Angela – And I think that’s the danger sometimes… we spend so much time leading safe lives, that it’s hard to push out of our comfort zone and introduce conflict, even when it’s within a fictional framework.

Jennee – You killed a character just like that?! Perhaps you should be writing murder mysteries or thrillers Wait… do you? I don’t remember. Haha.

Susan – Thanks! I think food can be a great conversation starter or a jumping-off point for important dialogue/setting. For me, the danger is in focusing on the mundane instead of using it as a tool for conflict!

Kari – Hello! Thanks for stopping by! It’s so easy to forget that characters need to eat/sleep/perform natural bodily functions, but I kind of see it like watching the Amazing Race… we know the contestants MUST eat and stop for bathroom breaks at SOME point along the way, but the producers never show it… it’s just implied. That keeps the action moving, rather than focusing on the everyday things (though I bet there are some great stories of using bathrooms in some of those countries they visit!).

Susan – It’s fun to add the excitement in and get the story moving again, the challenge is making sense of the “dead moment… ACTION!” in revisions! Haha.

Elizabeth – Hi there! Thanks for joining me! I know, it’d be nice to think that this gets easier as we go along, but at the same time, it’s good to know we’re all at a similar starting point when we tackle a new project.

Injecting the absurd and unexpected action is a really fun way to get things moving!

I actually had to remind myself that my characters needed a break once in a while. A simple mention that they ate or slept. It’s strange that my characters forget to eat. I never seem to have that problem in real life!