Conversations with Calliope- Cynthia and Denis

(Menemsha at Sunset)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What are you up to today.
JOE: Continuing my visit with Cynthia and Denis.
CALLIOPE: Those names sound a little familiar.
JOE: They are two of the main characters in my book, Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: I see. How are the three of you getting along?
JOE: Pretty well considering their dire circumstances with their marriage crumbling around them and their children at wit's end wondering what will become of them.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a mess.
JOE: It is. Fortunately they are just characters I invented.
CALLIOPE: From what raw materials.
JOE: Partly from couples I have met over the years and partly based on how I would feel in their predicament.
CALLIOPE: How does the manuscript look after a rest in the wine cellar.
JOE: Not bad. I'm going through it sprucing up the grammar here and there but the plot and description don't sound too bad to me.
CALLIOPE: Keep at it.
JOE: I plan to. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Struggling with my cold which I thought was about gone but is back.
CALLIOPE: Sorry to hear it. Did you get any work done yesterday?
JOE: I was dragging but did manage to work on Marital Property. I finished thinking about the crisis and think I have one worked out.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about it.
JOE: Denis will buy an expensive sailboat, ostensibly for the family, without consulting anyone else. Cynthia will be quite upset that he did not consult her and Denis will be upset that she does not appreciate him. Then we will see what develops.
CALLIOPE: I guess we will. It seems like it took you quite a while to develop this crisis.
JOE: It did. I wanted it to be large enough to test them and also specific to their personalities, needs and fears.
CALLIOPE: Congratulations. I can't wait to see what happens.
JOE: Neither can I. I think I will get working on it. Talk with you on Monday.

(50 foot catamaran)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's up today?
JOE: My brain was feeling a little fuzzy this morning. I spent some lazy time with the paper, tried coffee and finally had to resort to a crossword puzzle and a sudoku.
CALLIOPE: Did that wake you up?
JOE: Yes. I think I am finally ready for the day.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish yesterday.
JOE: I don't think I told you about my trip to the WC Handyside Art Store in Wyoming. I have two books for sale there on consignment and took some of my Christmas booklets down last week for them to sell. I got to talking with the owner, Diane, and she said she might have a market for some of my digital photos. To make a long story a little longer, I was working on selecting some photos to take to her yesterday. I also wrote my column on life's mysteries and sent it in this morning.
CALLIOPE: I see. Any progress with the novel?
JOE: Yes. I wrote another chapter, this one about the two children having dinner with their father while their mother was still not back home from her visit with her sister in Scituate.
CALLIOPE: You are keeping up a pretty good pace. Do you have a writing goal for today?
JOE: I would like to complete the next chapter which will consist of an awkward conversation between the parents on what to do about their relationship.
CALLIOPE: Do you expect them to come to any conclusion?
JOE: No. Not right away. I want to point out their differences in looking at their problems and how it inhibits their finding a way to approach them.
CALLIOPE: Where is that headed?
JOE: Sooner or later, I think one or both of them will get less stubborn and they will find a way to start talking.
CALLIOPE: How do you expect that to happen?
JOE: That's their problem. I will just keep writing and follow the story. You might want to plant a few hints in their minds.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good afternoon, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon, Joe. I was wondering if you would show up today.
JOE: I had full intentions of getting here. I started by shoveling some snow this morning. Then I had to cancel my writers' meeting tonight in light of iffy weather. I also finished my column for Saturday. Now here I am.
CALLIOPE: Better late than never. What about your writing yesterday?
JOE: I finished the chapter between Dennis and his attorney, essentially a business meeting about the business of divorce, befitting both of their personalities.
CALLIOPE: So he is finished with New Bedford and on the way back to Martha's Vineyard?
JOE: He is.
CALLIOPE: What's next?
JOE: I think it's time for a family meeting where everyone can share their points of view and concerns.
CALLIOPE: What do you expect that to accomplish?
JOE: Nothing definite, I want to use it to show how the different personalities each create different perceptions. No one can resolve the issues on their own. They must find a way to bridge their differences.
CALLIOPE: How do you expect that to happen.
JOE: Maneat videri as we used to say in Latin. It remains to be seen. I was hoping you might have some ideas and let me know through my characters.
CALLIOPE: Kind of you to ask. I'll get to work on it and see what I can come up with.
JOE: Good. I'll get to work on the next chapter.

(Hy-Line Ferry)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's new today?

JOE: I spent a fair amount of time working on enneagrams for the two children.

CALLIOPE: Did you end up using what you developed?

JOE: Later in the day I did. I wrote about another conversation between the children after school and felt I had a better sense of how they would both react to things.

CALLIOPE: Good. What's next?

JOE: Today I will work on enneagrams for the husband's brother and wife's best friend, both of whom are appearing in chapters soon.

CALLIOPE: Sound's like it's moving along. Did you ever come up with an overall plan for the plot?

JOE: As a matter of fact I did. It just came to me a little while ago.

CALLIOPE: Are you going to share?

JOE: Of course. I plan to heighten the conflict through conversations and receiving conflicting advice on how to handle the problem. Then there will be some false starts with each trying to solve the problem in a ways which antagonizes the other. As they finally realize they are working at cross purposes, they might find a way to work together and both get at least some of what they want.

CALLIOPE: Sounds good. Any thoughts about the ending yet?
JOE: I have been considering the possibilities, the main ones being divorce, resolution or the promise of resolution without actually getting there.

CALLIOPE: Are you leaning toward one or the other?

JOE: No. I thought I would let my characters lead me to the conclusion, with your kind assistance of course.

CALLIOPE: I would be glad to provide any help I can.

JOE: Thanks, I appreciate it.
(Mayan Road- Cozumel)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. glad to see you are up and at it early this morning.

JOE: It's a short writing day. Later this morning I'm taking my son to place some of his prints at a shop in Wyoming (New York that is). While I am there I will explore their carrying my two books. Then it's off to Lance's in Warsaw (also New York) for a Pennsylvania Dutch lunch and some baking supplies like whole and cracked wheat. Then I have two meetings this afternoon.

CALLIOPE: Minimal writing time I see. Where does the writing stand?

JOE: Yesterday I wrote a chapter about my husband reflecting on the state of his marriage while he walks on Gay Head Beach. That required a little research on the Martha's Vineyard beaches, beach plums and roses as well as Makani Kai Marina in Kailua for a fantasy sequence.

CALLIOPE: Sounds like it is coming along. What's next?

JOE: Separate but equal time for my wife's reflection as she kayaks on Nashaquitsa Pond.

CALLIOPE: Do you know the next steps?

JOE: Yes. Each of the couple has siblings and best friends with varying input depending on their personalities and points of view. The plot thickens.

CALLIOPE: I guess it does. Do you know where all this is headed?

JOE: In a general way yes but the characters and you will lead the way toward major developments. I was reading what Heather Sellers had to say about compost of the mind where all our experiences reside and moulder until they are ready for use.

CALLIOPE: Have you drawn on yours?

JOE: Of course. Most of what I include about the Vineyard is based on personal experience there but is reinforced by some research.

CALLIOPE: I can't wait to read it.

JOE: Neither can I. I am anticipating further developments and am as intrigued as you are.

CALLIOPE: It's nice to be on such an exciting journey, isn't it?

JOE: It sure is. Let's get on with it.

(Lillian Hellman's Cabana)