LJ Idol 6 Wk 14 The Place than can not be

[puppetmaker]

Living with a writer can be interesting. You find yourself talking about the strangest things. The what-ifs or how would you do something are just part of the day. About a week ago Peter came out of his office and asked if I could help him with something. I said sure. He said turn around I need to figure out if I can strangle you from behind. I turned around and we worked for a bit figuring out how he might be able to strangle me from behind with his bare hands. I am sure if someone were to looking through the window, it would have looked like he was trying to kill me or at least domestic abuse. We sorted it out and he went down and wrote what he needed to write for the comic book he was working on.

I was a fan of Peter’s work before I met him. I liked his writing style. He amused me and made me laugh. I remember reading Supergirl and enjoyed it. I didn’t really notice who wrote it until a later but I knew that I eagerly awaited the next issue. Now I get to watch and read these things months before the rest of the world. On the one hand I don’t really take part with discussions of comic books that my husband writes any more but on the other I get to know what happens while fans speculate about it. I have a hard time remembering where we are in the story line on the newsstands and in the comic books shops since I read scripts and see pages as they come through the house.

Some of the most fun is being part of the planning process for a project. Figuring out how the story is going to work and how the characters are going to act and react to the situation being presented to them. There is a certain rush that I get when I know that my idea is going to be the one implemented in the story.

Our conversations to anyone outside of fandom must sound very weird. I can remember I was helping Peter sort out some story points for Fallen Angel and we were talking about whether a character was going to be murdered or die as an accident. We were going through the ways to make an accident look like murder and how to make murder look like an accident. Our waitress was use to overhearing this kind of talk from us so she didn’t bat an eyelash but there were a couple of women on their lunch break who apparently got a little alarmed at our conversation and told the hostess on the way out about what they had overheard. The hostess smiled and informed them that we were writers and were probably working on a book or something. Everyone who worked at the restaurant got a good laugh but in some ways we were lucky that we were in a friendly environment.

I can tell when Peter has gone off to some other place that doesn’t exist other than in his head. His eyes get a far away look and he purses his lips. When he returns to our realm, I ask him where he has been. He tells me what he is working on in his head. His head is full of stories that haven’t been told and even though he is typing as fast as he can, I don’t think that all the places he has seen will be seen by readers, which is a shame since I have enjoyed my visits there.

This has been my entry in the LJ Idol contest. My partner in crime this week is the every lovely adpaz.

Comments

[drippedonpaper.livejournal.com]

I admit, I have been a fan of your husband's writing for...hm...at least 16 years? I love reading Star Trek novels and, while I like to read all in a series, his were always the best, with plenty of humor. I got excited whenever a new one by Peter came out.

So I especially loved that you wrote about him this time. How amazing to get to work with someone as he writes:)

Your story about "strangling" here was VERY amusing LOL and the one about discussing how to kill at a restaurant:) I am sure many people who overhear you two have wondered and had stories to tell:)

Thanks for contributing to his writing, I am sure all we readers benefit from your input:)

You are quite the writer too, I enjoy reading you in Idol:) You certainly told these stories very skillfully:)

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much. I knew when Gary put up the topics that this was the direction I was going to go.

Peter says thanks for being a long time reader.

[rattsu.livejournal.com]

OMG? PAD?

I was such a fan of X-factor you wouldn't believe. Ahem. *steps out of silly fangirl mode*. It is amazing the people you run into in the LJ Idol competition, it truly is. And yes, having an author as my best friend DO lead to some truly weird conversations at times, and endless hours on the net researching weird things.

Loved this one.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Yep PAD. Somewhere on this journal I put when we first met. Short version is that he bought a puppet of mine which came with a lesson. I gave him and his daughter Shana the how-tos and found him very nice. Then I go home and look at my book shelf. On the top of the stack I saw Q-in-law by Peter David and said "Oh! THAT Peter David."

It is fun figuring out the hows of the story and really cool after it's published to see your work in their novel.

[adpaz.livejournal.com]

Excellent job, Kath. I love getting a look into your life but reading about your life with Peter is incredibly awesome. I know where you're coming from with parenthood and crafting (though I don't have your skill), but helping a writer write... that's something magical.

Great job, partner!

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thanks. You see how I thought that they dovetailed. *grin*

[(Anonymous)]

That it did. We do work pretty well together, even when we don't plan it! :)

By the way, I need to figure out the next Con you'll be at down here in the South. I was talking with my MIL the other night and realized it's been 5 years since the time I met you and I've become friends with you since then. :D

[neeko-rae.livejournal.com]

You two are very lucky to have one another. ^_^

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Boy Howdy Don't I know it. He is the best thing to happen to me.

Thanks for reading.

[dungeonwriter.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I actually got into trouble for my writing research like that, I took out 20 books on various kinds of torture and got the school counselor called.

Knowing good people like you and PAD found each other makes me so happy, many happy years to you both and my happy joy to vote for you!

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.

It is funny how much Peter and I compliment each other.

[shadowwolf13]

I love this because you capture a writers mind so well. Fantastic. :)

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I am glad that I managed to do that. I am use to it so it was interesting to try to describe it to others.

[wonderbink.livejournal.com]

About a week ago Peter came out of his office and asked if I could help him with something. I said sure. He said turn around I need to figure out if I can strangle you from behind.

This made me cackle very loudly. And I can so see him saying that, too.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Well that's a typical day in the David Household.

"Come over here. I need to figure out the quickest way to disable a leg."

[sushimustwrite.livejournal.com]

I've had similar conversations while writing. My friends have just gotten used to it.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Team Zia_Machine (Or Hug_Narratora) would like to wish you the happiest belated Valentine's Day!





Love, Cat and Tea

This is a paid message from Cupid College. Check out our new Distance Learning Program today and earn the degree you've always wanted!

[comedychick.livejournal.com]

haha, I have no idea if I've read any of your husband's writing, but all I was thinking was how lucky you are to get to read this stuff months in advance!

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

My guess is if you are a regular reader of comics, you have probably run across his work somewhere.

It is fun but it also can be frustrating where I could end debates that are getting mean with a simple answer.

[comedychick.livejournal.com]

Not too regular; I haven't bought any in years, and I tend to stick with X-Men :)

In which case it's probably just best to avoid the debates!

[joeymichaels.livejournal.com]

I mentioned this early on, but I'm a pretty big fan of your husband's comics from the time of his remarkable work on Hulk. Thank you for this little peek into his writing process! :D

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading.

This was fun to write.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading.

And may I say,that is one hypnotizing Icon.

[onda-bianca.livejournal.com]

Wow, how fun that your husband is a real life writer. Comic or otherwise, that'd be awesome. :)

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

It is a lot of fun and can lead to some serious adventures

[baxaphobia.livejournal.com]

I can imagine living with Peter can be an adventure. One can't be that creative and be boring!

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Honestly I can say that "boring" is one of the last words I would use to describe Peter.

[baxaphobia.livejournal.com]

Smile! Hopefully I'll get to meet you someday and meeting Peter would be awesome as well. One never knows!

[mstrobel.livejournal.com]

We were going through the ways to make an accident look like murder and how to make murder look like an accident. Our waitress was use to overhearing this kind of talk from us so she didn’t bat an eyelash but there were a couple of women on their lunch break who apparently got a little alarmed at our conversation and told the hostess on the way out about what they had overheard.

That really made me giggle! I live with another writer too and sometimes when we're having a creative conversation we stop and go, imagine how this would sound to someone eavesdropping! XD

Loved reading this :)

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Yeah we can get into some strange topics at time. But it's fun.

[walkertxkitty.livejournal.com]

You know that your husband is one of my role models, one of the first writers of his genre I discovered as a child. I really appreciated this insight into the creative process, this closer look at a man I admire who had so much to do with who I have advanced my own career and how I do things.

It's good to know I'm not the only one who borrows a spouse on occasion to plot out or knock out details. I thought I was nuts.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the kind words about Peter's work.

Well a spouse is less likely to look at you funny when you ask these sort of weird questions.