I’m still participating in Teachers Write and am ever amazed by the generosity of those who make this “camp” possible each summer–Kate Messner, Gae Polisner, Jo Knowles, Jennifer Vincent and scads of volunteering authors. Today’s exercise involved incorporating voice and humor.  I’ve been fiddling around with these two characters and am not sure where they are going… if anywhere!  Writing fiction is quite a stretch for me!

Bang! Bang! Bang! When Iggy gets mad, she gets really, really mad and let me tell you, she is not shy about it. Her feet hit the ground like little jackhammers. Next, she looks you right in the face and then quick as a wink she starts holdin’ her breath ’til she’s turnin’ blue—not just a cold-in-the-pond-around-the-lips blue, but a deep, dark, ripe blueberry blue! Boy, that girl is stubborn!

The blue upsets Ma and Pa, but if they aren’t around, I just poke Iggy —hard—right in the side. Whoosh! All that air comes flying out from her blue puffed-up cheeks and next thing I know she’s hollerin’ and my eardrums are screamin’ “Uncle!” If I’m not quick enough my face starts hurtin’, too. Because Iggy isn’t only loud when she’s mad, she’s dangerous!

Pa says Iggy is a one-girl show and you never know what act’s comin’ up next. Me, I think she’s a one-girl freak show. But Ma taught me not to say that anymore. Anyway, even when Iggy’s not acting freaky she still looks kinda weird. She’s got big, buggy blue eyes and crazy blond hair that fluffs up all over her head. When she’s fussin’ about somethin’ she tugs at it and it looks even worse. She sort of looks like a deranged chick. But I learned not to say that out loud neither.

Mama says Iggy’s got “pizzazz.” “Pi-what?” I asked.

She said, “Well, let’s just say that Iggy livens up our world.”

Well that’s one way of puttin’ it. But if I had that much pizzazz, I’d be grounded for a week and livin’ on bread and water.