What I’m doing now

You’d think that after writing twenty plus novels it wouldn’t be hard anymore. Maybe it wouldn’t be if I kept writing the same novel over and over again. (Hey it worked for Barbara Cartland . . .) But unfortunately I keep writing different novels and the one I’m working on right now is an action novel. Yep, action.

Action, I’ve decided, is hard for me to write. I mean it’s such a visual thing in a non visual medium. Plus, I’ve never really cared about fight scenes or car chases. Give me witty banter or romantic smoldering looks any day.

I was trying to make my daughter help me with a good guy-bad guy fight scene for the Erasing Time sequel and needed something to stand in for my people, so I grabbed a marker and some grapefruit that were on the counter.

Yes, This is what I’ve resorted to:

I’m pretty sure Ian Fleming didn’t use this method. Sigh. And in case you’re wondering, the pineapple is just an innocent bystander.

31 comments

  1. Joseph Ramirez
    April 9, 2012 at 10:26 am

    Citrus are a such a violent fruit, no? Especially the ones with mean faces.

    So… do you think this system could possibly work for the smoldering look scenes?

    🙂

  2. gaylene
    April 9, 2012 at 11:05 am

    poor pineapple. I hope no fruits were harmed in the making of that action scene!

  3. Tiana Smith
    April 9, 2012 at 11:48 am

    That pineapple never knew what hit him. I’ve done something similar, though it was with paper towels. By the time I was done, practically the entire roll was in very itty bitty pieces. My roommates, since I was unmarried at the time, thought I had gone completely batty when they came home to our kitchen frosted in paper towel pieces. In my defense, epic fight scenes need epic staging …

  4. Dena
    April 9, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    I feel so bad for that innocent little pineapple.

  5. Donna Hatch, historical and fantasy author
    April 9, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    Clearly I need to use more fruit in my action scenes! Great idea!!!

    How did it turn out, btw?

  6. Jenilyn Tolley
    April 9, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    I have the sudden urge to go draw faces on all my fruit now…

  7. Merry
    April 9, 2012 at 1:58 pm

    Hahahaha! That is such a good idea!

  8. Britney Gulbrandsen
    April 9, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    This is probably one of my all-time favorite blog posts. Hilarious.

  9. emily
    April 10, 2012 at 2:30 pm

    I’m sure the pineapple was fine, people. They’re covered in prickles.

  10. Liz
    April 11, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    Love this! It sure beats Barbie & GI Joe 😉 Dual purpose fruit probably kicks some major hiney!

  11. Y u think funny dad
    April 12, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    I can relate, I can come up with these of the wall jokes, great comebacks when I am joking around with the kids – but when it comes to putting those jokes on paper [ I draw funny comics ] it’s almost an ordeals just to figure out how even to start?

  12. Levonne
    April 12, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    I was wondering about the pineapple. Thanks! Very creative. And congratulations on being named a blog of note. Your blog is truly inspiring!

  13. Ahmad Mustafa
    April 13, 2012 at 12:24 am

    my heart cry, poor pineapple

  14. Heide Braley
    April 13, 2012 at 5:53 am

    Made me laugh. I like having physical pictures to inspire my imagination but never thought of using fruits!

  15. wedding photographers Toronto
    April 13, 2012 at 10:27 am

    pineapple is my favorite fruit!

  16. Sibirya Kurdu
    April 13, 2012 at 11:52 am

    Siteniz çok güzel olmuş.Herkesin ilgisini çeken konulara dikkat çekiyorsunuz.Başarılar.
    http://dersafisleri.blogspot.com/ sitesinede bekleriz.

    http://www.turkceogren.com

  17. Allerednic
    April 13, 2012 at 12:50 pm

    Hey Janette, what email address do I send my physical address to? The “contact Janette” link won’t work on my laptop. . .
    Thanks!

  18. Janette Rallison
    April 13, 2012 at 6:32 pm

    Hi all, I’m back from a cruise and trying to get caught up. (And despite best intentions, I didn’t work at sea.)

    First off, you guys are so funny! I think I have the funniest commenters. (And that’s without taking the Turkish into consideration. The action scene is mostly done. I need to make changes. It will probably involve chainsaws.

    Allerednic, send your physical address to jrallisonfans@yahoo.com

  19. Marika
    April 15, 2012 at 3:44 am

    Poor pineapple 🙂
    Ciao !

  20. Jessica
    April 15, 2012 at 5:15 am

    hey whatever works for you!

  21. OttoBarrow
    April 15, 2012 at 7:21 am

    Hmm… I think the best solution would be to have a good view in your head of what is happening; the fruit idea is original,interesting and will (I hope) be a help to your writing.

  22. Bibek Gurung
    April 15, 2012 at 10:14 am

    so this is how an action novel is written…. 😀

  23. F5
    April 15, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    Besides a Pineapple have an other fruit, I do not see clearly. What is it name?

  24. Maximus
    April 16, 2012 at 5:34 am

    Pineapples hmmm, wasn’t there a football player some years ago had a pineapple haircut?

    http://dreamcatcher-maximus.blogspot.com

  25. Fajar Kurniawan Januar Efendi
    April 16, 2012 at 11:52 am

    mmm very creative.. i like it 😀

  26. The Couch Author
    April 16, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    Interesting approach haha! Please visit my blog, I’m writing my first novel too! Would love your input..

  27. Silentwhisper1
    April 16, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    I suppose one needs to draw from just about anything in this situation,lol. If it works? all the power to you:)

  28. mArimalAriA
    April 17, 2012 at 6:34 am

    =)

  29. ✿ Asian Fanatics ✿
    April 19, 2012 at 12:39 am

    haha…cute pineapple >,< so funny ..

  30. LED Light
    April 19, 2012 at 1:06 am

    wow so lovely !

  31. Denisa
    April 21, 2012 at 11:25 am

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