daughter made (just a head, hands and tail). She wore a full suit she’d made (this is her hobby, not mine
Like Tamara said, they’re super hot to wear!
May 14th, 2010 at 8:10 pm
I had no idea there was actually a name for that! How cool.
I love wearing costumes (as long as they don’t endanger or kill me)
Halloween is my fave holiday.
In fact I’d love to go to Dragon con one year(never been and I’m dying to go) I’d dress as a steam punk warrior.
Good for you for supporting your daughter’s hobby.
Thanks so much fro the comment!
Have a great evening,
Tamara
May 16th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Hey, Tamara, just catching up on some of my PFHT posts for the week and absolutely loved this! Oh, my gosh, I want to read the part about the fainting!
Good luck with publication!
Anna