Saint Valentine's Story

My name is Valentine. I was a priest during the third century when Rome was ruled by Emperor Claudius. A lot of people didn’t like Emperor Claudius including me.

Claudius wanted a big army and expected men to volunteer to join, but many men didn’t want to leave their wives and families to fight in wars. This made Claudius furious and he decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought this cruel, and I thought it preposterous.

One of my favorite duties was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers. And one night the steps came. Terror rippled through us. Thank goodness the young couple escaped in time. I was not so fortunate and thrown in jail, sentenced to death.

Wonderful things began to happen. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love. One of these young people who visited regularly, the daughter of the prison guard, helped to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I had done right in defying the emperor and performing secret marriages.

On the day I was to die, February 14, 269 A.D., I left my friend a note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine." I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. Now, every year, people remember and think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten!

**Paraphrased from http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm

Love is in the Air!

In keeping with this month's theme of romance, and yet, like I usually do, putting my own twist on it, I'm going to blog about my latest love affair with writing.

I have fallen in love with the Write-Out.

As a refresher, a write-out is where you go OUT to WRITE. Sounds simple enough.

The only problem is the tether tying me to my desk, my email, my fax machine, and my jammies. Okay, I don't actually have jammies, but if I did, they would keep me in my house.

And yet there is that new love calling my name sweetly, promising me many happy hours of productive work, of inspiring phrases, of scenes that just wouldn't get written if I sat in my basement office.

Not to mention the cups of designer coffee I wouldn't get to enjoy.

At the first write-out in January, I completed a whole scene. And before you start to pooh-pooh that, my scenes are around 1500 words. A chapter, to some. At the second write-out, I finished a bunch of revisions and almost another whole scene before my laptop battery died. So, at the next write-out, I realized I needed a place with outlets. Oh, and great coffee, too.

I found that place, a local coffee shop. When I walked in the door, I felt like I was home, only better. The tantalizing smell of fresh brewed java, sitting heavy on the back of my tongue, made me salivate. The quiet, gentle spirit of the store spoke to my need for a place to concentrate. The outlet near a table spoke to my need for power.

Electricity, not control, that is.

While going to a write-out is exciting and inspiring, it isn't easy. There are many reasons to stay home. Laundry calling my name. Weather not the best. Conflicts with the car schedule.

And yet, there are many, many more benefits to going. Proving I am committed to doing what I need to do to write. Doing what is necessary to get the job done. Being willing to give up the comfort of my office chair for the inspiration of having people around me. Being able to bounce an idea off a fellow writer, or ask that famous question, "What do you call it when ---" (you fill in the blank. You know you do that when you can't find the right phrase or word). Brainstorm titles, names, occupations. Flesh out a goal-motivation-conflict profile of a character. Stare out the window at the cars going by and get just the right dialogue out of thin air.

So I am going back there again. I completed yet another scene last week, and this week I'm hoping to meet a few friends at the same shop, fellow writers out for a write-out. Sip some wonderfully decadent coffee. Put my characters in hair-raising, spine-tingling, wet-your-pants trouble. And enjoy some time away from my email, my fax, my desk.

Write-outs are held every week in the Denver area. Tuesday mornings, and the fourth Tuesday evening of the month. Check the website for details, like time and place.

Now, please excuse me. I have someone special to meet -- and yes, my husband knows all about it!