When writing goes to the dogs...er...cats

My Writing GIAM pal Sylvia Rochester had a wee bit of an invasion last week. But don't worry, all's well that ends well. To top it off she transitioned it into a topic for Five Scribe's. Isn't she clever? Hope you enjoy. ~ Donnell

After weeks of anticipation and snooping, I discovered where my stray cat chose to have her kittens--in my boat. Not just in the boat, but under the console and down a hole that feeds the wires to the dash. The litter had squirmed through the four-inch opening and into the area between the floor and the outer hull.

What now? As someone who lives on a bayou, I had a fishing trip planned, and it did not include stowaways. How was I going to get these adorable, unexpected invaders out without hurting them? Ah, conflict, I thought. Solution: put the mama in the boat to lure the kittens from their hiding place.

"Gotcha," I said, picking up the first one to venture out of seclusion.

"Whoa, Nellie! That hissing, biting, scratching fur ball lit into me with needle sharp teeth and claws. I never realized external conflict could be so painful. But if I wanted to accomplish my goal, I couldn't turn loose.

Can't say I blamed the little fellow. A giant monster had descended upon him. After this first capture, I treated my battle scars and proceeded with great trepidation to face the remaining enemy. Fearing another vicious attack, I, now dubbed Goliath, came prepared with a pair of garden gloves.

I crept beside the boat with stealth, snared the two holdouts one by one, and locked them all in a carrying cage. Three gray tabbies and one solid gray kitten huddled together. Sure they were frightened, but no doubt planning revenge. One look at their wild eyes, and WACO popped into my mind. Some say the letters W-A-C-O have a certain meaning, and that meaning was written all over their faces --WE AIN'T COMING OUT!

I gloated. I had overcome major conflict, and my goal was in sight. I had only to take away their hiding place, and their mama would move them. Grabbing the necessary materials, I quickly sealed off the console. No way could they get past my cardboard and masking tape barrier. Smug in my accomplishment, I placed the carrier in the bottom of the boat and opened the door.

Crap! Two kittens weaseled beneath the shield, and the third soon followed. What I thought was an indestructible solution, proved no match for a ragtag bunch of kittens. They found one tiny flaw and made shambles out of my handiwork. I would either have to revise what I constructed or think of an alternative.That's when it hit me. The same applies to writing. Just because you want a plot to work doesn't mean it will. The incident with the kittens made me scrutinize my work in progress. How about you? Will your conflict and resolution hold up against all odds? Or will some tiny, overlooked assumption be your undoing?

Award-winning Sylvia Rochester is both an artist and an author. Check out her web page at www.sylviarochester.com or www.myspace.com/sylviarochester.