Imagine a woman, named Celine, is waiting at a hotel lobby for her blind date. She’s attending a charitable gala. Her close friend set her up with her brother, but they’re over an hour late. She’s texted and called her friend, but the calls go straight to voicemail.
Should she leave? Even if she’s wanted to meet this brother for months?
She waits another fifteen minutes, then gets up to leave. She irons out her red evening dress with her trembling hands. After her dress looks smooth, she looks up and sees her ex entering the lobby. She freezes. His attractive girlfriend is hanging on his arm. He’s still with her! Months ago while Celine was still dating this guy, she had saw him holding hands with this very woman at a restaurant. Although she thought about breaking up with him before, catching him cheating on her was the last straw.
What has she done wrong to get stood up then see her ex in one night? She turns around and sits at a cushioned seat, back facing him. Face flushed with embarrassment. She waits until she doesn’t hear the girlfriend’s stilettos hitting the marbled floor. She peeks but doesn’t see them. Hopefully, they’re in the elevator.
She waits another five minutes before getting up to leave. As she descends the lobby stairs headed toward the front door, an older couple enters. Her friends from a Bible study. They got acquainted with her during her time of healing from the breakup. They’re thrilled to see her and invite her to sit at their table at the gala.
It’s tempting. The husband is an investor that her ex failed to get a meeting with for months. She couldn’t script a better revenge on her ex. Imagine his face when he sees her sitting at this couple’s table!
Yet, it’s only temporary relief for being stood up. She had already felt as though she wasn’t good enough for her friend’s brother.
What should she do?
That’s a scene I had randomly imagined over a year ago. I think of story ideas all the time. Almost a new story every week. I rarely write them down. But for some reason, I wrote this idea down. Actually I wrote out the chapter in one sitting.
And yes, Celine joins the couple at their table. Hears back from her friend (with a valid excuse, really!) And she leaves the hotel with hope.
I shared this chapter with a friend and she wanted to know what happens next.
I don’t know, I told her. Hadn’t thought that far ahead.
But I want to know, she said.
Hum…
I also shared this story idea with my then-boyfriend (now fiance). Later, he suggested I turn this chapter into a novella (about 15-40,000 words). Great! I dove into writing this novella, but months later, I realized it’s a full-fledged novel with 90 chapters and over 100,000 words! What!?!
My protagonist has a life-changing story to tell. I titled the novel, Love At the Mayo. The Mayo is the hotel where she’s waiting for the blind date to show up. And it’s a hotel in Tulsa where I live (and where I got engaged).
Lobby in the Mayo Hotel
I actually got engaged after I was almost done with the first draft, so my fiance thought it would be romantic to propose here. He was right! We had a “miracle” occur to make the proposal even more romantic but that’s for another post.
Back to Love At the Mayo, I’m working on the second draft. I wrote about overcoming my fear of getting my fiction published last week, so this is the novel I’m wanting to get into my editor’s hands by March 1, 2020. And asked you to hold me accountable. I’ll let you know how I’m doing on social media.
If you’re in the Tulsa area, on March 14, 2020, I’m reading the first chapter at the Author Showcase. I’m thrilled to introduce the story to the world, but scared as well. But I’ve already read a rough draft to a writer’s critique group and will send to my friends for their review.
(If you want to read the opening chapter, let me know in Comments and I’ll email it to you.)
Hint: The opening chapter is Celine leaving this ex.
What type of writing are you interested in? Please share in Comments below. Thank you.