JUST WHAT IS THE GOLDEN ORB SUPPOSED TO DO?

Valentine’s Day status: I dressed up as Alice Cullen. Sam wore a headband a la Rafa. Wackiness ensued.

Revision status: Mmmmm… next question.

Great and Terrible Beauty status: Mmmm… next question. So, I’m feeling a little unproductive lately.

THAT FRAKKIN’ GOLDEN ORB

Have any of you seen a little gem of a movie called “Cold Comfort Farm”?

It is set in the English countryside, about a young woman named Flora (Kate Beckinsale) who goes to live with a Motley Crew of relatives after her own parents die. (The matriarch of this eccentric group "saw something nasty in the woodshed." We never find out what exactly it was she saw.)

Flora fancies herself a writer, and every time she starts describing the gorgeous English Countryside, she inevitably gets to a point where she needs to describe the sun. Like, you know, the one in the sky.

Each description starts with “The golden orb…” She can’t help it. In her mind, there is no other way to describe that darn sun, except to call it “The golden orb…” and then she always gets stuck at that point, because she can’t for the life of her figure out just what “The golden orb” should do.

Should it race across the sky? Light the faces of starving children? Melt the ice caps?

My sister author Bree and I were discussing the redundant quirks we can’t avoid giving our characters.

I don’t even realize I’m doing it, until I read the book for the 800th time. (Okay, I’ve only read it 764 times). So, below, I present to you the top three most common actions of my characters:

LANE:
1. She reaches for something, and then she grabs it.
2. She winces. (Most often in anticipation of something).
3. She threatens to puke. (A threat she only follows through on one time… Unfortunately on a special someone)

SAM:
1. He smiles. (at Lane)
2. He furrows his eyebrows. (at Lane)
3. He shoves. (anyone who makes fun of Lane.)

ALEX:
1. He sighs.
2. He deliberates.
3. He grunts in frustration. (Mostly because of Lane. She can frustrate the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks out of anyone.)

But I have to admit each list is a fairly telling description of that character.

Here's an example of Flora's writing: "It was winter. The grimmest hour of the darkest day of the year. The Golden Orb had... had... had what?"

Enjoy the movie trailer here. And if you have a free night, watch it! (I think it has all of the parts on You Tube)