Wednesday 17 April 2013

O is for....


1) Only Child. I am an only child, or at least I was until I was 15, which is enough to have you ‘reared’ and behaving for life as an only. The reason I am putting this fact in my things-about-writing section is that I have read many books which contain an only child who does not think or behave at all like an only. I think this happens because the author needs the hero or heroine to be a parent, but does not really need extra characters in the book, so one child is provided; and often the author was not an only child themselves, and is not particularly thinking about the fact that their young character now is, so they just write a child as they have known them. The end result is an only child who is much less knowing, much less comfortable around adults, and much less introspective than an ‘only’ child would be. Maybe one day I will write a story about an only child who will ring true!

2) Opal. This is my birthstone (October, another O) and I really love it, particularly the blue type, which can have sparkles or gleams of green or purple. The opal is a mystical-looking stone with hidden depths. An employer once described me as ‘deep’, but I don’t know about the colourful glints!!

3) Opium. Not a commonly used remedy, but useful for illnesses that have resulted from a physical shock that has not caused actual injury.

5 comments:

  1. Only child. I had siblings but my best friend was an only. There were times when I envied her very much.

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    1. Yes, those with siblings just see the extra goodies the only is getting, and the extra attention. They don't always notice the extra criticism, the all the expectations are on you pressure, and the plain ordinary loneliness! My greatest wish as a child was to have an older sister....

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  2. I was an only child and you're right. Many times the children in books who are supposed to be only children don't actually behave like real ones would. following from the A-Z challenge

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  3. I'm an only child, too, and I definitely agree. And I can definitely relate to the extra pressure, the extra push to behave, the lack of someone else to blame, and so much extra pressure! But, I'm fine with my only status. Most of the time. When planning my parents' 40th anniversary gala last year I was wishing for siblings to help out, but that was the first time I've truly wished for siblings.

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