Barrel of Kittens

Let me begin today’s blog by stating: “I’m happier with my direction.” At first it fought me, but with my extensive background in bare-knuckled fisticuffs, I was easily declared the winner. (And I carry a shiv fashioned from a toothbrush just in case my direction gets out of line again.)

I’ve eased into my selected time period of 1920. Roaring, Golden, or Jazzy, this era gives us a little breathing room from the war with only slight ripples on the water foreshadowing the Depression. Even more important in this era is the use of barrels. Barrels of alcohol being hacked, barrels of merchandise in front of shops, going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, and later, people wearing barrels when the economy takes a downturn (the cartoony kind with long suspenders). To build a more enchanting story I intend to have people drive in barrel cars, dine in fine barrel restaurants, perform in all-barrel bands, and host “dress as your favorite barrel” parties. What a panic!

I could wax poetic all day about the virtues of a well-crafted barrel but it doesn’t hide the fact that starting my second round of my first act has made me a bit squirrely. (If you’ve been ardently reading my blogs – and no doubt you have, as I’ve seen your name appear on the Hey Chickpea Fan Club roll call – you’re well aware that I have started everything over from the beginning.) Giving myself the luxury of rewriting everything seemed great at first, but now it's this horrible luring menace that second guesses everything I’m doing. Hmmm. Don’t like that? Well, you could make the character 60 years older, that’ll be another perspective. Ohhhh, 1920 time frame isn’t working yet? Give the Dark Ages a go! I’m forcing myself to continue to forge ahead, so I can have something to which I can react. And, if it still isn’t working, we lose the humans and make it an all kitten production. Either that or I’m reaching for the shiv…

BTW: Hey Chickpea Fan Club roll call member badges and super secret glowing decoder rings will be mailed out the first week of September. Watch your mailboxes!