Craziness With a Side of Greatness [RTW]

Road Trip Wednesday is a blog carnival hosted by the fab YA Highway. In celebration of the upcoming release of YAHer Kirsten's wildwind-y debut, Like Mandarin, this week's prompt is: explain a time you did something crazy!

Say you're walking down the street and this hobo dressed in a Lady Gaga mask and wizard robes corners you and exclaims, "You're crazy, man!" How do you react?

I know, I know. This incredibly excellent hypothetical situation will probs never happen to any of us. Aaand you might feel a little worried for your personal safety. But looking past that, one of the first thoughts to come to your mind might be: "I'm crazy? You're crazy, you magic hobo!" Right? It's obvious you're not the insane one around here.

One thing to consider when making a statement like that is that crazy is a matter of perspective. Like, when faced with the question of what's something crazy I've done, my first instinct is to dig up some wacko feat I've achieved, like bungee-jumping or harassing people while dressed like a pop star wizard. This is a problem because I suck and haven't done those things yet. (I will, though, oh yes, I will.)

But that's just the traditional definition of crazy, isn't it? There are so many other ways of looking at the term. Maybe it's the thing that made you the most scared. Or the event that was over quick but changed your life forevah. Or the leap of faith that shifted your view of the world. Or hey, it could be a mix of all three...

I think I've got it. The craziest thing I've ever done is... and maybe, maybe the craziest thing you've ever done is...

Written a book.

SUCH A COP-OUT ANSWER. Oh man. But... okay. Hear me out.

This thing we writers do. It's crazy, dude. First making the decision to risk failure. Then stripping the essence from our hearts and our minds and sticking it on a page in around 50,000 words. And then looking at that essence we've stripped from ourselves and declaring it crap and trying to fix it. And fix it. And fix it. Until we've taken the essence of our hearts and minds and made it into this visible, readable thing. That is coherent. And stuff.

And it takes time. Anywhere from a time to a long, long time, depending on your way of doin'. And it takes tears (maybe not the physical kind, but they always show themselves at some point). And questions. And wondering if we even have the right to do this. Or the way. Or the will.

But we fight through it like crazy peeps because storymaking what we love. Heck, the only thing that gives us a sense of sanity is the thing that drives us most towards the edge. Love, that's what it's all about - love, the thing that's been the main source of human craziness for eons, manifested in our nerdy funny writer heads, and the result is a book.

It's cah-razy!

Like Grace in LM, I blame
the wildwinds.

... And it's beyond great.

Also I have one more answer: SEEING THE MIDNIGHT SHOWING OF DEATHLY HALLOWS ON A SCHOOL NIGHT when? oh I don't know tomorrow. SoexcitedholycowIloveyouall. (Edited to add: it was awesome!!) What's something crazy you've done? Plus, am I totally weird for thinking an act as mundane as typing words is crazy? (Answer: probably yes. But you knew I was totally weird already. Holla!)

Above all, don't forget to check out Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard when it comes out on March 8th! Any craziness aside, Kirsten is very possibly the most epic author-girl ever. You can trust me on that one. Have a great week, guys!