I'm not talking about this great revelation or brilliant insight that changed my life forever. I'm talking about something that happened that, at the time, wasn't funny but, now it is and WHEN my book sells, I want to remember this.
While writing this book I've have my share of, "I hate you so much computer!" and "oh no baby please don't die..." and "what just happened? All I did was press one button and now my 90,000 words are gone!" and my personal favorite because it happens too much "oh my god did I save that?"
My biggest OH NO! moment came while my hubs and I were getting ready for something (don't remember what) and my two toddlers were playing toys in the living room. Suddenly the room got quiet. That... is never a good sign. I went into the living room and screamed "NOOO" so loudly and with such devastation that my husband sprinted to the living room thinking something happened to the kids. Looking back at it, it was a bit overly dramatic but, at the time it was the end of the world.
My writing space is the couch in the living room and my laptop sits on the table next to it. (I can't sit at a desk. It's boring to me. And well... the couch is comfy.) The image that abruptly ended my world was: my two boys sitting on the couch with the lap top open and ALL THE KEYS WERE MISSING! Yes. That's right. They had somehow popped all the keys off the lap top.
While checking to make sure none of the keys were in their mouth, my head was whirling. I hadn't gotten into the habit of saving on a flash drive and I wasn't sure if the computer would be salvageable. I couldn't possibly start from scratch. There was just too many scenes. Too much detail. Too many emotions. I nearly... called it quits right there on my food stained, toy covered gray rug.
My hubs helped locate all the keys and... some did not survive. Among the casualties were - A T . " and the CTRL key. CTRL I could live without (the key, not actual control. I am a control freak) but A T . and " are essential!
A new keyboard was ordered but, it would take ten days to arrive. Its an off day when I'm not writing so, I tried to push through it. I still had the clear little cone thing that sits on the back side of the key board but, it either wouldn't work or it would work too much and I would end up with five of the desired key. It was a long ten days.
That was several months ago. The new keyboard is in (it's noisier) and I'm still writing almost everyday. There have been a few other mishaps with my frienemy computer but, that was by far the worst. And the funniest. But, if my boys are ever reading this... I love you but, that was not nice. When I eventually get a gray hair - I will say it was a delayed reaction from this event. Unless you boys do something naughtier... then it will be for that.
