Writer's Workshop: A compelling book & My Orca Fear story....

5.) Where does that fear come from? Write about something that frightens you that other people might find ridiculous. Write about it in a poem, a story, or whatever.

I was going to write about a crazy fear of mine, but then I remembered that I already did that for a Mama Kat prompt... CLICK HERE to read about my irrational fear of Orca Whales.  Other than my recent PPD post it has the most views, I guess it's pretty funny.  So go read it for a laugh!

2.) What book captured your heart? Write about why the first book you loved is the first book you loved.

So instead I decided to write about a book that captured my heart.  It's funny because this book wasn't a huge love story, or some big thriller that sucked me in and I just had to know what happened.  It was a odd and witty book that I think about rereading often.  It took me a couple months to get through, I was just finishing it when I met Kris actually.  I asked a lady at the Powell's book store what book she suggested reading and this was her pick.  It was huge, and I mean huge as in small print and 624 pages huge and it was much more expensive than any book I planned to buy.  So I kept it in mind and bought something else.  A week later this book, brand new with a recipt still tucked inside it, showed up as a "left on board" item on an aircraft I met.  I snagged it - people who fly out never come back for books!  I was thrilled, it was like fate telling me to read this book! 

In short it's about a man who loses his cat, his job and his wife.  He goes on a search for his wife and cat and meets a slew of interesting characters along the way.  A chain of events follow that prove that his seemingly mundane boring life is much more complicated than it appears.  The man character meets pyschic sisters and ends up in the bottom of a well for sometime, he also meets a soldier who witnessed the massacres on the Chinese mainland at the beginning of the Second World War.  Interesting I tell ya, interesting!  The book is set in Japan and some of the characters names are hard to guess at, but it didn't stop me from enjoying it.  It's sometimes hard to follow but somehow it really sucks you in.  I was just captivated and couldn't stop reading it.  I would suggest it to anyone who really does enjoy reading. 

I even went on to read 2 other books by the same author.  Both shorter and not nearly as compelling. 

Your Assignment - Mama Kat's Writing Prompt!!

So Mama Kat at Mama's Losin' It is at it again, boy do I love her weekly topics! This week I picked the one I felt might entertain my readers the most. It just stood out at me as the perfect one for me to write about. The prompt was "what are you afraid of" and boy do I have a BIG FEAR of.....

Orca Whales.

Yes, you read that right, I'm afraid of Orca Whales. They scare the crap out of me. I have nightmares about them, I hate seeing real ones on SeaWorld commercials. When Wheel of Fortune goes to Orlando and they have the Orcas in the background I hate it. I think this fear all started when I saw Free Willy. The first one. You remember the scene when Jesse is spray painting the side of the tank? Then lightening strikes and lights up the tank and you see nothing but scary whale teeth?? Yeah, that did it for me. Then later in the movie the tank breaks and the whale is free. Seriously scary. Oh and the real "star" of Free Willy came to the Oregon Aquarium, so yes, I even saw the scary bent fin whale in person.

This fear has haunted me in many forms growing up. I used to think the dark shadows on the other side of the pool were possibly whales, so I would'nt swim over there unless others were on that side of the pool. I already mentioned I have nightmares about them..... one I have regularly is when I'm on a ship, like a big cruise ship, and it starts to sink. As the ship sinks and goes further and further under water more and more Orcas surround the boat. By the time I'm the only one standing on the tiny tip of the ship sticking out of the water there is no water to be seen, just whales packed together. Waiting to get me. Last time I went to SeaWorld my younger brother thought it'd be funny to make me stand next to the tank. So there I am to amuse him and "face my fear" when the whale pops up out of nowhere. I screamed like a child and jumped back. A bunch of kids started laughing at me. You'll never catch me on a whale watching Alaska cruise either that's for sure. I mean just look at the picture below - that whale is out to get someone.
The worst part is the noises they make. My friend Derek once downloaded Orca cries and put it on a random mix on the overhead stereo system at the coffee shop we worked at. All of my coworkers knew and waited for the fun to start. So there I am doing inventory and started looking around when I heard all the whale cries. I seriously started freaking out. They thought it was great, I will never forget that.

So many people find my fear amusing that for my black and white wedding my mom's boss planned to dress in an Orca Whale suit and step in on the dance floor and tap me with his fin during our first dance. No one was able to find a full Orca costume in time for the wedding, which was surprising since we got married 6 days before Halloween. I didn't know the plan until after the wedding was long over, I was glad it fell through. Not funny to see a scared bride run from a 6' something whale!
One last note about my fear. I have tried to get past it many times. I even watched the horror movie called "Orca, the Killer Whale". Look it up, it's old, but the whale kills a bunch of people. Scary!

So there you have it, my fear... laugh, go on, it's okay I'm used to it. Comment too...