Friday, June 27, 2014

Is My Husband’s Life at Risk?  by Debra H. Goldstein

My favorite segment of the Mickey Mouse Club (the one that was played in reruns during my childhood) was the Spin and Marty episodes.  I had a crush on Tim Considine.  I had visions of walking down the aisle with him while Annette Funicello sweetly sang “When I Fall in Love, It Will Be Forever.”  Unfortunately, I discovered he wasn’t quite as young as he appeared on my television screen so there was little chance that he would wait for me to grow up.

Life went on and eventually I met Joel.  We used show music for the processional and recessional during our ceremony, and even though Annette didn’t sing and Tim wasn’t a guest, we were in agreement that “it would be forever.”  We haven’t consciously changed our minds or consciously uncoupled, but two of my beta readers are questioning my subconscious mind.  I didn’t even notice it, but lately, I’ve been threatening or actually killing off the husband.  The topic comes up in some of my WIPs and definitely is thought about in “The Rabbi’s Wife Stayed Home” published by Mysterical-E in April 2014. There also is a subtle relationship reference in “Early Frost” in the April 2014 Birmingham Arts Journal.

I’m seriously beginning to wonder what this means.  Do I have murderous intent within my heart?  Has boredom set in?  Have I realized that one of the most important relationships to address in writing is marriage?  Have I been reading too many issues of People Magazine?  I don’t know the answer.

Writers are told it isn’t nice to hurt little children or animals, but husbands don’t seem to fit the protected category.  Obviously writers can’t only kill or pin the blame on husbands. Other characters have to be introduced to give stories textured variety.  It could be the neighbor, the deliveryman, or even the butler whodunit.  I never fully make that determination until the story is writing itself.  That’s because my subconscious often dictates where my conscious writing. In fact, my writing is stilted if I don’t give my subconscious leeway.  I like what I’m working on right now so do you think my subconscious is trying to tell me something or is it just coincidence?  

Joel wants to know, but maybe we shouldn’t tell him. Shh…. 

2 comments:

  1. I would think Joel is safe, considering how long he's been the husband. Perhaps, in your fiction, your subconscious wants to shake things up a bit.

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    Replies
    1. Good point. At least the subconscious thoughts are a lot of fun :).

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