Hi all! Lindi here. We had so much fun last month with our Novella Bachelor. Thank you for participating and voting.
Today we’re talking about real life scenarios that are hard to put into a book because they simply seems unbelievable. Sometimes things happen in real life that seem too coincidental to put into a book.
I’ve drafted 3 scenes to show what I’m talking about. (Scenes are not perfected.:) rough drafts for this post only.)
Scene 1: A Hot Tub 4th of July
The weekend couldn’t have been more perfect. Janie said her boyfriend’s friend Stan was nice and cute. And he was! After a nice cookout, I am changing into my bathing suit as Janie’s boyfriend has a pool and a hot tub, and we were getting into the hot tub after a fun day swimming and eating good food. I had been slowly getting to know Stan, and I liked what I knew so far. Janie and I were laughing at silly things as we settled into the hot tub, the guys already in there. As we sit laughing about the fun events of the day Stan says, “Look. Over there.” We turn slightly to see fireworks lighting up the sky. “Must be the golf course club. They do fireworks every year,” Janie’s boyfriend says. I look at Stan, he smiles. A perfect ending to a perfect day.
Scene 2: Losing My Phone and My Life
I ran as fast as I could, not wanting whoever was trying to break into my house to catch me. Exhausted, I didn’t think I could run one more step. I stopped at the end of the street, gulping air, wondering if the 911 operator will be able to make out a word of what I was saying. I quickly turned to make sure I wasn’t being followed and I heard it. And felt it. My phone. It slipped out of my pocket. I watched in horror as it slid on the street, right into the storm drain. This seriously couldn’t be happening.
Scene 3: Best Friend Blunder Leads to Marriage
Honestly, I love my best friend but buying her a Christmas gift is the hardest thing in the world. But I really owe her something nice this year as she introduced me to the love of my life. Frank and I wouldn’t be getting married if Sonya hadn’t been running late, snagged the parking spot out from him after he’d been waiting for over five minutes. I was mortified that she had done that, and when I got out of the car I saw him waiting. But he didn’t seem mad. He was actually smiling. He drove off, but I couldn’t forget those dark brown eyes and cute smile. Two months later, at a fundraiser my boss made me attend, I saw him! I remembered the day in the parking lot. He remembered, too. We haven’t been separated since.
Okay–we have 3 scenes. 1 of them isn’t true. And of course, I’ve embellished the scenarios to fit romance or mystery genres. But I will say something in 2 of these scenarios actually happened to me. And when they happened I thought I could never put this in a book. No one would believe this.
Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. And as an author, it’s something I think about. I don’t want to put a scenario in a book that would make a reader think, oh, that couldn’t happen. Or, that a scenario is too convenient to happen. It’s a tough call sometimes.
So let’s have fun with this concept. Vote for the scene you think didn’t happened to me. After voting, tell me why you voted that way in the comments section. I’ll post in the comment section on Saturday which one didn’t happen and how the others did happen. Also, have you ever read a scene and thought that could never happen? Did that make you question the whole book? Thank you for your input.
One commenter will be randomnley chosen to receive an e book version of my novel, Sweet Love of Mine.
USA Today featured author Lindi Peterson lives in north Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and a lively array of cats, dogs and birds. She loves sharing life with her family and friends. Her passion for reading led her to writing, and then God spoke words of love into her heart and changed her life forever.
It was hard I picked one as I think 3 could happen and two seems a little more suspenseful so I figure it probably is true. So that leaves 1. I picked it partly cos it seemed more corny especially the final comment. (I am probably wrong).
I read a book once where the lady was having a spa at a hotel (it was one of the sisterchick books) and she put the whole complimentary bottle of bubble bath. I knew what was going to happen before I read far into the pages and I had done almost the same thing. Even those small bottles you only need about a quarter to get lots of bubbles and some motels the button for the spa is on a timer, you cant stop it like many at home and is around 20 mins so the more time the spa is on the more bubble. While mine didn’t go over the spa and onto the floor it was only because I let some water out. In the book she was using towels to try mop up the water. If you hadn’t done it you would think it wouldn’t happen. I have only been to one motel which had a timer on a spa most don’t. I am not sure what it’s like in America but both the book and my experience were in Australia.
Hi Lindi, I’m hoping #2 is not true, and that you haven’t had to live through that scary experience. All three scenarios are plausible, and #3 would make a fun romance story. Thanks for sharing your fun post with us. :)
Jenny, I managed to overflow the baby bath with too many bubbles at the hospital when we gave our newborn son his first bath! I thought it was hilarious and ignored the strange looks from other parents who were taking very seriously the job of bathing their newborns, lol.
Ausjenny–Hello—and oh my. I did that with the spa thing, but it was a jetted tub in Gatlinburg–on my honeymoon. I put those bubbles in and I couldn’t even see out of the tub-the bubbles were so high. And it was the biggest triangle tub ever and my husband laughed and laughed! Thanks for sharing that story, and that brings up another point–sometimes the readers know exactly what is going to happen because they have done it! :)
Narelle–It was interesting trying to put my real life crazies into scenes—I did so with genres that I thought would make the reader say, hmmm…would this ever really happen? :)
Narelle—how funny! I bet those parents were looking at you like ???? Your son was none the wiser and cleaner, I’m sure!
I picked #1. It just seemed a little too “romance novelly” where the reader has to suspend disbelief. :-) I thought #3 was REALLY cool and seemed like it could be a God thing!
I loved #3 and hope it happened to you. I picked #2 in hopes it didn’t happen to you.
I voted for #2. It makes for a great suspense plot, but I think it is a little far fetched to have actually happened.
However, I do want to know if she is able to get out of her predicament.
Love the cover!
Hi Ellie—thank you for your feedback. :) #3 would be a cool story to tell your grandchildren.
Sherri G- awesome! Thank you for visiting Inspy!
Susan—I will let you know. Promise!! :)
Toni–thank you!!
I can easily see all 3 happening :-) I voted for #1, but it was hard to choose. On #2, one time I was in a filty campground bathroom and my phone slid of of my pocket as I was relieving myself, and slid across the floor (at least it didn’t go in the toilet)! If I remember correctly, I cleaned it off with hand sanitizer :-)
I picked three!
Margaret–Yikes!! i’m glad you were able to save your phone. :) That would be awful.
Paula—Thanks for voting and visiting Inspy today!
I chose 3 because I just couldn’t imagine a real man who has been waiting for 5 minutes not being upset at all and then beginning a relationship purely on looks. If that really did happen to you, tell your husband that he is an enigma to me. ?
I put a lot of my own life in my first novel. I had a beta reader tell me that the college scene was too unbelievable. I had to tell him that there are — or at least were — Christian colleges so strict and legalistic that they would demote a staff member for kissing their fiance off-campus. It happened to me.
I picked the 2nd one, because the other two seem very plausible to me.
Trudy–thank you for voting and visiting Inspy today!
Lila—Wow–thank you for sharing that scenario. I once had someone say they didn’t think there were actual ranches in Georgia when I was writing one. I passed several to and from work. Real ranches. I know that people have certain ideas–and there is nothing wrong with that. Now when I read, i think I’m a more gracious reader than I used to be. :)
And thank you for the input on scene 3. :)
I picked number 1. Mostly just because it seemed to lack the type of details that the other options had. That made me feel like the other two were more likely to have truth in them that was added to for the romance spin.
Melynda—Thanks for voting. :) I can see your reasoning. So good to have you at Inspy!
My son wanted to take a bath at my dad’s house and loves bubbles so he put some in and turned on the jets. Next thing I knew he was yelling my name… I go running and dang near fell on my butt as I ran into the bathroom! There were bubbles EVERYWHERE! And I mean everywhere! I’m standing there trying to figure out how in the world do I get rid of a room full of bubbles without my dad finding out what’s going on! Hint… Hot water does not help at all…
Lindi, I picked #2, and I’m not sure why. They all sound plausible to me. When reading fiction, I believe all scenarios can happen because it’s fiction. They only complaint I have is a book portraying something that isn’t factual. I read a book once that was really a great book, but I was pretty sure the author had never been to South Dakota where the book was set. I was born there and lived there numerous years, so the town she was describing just didn’t suit a South Dakota town.
Cindy!! So funny. Im glad you weren’t hurt. And we can’t hide anything from dad!
Merrillee. That’s true. I try to be true to the place..or make one up. :)
Lindi, this was a jet spa too. and the bubbles were high. I was trying to flatten them and it just wasn’t happening. In the same sisterchick book the main character tries vegemite for the first time and I was laughing cos I knew exacting how she would react. You are right sometimes we do know what is going to happen cos we have done it.
Narelle if you don’t laugh you cry, too bad you didn’t get a photo! Long as you didn’t lose your son in the bubbles.
I have been saying this phrase quite a bit in the last 7 months! Truth certainly is stranger than fiction. My oldest daughter broke her leg, had to have plates and screws put in. One month later my middle daughter broke her finger and had to have plate and screws put in. Both random accidents, both needed physical therapy and both had to have two surgeries! Family and friends are having fun teasing us about how crazy that is. Great subject! I have always wondered how authors can think of story lines that we will believe yet not too outlandish that we scoff at it, even though the truth really would be too unbelievable. I think the first one is fake because it is just perfect. The other two seem to have little bits of info that would be hard to make up.
Lindi, it’s a hard choice :)
I picked #1 only because I live in California and I would never get into a hot tub during summer LOL – it’s too hot!
Hi all!! It’s Friday and I am posting the results.
So the hot tub scene—did happen! My hubby and I were at a friend’s house and they had a hot tub. It was around the 4th of July and we got in. All of a sudden we hear booms and poof—there were fireworks galore! They were beautiful. Our friends had no idea that was going to happen. I said then and there–no one would believe this if I put it into a book. :)
And the phone scene—-did happen! Okay, so I wasn’t being chased, but I was walking my dog. He jerked around because he heard another dog and out went my phone from my pocket into the storm drain. I went home and got my baton (yes I still have it from teen years) and a boomerang. I only succeeded in pushing the phone totally down the drain. I called the county and a nice gentleman came out, climbed down the drain, and my phone was sitting across the drain—dry and unharmed. i did say thank you Jesus. I also said, if this were to ever happen in a suspense novel, no one would believe this. Although I know writers are always looking for clever ways to rid the hero/heroine of their phones.
Best friend scene–totally made up…….Some of you called it! But hey, I might use it in a book. You never know.
Thanks again everyone who voted and commented. I’ll pick the winner and contact you. Have a great weekend.
Thanks for sharing the one story that was totally made up. Glad to hear that your cell phone ended up being safe and sound. Too bad the guy had to go down the drain for naught.
I like the made-up story and do hope you wind up using it sometime in a future book. It’s always nice to read refreshing ways that couples have as the story of how they met and got together.
Thanks, Susan. BTW I love to hear how couples meet.
Natalya—We’re the same way here. Unless it’s rainy or a cool front comes in the hot tub doesn’t get used much in the summer.
Susan P—Wow–that story about your daughters. How incredible. I’m sure that’s one a reader would have a hard time believing in a story. Thank you for sharing!