Bad Moon Rising (or musings with my muse)

“Hey, wake up. I’ve got a story for you.”

“Hmpff, get off, I’m asleep.”

“No, it’s great, there’s this character from one of your stories story who keeps complaining you’re writing her parts too one dimensional.”

“I’m asleep”

“You’re awake now. You might as well listen. Get your note book out, it’s a great story.”

“A story about a character, that is someone I made up, that doesn’t think I’m telling her whole story…I guess it’ll keep my therapist happy if no-one else!”

“Yeah, be cynical. It’s a great story – a series of stories actually – she’s a recurring character, comes across as a real hero, saves the day, the lot. Only really she’s horrible, really nasty, not just an anti-hero – actually a real bitch.”

“What?”

“And she wants you to tell her all of her story your next comic. With the extra plates, the ones showing her torturing and killing.”

“Hang on, I can understand the challenge that I’m making characters in short stories pretty one dimensional. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed. I can accept the challenge that I’m only telling part of a character’s story, I’m writing flash fiction not epic novels. But now I’m being accused by one of my characters of not making her a big enough bitch in a story I’ve never written, in a form I don’t write?!”

“But it’s a great story…hang on, what do you mean you don’t write comics and you don’t recognise your characters? What day is it? Isn’t it full moon?”

“No”

“Ah, my bad. As you were.”

“I’m awake now!”

“Sorry. You know how it is, cut backs, there aren’t enough muses to go around so we have to double up. I must have just opened the wrong link on my browser. Brought you someone else’s inspiration, as it were.”

“So that’s why I have days on end when one story sticks in my head and won’t let any others out – you’ve got me on some sort of muse holding service!”

“Err, yes, it’s like an answering machine message – you know, work on this one until I can get back to you. Anyway, I’d better take this story where it belongs.”

“Wait, don’t be so hasty. How does this character feel about being a pulp fiction heroine? I think I have an idea!”

“Oh dear, I’m in trouble now…”

(C) Chris Johnson 2014