The Eyes Have It

I’ve always been fascinated by body language.  Like many writers, I like to observe others and see if I can gain insight into what they are thinking and feeling based on more than just what they say.  Over my next several blog posts, I will focus on some aspect of body language.

Body language is defined as the nonverbal ways we communicate with each other.  Some researchers state that it comprises between 50 to 70% of all communication.  So it’s important that writers understand what their characters are doing is at least as important as what they say.

It has been said that our eyes are the windows to our soul.  But there are other things that our eyes can show us as well.  Gaze, blinking and pupil size can also be very telling.

During a conversation, direct gaze can signal interest and attention.  However, if it becomes too prolonged and focused it can be threatening.  Think about the movie “The Terminator” when the Terminator stares at the policeman and finally says, “I’ll be back.”  The audience instinctively knows that this is not going to end well.  By contrast, looking away or breaking eye contact can mean that the person is uncomfortable, distracted or hiding their true feelings.  Every parent knows this look that indicates that his or her child has done something wrong.

Blinking is a natural reflex.  But doing it too much or too little can have meaning.  Rapid blinking can signal distress or discomfort.  Increase in the rate of blinking can mean someone is thinking more or feeling stressed. This can indicate dishonesty because the liar has to think more about what they are saying than if they simply tell the truth.  To combat this, the person may force their eyes open and appear to stare.  Decreased blinking can also increase the power of the stare and can portray either dominance or romantic intent.

Pupil size can also indicate emotions.  Cognitive effort can dilate pupils.  People are said to have “doe eyes” or “bedroom eyes” because dilated pupils can indicate sexual desire.  The dilation of pupils during sexual interest may indicate that the person is considering how to attract and sustain interest of the object of their desire.  Contracting of the pupil can signal a dislike of the other person, much like squinting.  Therefore, small pupils can also make someone look threatening or unpleasant.  This anger or negativity can cause what is sometimes known as “beady eyes” or “snake eyes.”

Using the proper dialogue tags or actions can increase the impact of your story.  If your story is in first person, then body language can become even more important.  Regardless of whatever narrative style a writer uses, use of body language techniques can deepen the story and add interesting layers to the plot. 

How the Rockville 8 spent our Summer Vacations

Wrapping up the summer here at the Rockville 8, and turning our thoughts toward the fall. What did you do during YOUR summer vacation?

Marjanna Bogan:

Horseshoe crab. Stuck on the rocks. You have so many legs and a very spikey tail.

Horseshoe crab. Stuck on the rocks. Are those really eyes on your shell or just camo?

Horseshoe crab. Stuck on the rocks. Stretching your stretchless exoskeleton to free yourself.

Horseshoe crab. Stuck on the rocks. If I rescue you, am I going against nature?

Horseshoe crab. Stuck on the rocks. I feel you are a metaphor for my summer.

This summer.

I buried my father and rescued a horseshoe crab that was stuck on the rocks.

Technically, we threw Dad under the boat.

I did, however, actually pull the horseshoe crab free from where he (she? who the hell knows) was wedged in the rocks by the surf.

I also drank a lot of vodka. With and without family and friends. I'm not sure if one or the other makes it taste better. Perhaps I should experiment more with that.

But I expect I have the autumn for that.

 

Nichole Christoff:

Twisted! That sums up my summer. First, the spring weather got twisted and thought it was summer. Then, summer cooled down and behaved like spring. That make for great opportunities to get outdoors--until I twisted my ankle. My high grade sprain should be all healed by New Year's. In the meantime, I'm ready for full-on fall. Bring on the pumpkins and falling leaves! I'm nearly done with my latest novel and I'm starting a new day job. I'm an adjunct professor at a small, private university. So no more twists and turns, please. At least, not until winter.

Misha Crews:

This summer my husband and I celebrated our anniversary with a trip to our favorite getaway: Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. If you've ever been there, you'll completely understand why we're in love with the place. If you haven't had a chance to see it for yourself, then you should go. Now. (I'm not kidding, get going!) The time away from work, phones and even (gasp!) the internet gave us a chance to decompress and reconnect with each other. And it even brought me to a breakthrough on my latest writing project. It was a winner, all around! I hope that everyone reading this had a wonderful summer, and best wishes to you for a beautiful and happy autumn!

Mackenzie Lucas:

Low-key summer for me. Pretty much my full vacation encompassed RWA Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia in July; the road trip to and from Atlanta on the I-81 corridor through the Shenandoah Valley (two nights down, two nights back); and a trip to Pittsburgh to take my oldest to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for a Summer Studio program so he could figure out if he’d be interested in applying to their Game Art & Design program after high school. He’s sent in his application and is waiting on letters of recommendation from his high school teachers. Sigh. Yes, we’ve started the college search and application phase for No. 1. The other two will follow in quick succession. So hold on for the ride! The big news for me this summer was that I sold my first manuscript to a traditional publisher. My debut contemporary romance novel Essence will be published by Soul Mate Publishing in spring 2014 in e-book and six to eight months later in print. I’m very excited about working with Soul Mate Publishing on this project! That’s about it for me this summer. Ready for fall to commence. ;0)

Lisa McQuay:

Summer is my favorite season of the year.  I’m happiest during this time of year.  I love all of the daylight hours we have.  Being able to run out the front door without bundling up.  Not having to study with my daughter for a vocabulary quiz or run around and get tons of things for a school project.   Walk the dogs in the evening after the day cools off. 

This past summer was a busy one for me.  Working full time, volunteering as treasurer, attending the RWA National conference, and shuttling my daughter between summer activities, doctor, dentist and orthodontist appointments left little time for deep introspection.  The week long vacation to Nags Head, NC was a welcome break that ended all too quickly.    

My father’s birthday always falls somewhere around Labor Day weekend, so a family party is always on tap sometime in the three days we’re off.  This weekend, the party falls on Sunday so I’m busy baking a cake, making macaroni salad and buying a gift.   My brother volunteered to bring the ribs so I took him up immediately on his offer. 

I did some writing in between all this but not as much as I wanted to.  So, now that fall is around the corner and school has started, I’m rededicating myself.  Right after the birthday party…

Evie Owens:

Evie is on deadline, hard at work finishing up a piece for an anthology, so she was not able to submit something for this blog piece. We’re super excited for her coming publication. Go, Evie, go!

Keely Thrall:

Summer seemed like it took an awful long time to get started. All that rain and cool just didn’t say summer in DC. It wasn’t until July that things kicked off for me – I attended RWA Nationals mid-month, then was home for a week before heading to Paris for 4 days (see my post on that here). August has seen me get loads of writing in, as well as happily receive the news that I’m a finalist in the Lone Star Writing Contest (paranormal category). Looking forward to more writing this fall and reconnecting with my WRW pals.

Shellie Williams:

Sometimes life IS a bowl of cherries and like "sudden fame" a lot goes on before the bowl of cherries arrives. This summer I had to dance with my own special devil: patience. I'm not good at patience. I'm more of an action kinda girl. But all summer, I had to wait and be patient. Would I get the job I had set my heart on? Would I final in the Claymore Contest for unpublished authors writing in mystery, thriller and crime genres? Patience, grasshopper was my mantra...and my reward. Yes, I got the job and I've already dreamed up a story idea: Murder at the Arts Barn. (Yeah, the title needs some work.) Lastly, I finaled in the Claymore contest. I was one of 10 finalists. Killer Nashville hasn't released the final winners yet, so I'm still practicing patience.  Breathe, grasshopper, and have a cherry.

Paris Through a Camera Lens – Story Prompt

I’ve always been fascinated by the stories a photograph can tell. Why take that picture? Why not aim a few inches to the left? What would happen if you zoomed in? Took a panoramic view? Shot from below? Who do we include in our photos? Who do we ignore? How do we edit the images – do we crop out unnecessary detail and how do we decide what’s important to keep? How do we present the images to craft a linear understanding of time and place? Do we edit for theme, style, humor? I guess it’s no surprise that these questions perk along in my brain. Photography is just another form of storytelling, and I’m a storyteller.

What if you didn’t know the story behind the image? What if the story you’d always thought was true turned out to be a fantasy? I thought for YEARS that my uncle had two little girls that “we just didn’t talk about” since his first marriage ended in divorce. YEARS. Because I’d seen a photograph of him with these two kids and somehow cobbled together a story that didn’t really make sense (we’re not the kind of family to shun children, for goodness’ sake). But to my young mind it made enough sense that I didn’t question it until I was a young adult. Turns out the girls were his nieces by marriage and when the marriage ended, so did that relationship. Quite an elaborate fantasy to build on the basis of a single photo seen once as a youngster.

At the end of July, my dad and I traveled to Paris for a few days. It was a delightful trip (if way too short). Between us, we took 244 photographs. All those moments of choice – this window display, not that one. This vista from this angle. This monument, this slice of life moment, this image bound in pixels forever and ever, amen.

It got me thinking.   

1)   What if that photo of a daughter and her father toasting their time together in Paris was actually documentation of a nefarious scientist and her trusty lab manager celebrating their newest plot to take over the world? (Taken in the courtyard of the Hotel Athene)   

2)   What if this swanky hotel restaurant was the rendezvous location of their annual SPECTRE board meeting (instead of just a really great place to have Sunday brunch; The Royal  Monceau Hotel). Heck, they have an image of Sean Connery on the wall. Could James Bond be far behind?  

3)   What if their evil plan included syphoning off all the champagne in the world, storing it in the Eiffel Tower and then making people pay even more exorbitant prices for a bit of bubbly than we already do? One meeellion Euros anyone?  

4)   What if, in addition to stealing the world’s champagne reserves, this mad scientist took a page out of Dr. Frankenstein’s diary, but instead of reanimating human corpses, she decided dinosaurs were her thing. Dinosaurs painted gold, with a thing for Louis Vuitton (Look closely at Dino's mouth.). I think I like where this is going… 

5)   What if, to appease this crazy smart evil, yet charismatic seductive and alluring scientist, the powers that be offered her ownership of Versailles and a never ending supply of Veuve Cliquot?  

6)   I think the scientist said yes, fell in love with her new home – and the head gardener – and lived happily ever after.

What about you? Have you ever made up a story to fit what you think you’re seeing in an image? Was it as extreme as two missing cousins? Does looking at photos give you story inspiration? 

And Two Hardboiled Eggs: My Favorite Marx Brothers Moments

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. Butter on my popcorn, ice in my soda, and something to make me smile. Popcorn and soda aside, the Marx Brothers have been making me smile ever since I can remember. And because a smile is more fun if you share it, here are a few of my favorite Marx Brothers moments. I hope you catch my case of the giggles!

And Two Hardboiled Eggs – A Night at the Opera

Released in 1935, A Night at the Opera is unquestionably the Marx Brothers' masterpiece. Groucho stars as Otis B. Driftwood, a wannabe player in the Italian opera. Chico and Harpo are Fiorello and Tomasso, scatterbrained but loyal to their friend Ricardo (the handsome Allan Jones) who is in love with Rosa (Kitty Carlisle). When Rosa has the opportunity to go to New York, Fiorella, Tomasso and Ricardo stow away on her boat. Otis discovers the loverboy and his trusty sidekicks in his stateroom, and is pressured into helping them to stay concealed. Part of this is ordering the starving men some food. The following video shows why, whenever I'm making a grocery list, my husband calls out "and two hardboiled eggs!"

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The Mirror Scene – Duck Soup

In this 1933 political satire, Groucho plays Rufus T. Firefly, the president/dictator of a bankrupt country called Freedonia. Chico and Harpo are Chicollini and Pinky, two silly spies from Sylvania, Freedonia's neighbor and enemy. In the following classic scene, Pinky (Harpo) must fool Firefly (Groucho) into believing he's actually Firefly's reflection in a mirror. My favorite moment: when the two men swap positions, smiling at each other all while!

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The Password Scene – Horse Feathers

I remember seeing this 1932 movie on television when I was nine years old (which would make it about twenty years ago, right? Ahem, moving on…). Groucho plays Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the president of Huxley University. To win the football game against the school's rival, Darwin U, Huxley recruits Bavarelli and Pinky (Chico and Harpo) to play on the team. These fellas are "icemen" (deliverymen of bootleg liquor), and are recruited through a series of misunderstandings. In the following scene, Wagstaff is trying to get into a speakeasy, and Baravelli is guarding the door.

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…And We Gotta Go Back – A Night at the Opera

And we're back with my favorite Marx Brothers film, A Night at the Opera. Here, in order to evade the authorities and successfully get off the ship, the three plucky heroes impersonate a trio of famous aviators. Wearing the aviators' beards (which they cut off and pasted on their faces – what could possibly go wrong?) and uniforms, the men happily march off the ship. Only to find that they are now expected to make a speech about their heroic journey. This scene explains why, when I'm asked about a journey, I'll sometimes answer "we almost got there, then we ran out of gas and had to go back."

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What makes you smile? Do you have any favorite Marx Brothers moments?

One Is Silver and the Other Gold

With the end of summer right around the corner, we in the Christoff household are making the most of the fleeting season. You can find us in the great outdoors nearly every weekend now. And if the evening is crisp and cool, you'll find us gathered around a campfire.

A Christoff Campfire

Do you remember that old campfire song? The one about friendship? You know the one I mean. It reminds us to "make new friends, but keep the old." Why? Because "one is silver and the other gold."

These words were never more true than this weekend when one of my oldest friends brought her family to my campfire circle. She and I were kids ourselves when we met at camp almost thirty years ago. But if you'd have seen us this weekend, you might've thought we were still kids with the way we joked and laughed.

Around my campfire this weekend, my friend reminded me of who I used to be--and who I still am. Seeing myself through my friend's eyes, I remembered my strengths. And I remembered those strengths had always been a part of me. Best of all, in the golden glow of the campfire, I remembered those strengths had been with me for so long, they probably weren't going to go anywhere without me.

When autumn comes and winter is finally here, and all the pressures of daily living put a damper on my spirits, I'll look back on those summer evenings, both recent and long ago, with my friend. I'll remember what it is to be a friend. And, thanks to my friend, I'll remember I can be myself.

As I look forward to the seasons to come, I hope I'll always make new friends. I hope I'll always keep the old. Because one is certainly silver, and the other is the truest gold.

Now it's your turn to talk to the Rockville 8. Do you have a friend who's as good as gold?  What does her friendship mean to you?