Wait … What?? … The Shining is about a writer? Who goes crazy? In a Haunted Hotel?

*Cue music from the Twilight Zone here*

Why … I fancy myself a writer … and I spent weekends this past summer … in a Haunted Hotel … for the solitude. One of the ghost stories at the Hotel even involved a three year old riding up and down the halls on a tricycle. And I also write every day.

I finally got around to reading the Pep Talk by Ralph Peters … which begins like this:

Dear Authors,

The Shining may be the best film ever made about being a writer—not because Jack Nicholson’s character went bonkers, but because he had the work ethic it takes to build a career.

Sure, he just typed “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” thousands of times.

But he worked every single day—even when the creative juices weren’t flowing.

I have never seen the movie. I didn’t know Jack Nicholson’s character was a writer. Actually, all I really knew about the movie was that scene with Jack’s character saying “Heere’s Johnny” and the words Redrum written all over. Oh and that it was based on a book by Stephen King.

But since I am not an uber-fan of horror movies, I missed this one. I love Stephen King, the person … love the movie Green Mile also … and Shawshank Redemption is on my list of all time favorite movies.

Are you telling me I could have written “All writing and no play makes Holly a dull girl” thousands of times for my NaNoWriMo story this year?

Not sure about that … but it might explain why kids ran up and down the hall all summer yelling RedRum over and over.

And now that I think of it, everyone that worked there knew I was there for the solitude … and writing.

I am sure it is all merely a coincidence.