Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The Road Trip and IWSG

Okay, here's story number two of the 'What I Did Last Summer Blog Hop'

A couple summers ago, a friend of mine came to visit from Ohio. I decided to drive her back-with my sister so there would be three of us to alternate the driving. I rented a brand spanking new and oh so pretty car, and we headed out that night.

We drove from Oklahoma, through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and finally Ohio. I won't say the trip went smooth, but it wasn't too bad until we hit Indiana. Because as soon as we were nearing the Indiana/Ohio border, a MEGA storm hit. Rain was pouring down on us at first, which made driving a bit difficult considering the busy highway, but it wasn't too bad.

Suddenly though, the rain became tons of hail bigger than softballs. Driving was near impossible, but we were on a highway and there were no overpasses or anything to take cover under. So, we pushed forward, very slowly, and just prayed the hail would stop soon.

It didn't stop soon. No, it started pounding the roof and windows of the car. My friend was in the backseat praying that we'd make it through alive, my sister was driving and trying to keep her composure, while I was calling my kids and my niece and nephew because we honestly feared for our lives and wanted to tell our kids we loved them.

As the hail pounded the windshield, cracks began forming, and we started freaking out even more. Semis were swerving all over the road, sight was near impossible, but finally we found reprieve at a gas station.
We stopped, waited out the storm, and continued on our way.

Finally, we reached Ohio, dropped my friend off, and turned around heading back for Oklahoma.
My sister and I were certain the return trip would go well, we were wrong. But it wasn't that bad, well, okay it was.

We were driving along in the dark when-BAM!-out of nowhere we hit something, hard. After stopping to look back and make sure there wasn't a dead human body behind us, we kept going. It was dark, the area was unknown territory for us, and there were no stores around. By the time we reached a gas station, the car was acting weird. Being still nighttime, we didn't spend much time looking it over though.

The next stop we made, in the daylight, we popped the hood to check out the car. Whatever we hit had pushed the radiator back.

Oh well, nothing to do about it, we were still miles from home and with the wild trip, it made more sense to us to just keep going.

I returned the car, battered and beaten-no longer brand new and pretty-to the rental place. Luckily, I spent the extra to have insurance, so no cost for the damages. And that's a huge luckily because that car was totaled.

Insecure Writer's Support Group

I'm a big not-fan of too many topics in one post, however my Monday double post did not go well. I still have a LOW number of visits to my guest post from author Terri Bruce. Which sucks even more because there's a GIVEAWAY on that post. If you missed it, go check it out.

So, I'm posting the IWSG post in this same post. Which is okay really because I kinda whined in that one post a week or two ago so I don't have a lot to say.

As many of you know, I spent a lot of August (and really, it's been going on for a while) being unmotivated. I struggled to accomplish much of anything. Last week though, I found my motivation and got back to writerly things. I'm caught up on crits and I sent my completed MS to a couple people for a read through. Now I just need to get back to my wip, keep caught up on crits, and get some reading done. Plus, I need to get back to my blogger friends, I've been neglecting y'all too much lately. :(

I may have found my motivation, but keeping is proving to be a challenge. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed though that I can get back to 100% though and next month's post will be awesome.

Happy guessing and writing everyone. :)


20 comments:

Karen Baldwin said...

Hmm? I say false.

Unknown said...

I am going to tell you to keep positive and continue down the path you have once again chosen. Good luck and all the best!

Yolanda Renée said...

Looks to me like your back on track, some down time is always good, and sometimes needed.
Stick with it, and your drive -- sounds like some writing material there. Especially the hit in the dark, lots of places to take that. Or the hail, as alien...something?

Have fun!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Well, we won't let you lose that motivation now that you've told us!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Glad to hear your motivation's back! Keep on writing!

And I think your first story "Fire in the Hole" is fact and this one is fiction, but I'm just guessing.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a typical drive through the Midwest, but I have to say false.

Aidyl Ewoh said...

I’m going to say that this one was False. =)

Emily R. King said...

Two great stories! I think this is fiction and the other is fact.

Thanks for participating!

Tara Tyler said...

both stories highly believable!
the first is sadder and some people are real jerks that get a kick out of scaring little kids, i'm going with that one. funny thing is, i've been in two similar situations!

Tara Tyler said...

oh, and interviews & giveaways seem like a low draw for comments for some reason...maybe it's me!

michelle said...

This one has to be fiction!
It's too scary with all the touch-and-go occurrences...

Glad to hear you've found your motivation once again!

ilima said...

This one is false and the first is true. Cool stories.

A.L. Sonnichsen said...

I'm guessing TRUE ... what a horrible journey! Ugh!! I'm glad it was a rental and you had insurance!

Melissa Sugar said...

I am glad your have rediscovered your motivation. I have not had time today to post anything . I am sneaking around every time I get a few minutes at work to read post from both of the blogfest I am participating in. I am going to vote fiction for this one.

I know what you mean about double post in a single day . It never really works out. I tried it on Monday and I have people voting fact or fiction on a story that was not intended to be my What I did Last Summer story and not much feedback because I have so many stories split into different post. I don't like writing really long post either, but I will do it today to avoid any more confusion.

I enjoyed your story.

Heather Murphy said...

I'm guessing this one is false and the first one is true because it has more details. Either way they are both great stories.
I'm glad you are back to your writerly ways :)

Angela Cothran said...

This is so hard. I'm going to go against everyone else and say this is true :)

Melodie Wright said...

This reads like everything I fear when I turn down that car rental insurance. HA!
I'm going with this one being false, and your first one true. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Hey Kela. It has been a busy blog week for all of us. I am going to say this story about the storm and the poor rental car FACT. I have seen softball size hail living in Texas. And, have driving through highways late at night and hit stuff. Totally believable.

As far as IWSG post, motivation comes and goes. I think it is just part of it. When I am motivated, I can and do it all, but when I am not, I am not. Goal is to keep writing something during low/no motivation times. I am still working on that.

Robin said...

I'm going for fiction on this one and fact on the roller coaster experience. At least I hope this one is fiction-death by hail stones is so not that way I want to go!

IWSG-I totally get you here. My 1st blog giveaway was so pathetic-only my CP's and family members that I begged to enter did so. I'm waiting until I have at least 100 followers to try again:)

I'm glad you've found your motivation. I've had to learn that sometimes writing has to take a back burner, and that has to be okay. Good luck to you:)

Kimberly Gabriel said...

I think this one is fiction and the other one is true...I think. ;)