Monday, March 05, 2007

Newsworthy inspiration

I'm nowhere near done with the story I need to hand in on Friday. But while I was battling insomnia last night, I decided on the situation that will be the basis of my next story: A beekeeper will be travelling cross country with her bees when she gets stuck in a blizzard. She will take shelter in the only house nearby, and then... I don't know. I'm guessing something will happen and someone will learn something. :) I think the young woman's dad will have recently died, and she's taking over the job they used to do together. The house she visits will have a teenage daughter who finds her job fascinating and kind of repulsive.

The inspiration for the story? A great NY Times article on the dying art of beekeeping and how (cheaper) honey imported from other countries means that beekeepers have to schlep their bees around the country to sell their pollinating skills. Best Blogger Tips

8 comments:

TI said...

Finding inspiration in the news, just like Andre Dubus III. Nice one. Will you have to do research for that?

Writer Bug said...

Yeah, I think I might. That was something that was lacking when I wrote about dog pounds--but it takes a while to find the sources. We'll see... There's actually a beekeeper right in my 'hood. Maybe I'll try to track him down.

Idiot Cook said...

I was thinking the same thing as TI when I hit the "comment" button. Interesting premise! Yes--track down the beekeeper dude!

Repeater said...

Sounds like fun. D wanted to keep some bees at one point. I had to shut him down (he's a man full of ideas). I'll be looking forward to your story.

Writer Bug said...

LOL. Repeater, that'd be hysterical if you became a bee keeper! B wants a goat, so I feel your pain.

TI and FC, if I make anywhere near as much money on this story as AD did on his, I'll treat us all to an MIS writers retreat somewhere amazing. Hawaii?

TI said...

YES! Hawaii! I have always wanted to go to Hawaii. But I would "settle for" a weekend on the Cape.

Bees and a goat. Too funny. Why oh why does B want a goat. Is that why you are moving to NC? I lived beside a goat, like my apartment shared a wall with a stable with a goat as its sole occupant, in Crete for 2 months once. I never really warmed up to the creature to be honest. Be warned, they aren't very pet-like (though probably more so than bees).

R is also an ideas guy. He's always coming up with new projects. Thankfully, some of them get abandoned in their infancy. I've learned to say nothing.

Repeater said...

that's so funny, ti and bug- sounds like our guys are a lot alike. D has a new idea every week he gets really really excited about. This week it's farming in Honduras. I said. "Okay, baby, we'll talk about it when I get home."

TI said...

Farming in Honduras. Love it! When we go to Hawaii on our Bug-sponsored retreat after she cashes in on the "newsworthy inspiration" we'll put the guys in touch with each other to scheme away in our absence.