Laughter, Friendship, and Writing!

“I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.”
Clarissa Pinkola Estes

One of the things I love about writing is sprinkling in a dose of laughter. But not all stories are belly-grabbing hardy-har-har stories. Some are more serious in tone. My Plain Fear series is definitely more serious as it’s a battle of good versus evil. However, because I am the writer and because I love to laugh, it was inevitable that I would find a few humorous things to slip in between the covers of these books. But it was not easy at first.

Writing has brought a lot of interesting people into my life. One of my dear friends, Julie, and I met at a writers conference. We were actually standing in line for the restroom. If you’ve ever been to a writers’ conference, you’ll know that there is always a long line for the ladies room, because there tend to be more women at these conferences than men. Anyway, Julie and I struck up a conversation and discovered our children happened to go to the same school. About a year later, I can’t remember who emailed whom, but we finally found time in our crazy schedules to meet for breakfast and chatted and shared our writing. She is a fabulous writer, on the level of Jodi Piccoult. I was bowled over by how good a writer she is. So we began meeting.

You can’t share your books with another writer and read their writing without becoming good friends. Opening the pages of someone’s manuscript is like opening their heart and peering inside. So over a couple of years, Julie and I became good friends.

A couple of years ago when I was researching the first book in the Plain Fear series, I needed to go to Pennsylvania to do research. Julie volunteered to show me around Lancaster County because she had once lived in Philadelphia and knew the area. So we journeyed together into the Amish world, which is very different from our own.

It is easy to feast your eyes on the peaceful fields and tranquil farms throughout the area. But one thing I remember the most about that trip is something that tickled our funny bone. I can’t even remember what it was, but I remember the laughter. We laughed so hard together and frankly could not stop. Isn’t that just like friends to share some inside joke, something that’s meaningless to others. And that laughter wriggled its way into my manuscript.

Laughter. It’s healing and heartwarming.

Do you have a friend who can always make you laugh?

Share about your friend here on my blog and I’ll enter you to win Plain Fear: Forbidden, my about-to-be-released book, which doesn’t come out until August 1, 2012. But you could win it early! I’ll draw a winner this Friday!

21 thoughts on “Laughter, Friendship, and Writing!

  1. Anonymous

    I have a friend named Sue. We became close after my mother. She was there after my mother passed and I was there for her after her husband passed away. We seem to understand each other. We we get together she can always make me laugh and I can make her laugh too. I am blessed to have her in my life. Angela from KY angelac@mchsi.com

    Reply
  2. Leanna Ellis

    Hi, Angela! Oh I’m so sorry for your loss. But your story of you and your friend warms my heart. What a blessing friends can be! Thank you for sharing! And you are entered in the contest. I’ll draw a winner on Friday!

    Reply
  3. Amy Campbell

    I have to write about my best friend of almost 30 years. We’ve been best friends all through elementary and high school. She’s always known how to make me laugh. Even last year when she was fighting breast cancer, she knew how to laugh. She’s a great person and has the greatest faith in God. Thank goodness she is now cancer free!
    Amy Campbell
    Campbellamyd at gmail dot com

    Reply
  4. Leanna Ellis

    Hi, Amy! That is a wonderful testimony to laughter and friendship! Thank you for sharing! So many of us have been touched by cancer through friends and family. I love to hear survivor stories! It is possible! And with God, all things are possible! Again, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Leanna Ellis

    Hi, Terri! That is wonderful and exactly as marriage should be! So happy that you have that kind of a relationship! Thanks for sharing that with us.

    And by the way, thanks y’all for adding your email addresses. Makes it so much easier when I draw a winner on Friday!

    Reply
  6. Anonymous

    I have a friend who laughs at me when I laugh at her!! 🙂 We laugh that we kept sending the same card in a different envelope back and forth to each other for years with always putting a funny short note to share. We laugh about how we both loved & ate a whole pizza when were pregnant together over 40 yrs. ago and who really always ate the most.. her.. nope me.. nope her!! LOLOL!! Making those lasting friendship memories are the best!!
    Bobbe H. oceanpearl@q.com

    Reply
  7. Michelle

    I would have to say my husband. We have been best friends for what seems like a lifetime….a lifetime blessed with two children and lots of good times! I loved Forsaken and I am so excited to read Forbidden!

    Reply
  8. Tona

    I think that I have been blessed this last couple of weeks. My family in Aurora is safe. I believe that forgiveness is for those who ask for it and eventually I hope that people’s pain eases. I hope that people who have had their lives ripped apart can heal with the happy memories of those they have loved and lost.

    Reply
  9. Leanna Ellis

    Hi, Tona! I’m glad your family is safe! Forgiveness will be hard for those affected by such a tragedy, but you are so right that God can ease the pain if we allow Him. I was reminded of that very thing reading Judy’s note in the ‘How Many Tears’ blog. Thanks, Tona, for sharing your thoughts with us today.

    Reply
  10. Kristie

    My husband can always bring a smile to my face using one of our crazy nicknames. He always makes it better. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com THank you.

    Reply

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