Imagine you’re in a bookstore and there are hundreds of thousands even millions of books from different genres that surround you. Which genre interests you? If you walk into your local theater and decide to watch a movie. What movie would it be and why? Today, I spent my day Christmas shopping. Yes, this late and still haven’t put up the Christmas tree! Call it a busy life. 

Every year, I’m torn on what to get loved ones for Christmas and being asked, “What do you want for Christmas?” That question has been brewing in my head for days, hours, and weeks. With two weeks until the big day, I don’t know what I want. Is it perfectly normal to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and giving non-material gifts to those dear in my life? 

I spent close to two hours in my local mall (That’s a record for me!), just browsing. I’m no shopping fanatic at all unless I’m looking at books or sports gear. The majority of malls today consist of endless clothing and shoe stores and maybe one bookstore. I browsed through the entire remodeled mall and scanned the whole bookstore. 

I went through every genre possible in that bookstore. I will say that some genres are not my forte like romance section, cooking or anime. I love biographies because I love reading about someone else’s life and their experiences. I browsed through biographies on legendary actors, musicians, etc. I enjoy reading those, and my mother is notorious for her biography collection in the house. 

I had flashbacks as I perused the classic pieces of literature that I remember reading in English class. From Hemingway to Shakespeare, I felt like I kid again. I then perused to the mystery and suspense section (which is a huge favorite) and looked through the arts and hobbies collection. I think when I was a child in the 1980’s, I may have watched too much Robert Stack in “Unsolved Mysteries” and I enjoy a good thriller. One of my favorite authors is Stephen King. I don’t what it is about his writing and how he lets his creative juices flow and causes page-turners. I could sit there and read his whole collection if I had time. 

Every time, I see a book, film or hear a song that I love I ask myself: “Why didn’t I think of that?” We are the author of our destiny and our path in life, aren’t we? I guess it’s my procrastination or Negative Nelly that says, “You can’t do this or that?” In reality, anything is possible. I’m the author of my journey, and I’d rather do something that’s worth writing or create something worth reading. I can do anything if I set my mind to it. I did thoroughly browse the self-help and psychology genre (which is another interest of mine) and was looking for books about people living with mental illness. There’s a few that I saw in store and online. I think any idea for a book is a good idea. The best books for me come from both personal experiences and having a creative imagination. I find books on personal experiences relatable on a universal level because we’re human and experience similar things in life. Plus, I think it’s cool to use your critical thinking skills including your imagination and start some free association writing.

I love checking out writing prompt books because they force you to think and block out the annoying writer’s block that occurs. One writing prompt book I read was quite interesting. It will give you an idea or starting point, and you create the story. Isn’t that fun. You create the story. You’re the author. You decide what happens. It helps my mental health so much because I’m focused on an idea vs. my personal demons. 

Writing destresses my entire body and my brain. I think about my story and nothing else. I can’t say the same when I’m dreaming. I’ve noticed that my body is under some stress lately especially from the disastrous weekend at work, I woke up to a nightmare both yesterday and today. My body is prone to nightmares when under stress. It just happens. One of my dreams today was very disturbing. I dismiss most dreams, especially weird dreams. Today was one of those weird dreams. Somehow, I was a fugitive on the run (Say what? I didn’t do anything!) and ended up getting brutally mutilated in a car crash. Weird dream, I know. It happens to all. I woke up in sweat and with a fast beating heart and just shrugged it off as stress and nothing more. 

I got over it and kept going on with my day, but it did pose an interesting idea for a story. James Cameron created one of my favorite franchises “The Terminator” from a nightmare he had in Italy. So no idea isn’t too crazy. With six months of my soon-to-be book “No Laughing Matter” (See, I’m thinking positively!) already written and re-polished, I look towards the future with hope. I didn’t think I could write anything let alone a book without a degree in English or Journalism; but all you need is some creativity, imagination, and willpower. I browse a lot of books in the Reference section on English and grammar and how to sharpen your writing. You need to write about what interests you, create an outline of your story or book, hone your writing skills, find your voice and let the creative juices flow out of you.