Melodramatic Mother

Mom, this one's for you. *wink*

The other day we were on the phone and my mom was describing some of her ailments to me. She's normally a healthy person, but she does suffer from allergies and sinus issues. She's also a vivid person and this comes across in her language.
In this case, she told me her pain was skewering up through her nose.

Skewering.

She never finished the description because I laughed. What a perfect word! Strong, to the point, I had an exact (if somewhat gross) image of what was happening.

Do you have a vivid person in your life? Someone who thinks in ways you forget to? And in your WIP, are you using the strongest verb possible to convey EXACTLY what you mean?

Comments

Diane said…
Tell you mom to get a Neti Pot. It's ssupposed to help with all things sinus infection realted and is all natural. :O)
Terri Tiffany said…
LOL Your mom sounds like she talks to you like I do my daughter! Sometimes she says TMI!!
I really try hard to work on my verbs in my first edits. I love strong powerful ones that really create the scene.
Jessica Nelson said…
Thanks Diane! She might've heard of that. She already does the whole sniffing water up her nose thingy. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Terri, yeah, my mom is pretty open but I enjoy that about her.
I'm still learning to use the right verbs, because sometimes it's the one single word that can create or destroy a mood for that scene.
Stephanie Faris said…
My boyfriend's mom is very colorful like that. At Halloween she had a costume that had a big slit in the skirt. She said, "It's cut all the way up to my who-da-thought-it." I found that so funny but I can't say it like she does!
My hubby is from Mississippi and I'm a Yankee girl so communication in our house is a challenge and a laugh every day! Love some of the expressions and descriptions he has and try to incorporate them into my stories.
Tamika: said…
Your mom sounds like a great character, full of emotion and ailments. That always makes for an interesting story.

I don't think I nail the right words sometimes on my first run.
anita said…
Awww! Great story, Jessie! And what a fine example of verbiage for the writers.

Mom's are wise in so many ways. :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Stephanie! That is very, very funny. :-) What a hoot! I just think people like that are so much fun.
Jessica Nelson said…
Donna, I'm with you. My hubby and I pronounce some things differently, and he gets a kick out of teasing me. Heh.
I think it's great you use this in your stories!
I can't write for laughing, Jessica. This is just waaay too good. Skewering? Who would have ever thought that!!!!

Thank your mom for the best laugh I've had in a very long time. Actually since the nut with bags on her feet fell into the slush while getting on the bus. Couldn't stop then, either. I know, I'm one sick puppy!!
Jessica Nelson said…
Tamika,
My mom is fun, though she has her serious side too. :-) But yeah, her descriptions are one of a kind. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Anita,
Mothers are the wisest and the best, right? Thank goodness we're mothers too. So perfect, so wonderful... *snicker*
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Eileen! Don't worry, I was laughing at her while she was on the phone with me. Thank goodness she has a good sense of humor.
You and I can be twisted together... HEeheee!

Wait, so someone fell on the bus? Did I miss that story??? :)
Unknown said…
That is not a pretty image :)
Linda Kage said…
I love it. Skewering. That is a great verb. Makes me ashamed every time I write "Was" in a story. I have a bad feeling "WAS" is my strongest verb. Yikes.
denise petrovich said…
Thanks for sharing my story honey. I also have funny people in my life like my son-in-law ie: Jessie's husband and many other family members who are very full of life. Jessie is hilarious when she gets really excited about something. Have a great day. Love Mom
Jessica Nelson said…
Heeeheee, MaryBeth! It's not. It made me think of how Egyptians use to take the brains out of dead people. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Linda! I overuse 'was' too. That's what revising is for, right? :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Mom,
I'm hilarious? LOL! What's that supposed to mean?
Well, I guess I can confess to screeching when I'm excited. :-)
Warren Baldwin said…
Youngest daughter is our vivid person. Wondering where she comes up with stuff sometimes. Often times. Many times!
Jody Hedlund said…
I love it!! And am grossed out at the same time! Strong verbs are so important in giving us a vivid image!
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Warren! Some people just have that difference, I guess. :-) Fun stuff.

Thanks for stopping by, Jody!
Anissa said…
I love action verbs--in writing, and in life. So vivid, I can just imagine how that skewering must feel!
skewering! Excellent. I do have a character right now who is eccentric, but she comes up with very fun ways of describing life.
~ Wendy
My husband's father passed on almost 20 years ago, but his hilarious phrases keep his spirit very much alive in our family. Every time he would arrive home after a trip he would say: "Well here we are back at heartbreak ridge and poverty pass." Now my son jokingly says it everytime we come home from a trip.
Tana said…
I love that. I guess you get your writerly ways from her! My DD would fit the bill in my family. Drama does not begin to fit the description.
Cherie Hill said…
And little did your mom know that her pain would be our "gain!" :)(lots of laughter) This post and discussion has shown me that a little humor goes a long way when we're suffering!
With joy,
Cherie
Jessica Nelson said…
Wendy, sometimes I think eccentric characters are the very best! And fun to read.
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Anissa! I DON'T want to imagine it. Ouch. *snicker*
Jessica Nelson said…
Ava, that's so awesome! Thank you for sharing that story. And what a funny phrase. It's great your hubby keeps his grandpa's spirit alive like that. :-)
Sarah Forgrave said…
LOL...skewering...never thought to associate that word with my nose. :-) I try to use vivid words in my writing too. I love when that perfect word pops in my head at the perfect moment.
Jill Kemerer said…
That is so funny!! My mom and I are a LOT alike. We were just talking about it the other night. Let's hear it for awesome moms!!
Jessica Nelson said…
T. Anne, I wish I had half my mom's imagination! LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Cherie, LOL, I told her I was going to post about this, if it was okay with her. :-) But no, she didn't realize as she spoke how funny she was being!
Jessica Nelson said…
Me too, Sarah!!! Sometimes I have to settle for a less perfect word, until the right one comes along.
:-)
Jessica Nelson said…
*saluting my imaginary glass* Cheers to great moms!

Thanks for the toast, Jill. :-) I'm glad you have a good mom too. Definitely helps make life better.
Angie Muresan said…
I love that! Skewering!!! My three year old is very melodramatic too. Her command of language isn't all that... she is only three. But boy, the way she thinks! For instance she has an imaginary friend named Cece whom she always scolds. When I ask her why she's scolding Cece so much, she turns to me and says, "because I know what's good for her!"
Jessica Nelson said…
Oh that is SO cute!!! THank you for sharing Angie. So far none of my kids have had imaginary friends, but my niece did and my sister told me some adorable stories about it.
Arlee Bird said…
I have my old friend, Vernon, back in East Tennessee. He's just a good old country boy, but he sure can describe things in unique ways and use startling metaphors. I find that a lot of not so educated people are able to do that.

I'm doing first stab ever at writing a novel by participating in NaNo. I know they just say write as fast as you can, but I can't help but editing as I go and I keep a dictionary and thesaurus right beside me because I refer to them with great frequency.
Lee
http://tossingitout.blogspot.com/
Jessica Nelson said…
Lee, that's awesome!! Your first novel, and you're doing Nano? :-) Good for you. It really doesn't matter how fast you go, as long as you discipline yourself to write every day. I hope things turn out great for you with this manuscript!

And funny about your friend. "startling metaphor" is exactly what writers need to pay attention too. Fresh writing, and all that. :-)
Erica Vetsch said…
What a great word.

I'm always on the lookout for a great word. I collect them. :)
Jessica Nelson said…
Erica, wanna share some of your great words sometime? I think collecting them is an awesome idea. :-) Is it just mental or do you actually keep a file?
Meg said…
Made me laugh, that is the perfect word!
Robyn Campbell said…
Skewering? Wow, what a great word. Tell your mom this is exactly the word I've been trying to find. And thank her for me, will you Jessica?
Jessica Nelson said…
Glad it made you laugh, Meg. :-)

Sure will, Robyn. :-) I had her read the post and she read some of the comments too. Heehee.
Elana Johnson said…
Great word! And yes, I have vivid people in my life. And I always try to use the very best word possible.
Nancy said…
I don't know any unusual characters right now who say funny words. It's a good idea to be aware of crazy verbs though.
Deb Shucka said…
It's not hard to see where you get your talent. Skewering. What a great word!
I think that's one reason I've recently become fascinated with Project Runway and Top Chef--I love the word choices! It makes the writer in me so happy!
Tabitha Bird said…
LOL- I love that word. Perfect words are hard things to find. A bit like diamond mining. But when you get one YEEEAHHH! :)

Have a great weekend
What a great description! Can I borrow your Mom? LOL!

I'm finding that certain authors inspire me with their word choices. It causes me to look for new descriptive words and phrases.

Jane Kirkpatrick, Mary DeMuth, Patty Hickman, and Lisa Samson can all turn a phrase that gets my mind into gear.

Blessings,
Susan :)
Katie Ganshert said…
What a GREAT reminder! Word choice is so important. Sounds like you have a wonderful relationship with your mom! :)
Gwen Stewart said…
Heehee, Jessica! Yes, I know a few vivid people. They are treasures...and some of them give me lots of ideas! Love this post.
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi Gwen, I'm glad I'm not the only one who knows people like this.
:-)

I think I do, Katie. I'm pretty blessed. *grin*

Great analogy, Tabitha!!
Jessica Nelson said…
Susan, I've read all of those authors and I completely agree, they're beautiful and powerful writers.

Kristen, I love those two shows! I don't watch them regularly, but I like them a lot.

LOL Deb. Well, I'm not sure I have talent, but maybe I get my imagination from my mom??? :-) Just a tad of it, at least. I'm too practical (I think) to be able to think up the stuff she does. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Nancy, it is a good idea to be aware. Btw, is skewering a verb? That's been bugging me.... LOL


Good for you Elana! Maybe that helped land you an agent? *big, goofy, happy-for-you grin*
Keli Gwyn said…
Jessica, how neat that you and your vivid mom have such a great relationship. What a gift.

My Gwynly plays with words. He's a teacher and makes his students laugh when he does things like asking them to "re-rowize" their desks after they've been arranged for a group activity. I'm glad he's like this, because I do the same kinds of things, and he totally "gets" me.
Amy DeTrempe said…
Skewering! Love it. So perfect.
Jessica Nelson said…
Keli, that's awesome about your man. :-)
Anonymous said…
hahah skewering.. love it.
i have a friend who is like that, she goes through complete phases where she'll find a word and use it every time she possibly can :p
the most recent one is minion..
haha.

x
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Michelle. Minion's a great word.

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