The Writing Nightmare

The Writing Nightmare

Photo by Daniel Terry.

Writing a blog post about nightmares (see The Worst Nightmares Ever), reminded me of the Godzilla dream that inspired the department store scene in the Space Alien chapter of Monster Laughs, which got me to thinking: How does the Mystery Hunter get his trench coat and fedora back? Thus, while writing about nightmares, I uncovered a writing nightmare! 

Here’s the paragraph from page 180: 

Having switched clothes with a mannequin during my delightful conversation with the young screamer, I ducked under the sales counter.  A second later, a big blue hand reached into the store and grabbed the mannequin.  

You see? The giant alien grabs the Mystery Hunter’s clothes, which would be more than just his trench coat and fedora. 

Page 181 has this short paragraph: 

I removed my fancy fedora and nodded.  

So how did he get his outfit back? 

What if he doesn’t use his own outfit? Since his trench coat’s akin to Batman’s utility belt, he wouldn’t want to separate himself from his assortment of gadgets. 

Having dressed a mannequin with an outfit similar to mine during my delightful conversation with the young screamer, I ducked under the sales counter.  A second later, a big blue hand reached into the store and grabbed the mannequin.  

That should work. So if you hurry, you might be able to order a rare copy with the previous paragraph, before the change gets made. 

Blessings & Joy,

Dean Burkey

The Worst Nightmares Ever

The Worst Nightmares Ever

Some nightmares are fun, 

because they’re so exciting. 

Especially if they have cool plot twists 

I can apply to my writing. 

Like the time Godzilla chased me. Yes, a monster the size of a skyscraper! And yet that little bit of horror inspired the department store scene in the Space Alien chapter of Monster Laughs. 

Being chased by monsters or other scary beings can be frightening, to be sure, especially when Venom comes after you, even if you are Spider-Man, but to me, the worst nightmares ever are when I’m the monster. Not literally. But metaphorically. Although I was the Hulk once or twice. (Back when the TV show was on.) 

I dread dreams where I’m mean. I hate to think such evil lurks inside me. Worse yet, that I would ever let it out. 

Last night I dreamt I called someone I love very dearly a naughty name and then screamed, “I hate you!” (It’s not a word that would ever be bleeped, but it’s insulting just the same. The insult didn’t even fit the person to whom it was addressed, but I felt angry.) 

I’ve even died in a dream before. (I know you’re not supposed to, but I did.) My chute didn’t open. I landed in Lake Bentley; and piranha attacked me. I’d say that’s fatal. But even that wasn’t as bad a dream as me being mean. 

I dreamt I was working late, writing well into the night. Only I still lived in the house where I grew up. I made sure I stayed quiet, so I wouldn’t wake up everyone else. At some point, I couldn’t read my clock; and I was curious about the time, so I got up to look at a clock in another room. I wondered how late it was. Lo, and behold, it was only 6 pm. Not only that, there was a big pool party going on! So I got mad that I wasn’t invited to a party at my own house. 
That’s the gist of it. 

I had the Venom dream over a decade ago. Before Spider-Man 3 came out. Even before Spider-Man 1 came out. After my appendix burst, I stayed with my parents to recover. While staying there, I dreamt I was Spider-Man. Venom chased me. We both climbed walls, shot webs, and swung around, which was cool. We were at a hospital. Bob Hope and Brooke Shields were both in the dream too. So as scary as Venom’s relentless assault was, that dream was too cool to be called a nightmare. 

I’m Spider-Man; and Brooke Shields is there, what more does any dreamer want? Having Bob Hope present only added to the fun. Venom just made things exciting. 

May all your dreams be sweet! And may you be a superhero, not a villain, not only in your dreams, but in your waking hours too.

Blessings & Joy,

Dean Burkey