Spatulans meet up

Last week, Fantastic Spatula's online friendships became a little less virtual and a little more affectionate. Lucy and I met the lovely Léna Roy, whose blog we've followed for over a year and who we're happy joins us at Fantastic Spatula. 

 Léna did a writing workshop and reading at Fountain Bookstore in my town, Richmond, VA. Léna started off the writing exercise by asking us to reach into our bags or pockets and pull out one object. That required some bravery, because the last time I reached into my purse, I could have lost a hand. 


My hand came out with all my digits and my tape measure. That tape measure, along with an hour of exercises and writing, inspired a short story about a rebellious tween and a place of one's own. (I definitely channelled a little Thoreau and a little Virginia Woolf when pondering these exercises.) After I've worked on the short story for a while, I'd love to share it with Fantastic Spatula. 


And I'd love to see what results you turn out. 
Pull out an object from your bag. Write about where you got it, how it made you feel, etc. 
Then pick a pair of shoes and imagine a person who would wear them (not yourself). 
Close your eyes and visualize a place. What emotion do you feel associated with the place? Describe that place and convey the emotion through telling detail. 
Bring it all together. Put your character in your setting. Give him a desire. What are the obstacles to his desire? Incorporate your object into the story. 


A big thank you to Léna Roy and Lucy Wiggins and everybody else at the signing and dinner for a great evening of discussion, laughter, and hugs.