On Writing The Obit Habit
The Obit Habit was my first attempt at novel-writing, although I published To the Stars Through Difficulties first. The Obit Habit took me a dozen years to get just right. My first try at fiction, it includes more tidbits from my own life, as I attempted to “write what you know.” It’s not autobiographical but does include scenes I actually experienced, especially with the opening hurricane.
Yes, it’s true I was hit by lightning at the kitchen sink while doing dishes one evening at my home in Kansas City. That morning, an earthquake had hit California, where I was headed to live, and I worried I was trading my fear of tornados (which you can at least see coming) for a fear of earthquakes (which shake the ground under your feet with no warning whatsoever.) As I fretted and scraped pans, a bolt of lightning hit the telephone poll across the backyard. I found myself on the floor, seated by the refrigerator, which apparently had grounded me. I spent hours afterwards rocking in my favorite chair, realizing one might know when death was coming, or not.
Several years later, I was on Kauai, on a business trip of all things. The Hawaiian trip included stops on several islands, and I was disappointed that I was scheduled for only one night on Kauai. In the bar after a planning meeting, we got first word that Hurricane Iniki had changed course, and by morning I knew I’d have more nights on Kauai than planned. The beginning of The Obit Habit describes what happened next.
Despite my concerns about how I’ll die, it’s life that interests me more. Anyone who thinks of death, who loves life and stories of lives, must love obituaries too. These tributes can be poetic in their ability to outline the essence of a person’s time on earth. They capture both big accomplishments and tiny quirks to paint a picture of a human being, unique from all others and as individual as a fingerprint. Obituaries can convey universality of emotions and specificity of actions in a few, carefully chosen words.
Viva, the protagonist in my story, is obsessed with obituaries. She lives to see who died. After her own life-threatening experience in a hurricane, she turns her obsession into a course at Lakeview City College. Fresh obituaries become primary source material and provide insights into profound world changes, while death of her best friend James appears at Viva’s own front door.
As Viva hits bottom, her students hijack the course and commit to building their own legacies. Raucous car washes and poetry marathons become fundraisers for the new library. Thanks to their example, and the forty-five plastic pink flamingoes that appear on her birthday, Viva begins to speak out, exposing her vulnerability, risking her job and romance, and inspiring protests and calls for censorship.
As Viva raises her own quirky voice, she commits to living every single minute to the fullest, making the most of the time represented by a single dash separating birth and death dates on a tombstone. Viva Viva! becomes her mantra.
Viva learns the pain of loss is the price we pay for love. She also learns important lessons of gratitude and generosity. She learns to speak out, fiercely, and to find sheer happiness, too.
Viva’s story of self-discovery is not unlike my own. In the dozen years since I started writing, lessons have been underlined and highlighted. Too many important people in my life have died. More than once, the last words I heard from them were “I love you.” One made me, and other friends and family, promise to find joy and think of her.
Despite the time it took me to complete The Obit Habit, it was a lot of fun to write. Each chapter opens with an obituary of a person either real or imagined, which stirred my creative juices. Perhaps you’ve enjoyed an obituary with a cuppa in the morning? May those in my story bring you a smile as well as a tear, as you contemplate your own important days. May you live a long, healthy, and joyful life.
Spend your minutes wisely. Appreciate them, every one!
THE OBIT HABIT
Viva is obsessed with obituaries
She lives to see who died. After her own life-threatening experience, she turns her obsession into a course at Lakeview City College. Fresh obituaries provide insights into profound world changes, while death appears at Viva’s own front door.
As Viva hits bottom, her students hijack the course and commit to building their own legacies. Raucous car washes and poetry marathons become fundraisers for the new library. Thanks to their example, and the forty-five plastic pink flamingoes that appear on her birthday, Viva begins to speak out, exposing her vulnerability, risking her job and her romance, and inspiring protests and calls for censorship.
As Viva raises her own quirky voice, she commits to living every single minute to the fullest, making the most of the time represented by a single dash separating birth and death dates on a tombstone. Viva Viva! becomes her mantra.
BUY THE OBIT HABIT HERE
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Romalyn Tilghman started her career as the Executive Director of the Association of Community Arts Councils of Kansas and then worked for the National Endowment for the Arts as Regional Representative. For more than twenty years, she worked as a freelance consultant in the arts. She has served on the boards of Americans for the Arts, Association of California Symphony Orchestras, and Western Arts Alliance, as well as on numerous national panels. She lives in Long Beach, California. She received a BA in Humanities and MS in Journalism from the University of Kansas and studied writing at UCLA. To the Stars through Difficulties was her first published novel and is followed by The Obit Habit. Find her online on her website or FaceBook.
Category: On Writing
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