{"id":4242,"date":"2021-11-05T07:32:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-05T13:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/?p=4242"},"modified":"2021-11-05T20:29:46","modified_gmt":"2021-11-06T02:29:46","slug":"fact-or-fiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/2021\/11\/05\/fact-or-fiction\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact or Fiction?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/id\/82695339?artwork_url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.blubrry.com%2Fcoverart%2F90%2F1459721-1629558906.jpg#\" title=\"Blubrry Podcast Player\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"138px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ec.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ec.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ec-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ec-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption>Me at my concerto concert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"145\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Laura-e1636165644532-145x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Laura-e1636165644532-145x300.jpg 145w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Laura-e1636165644532.jpg 220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 145px) 100vw, 145px\" \/><figcaption>Ashley as Laura Ingalls<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Growing up, I loved reading authors of autobiographical fiction. My favorite, of course, was Louisa May Alcott&#8217;s legendary Little Women. She drew from her real life to create memorable, realistic characters that have charmed readers for centuries.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Another that inspired me, Laura Ingalls Wilder, wrote her Little House series based on her own autobiography. A true story-teller, she brought to life the experiences of the early American pioneer. Blending the line between fact and fiction, she combined and altered a few characters and events to compose a compelling narrative.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Ma-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Ma-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Ma.jpg 483w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><figcaption>Ashley as Ma Ingalls<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Recently, I listened to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.authormedia.com\/is-your-author-about-me-page-boring-your-readers-to-death\/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=is-your-author-about-me-page-boring-your-readers-to-death\" target=\"_blank\">Thomas Umstadt Jr.&#8217;s podcast<\/a> in which he encourages authors to transform their bio pages from boring resumes to scintillating stories. As a result, I decided to give it a try! I selected key moments and turning points in my own biography, adding some dialogue to spice it up a bit. You might catch several glimpses into the characters and events that have shaped my own fiction.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnovel_marketing%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fnovel_marketing%2Fnm302.mp3&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.authormedia.com%2Fis-your-author-about-me-page-boring-your-readers-to-death%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" id=\"blubrryplayer-2\" class=\"blubrryplayer\" title=\"Blubrry Podcast Player\" width=\"100%\" height=\"138px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I hope you enjoy <\/em>Part 1!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>###<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I clutched the neck of my violin as I waited backstage. A heavy black curtain blocked my view of the audience. But they were there, all two thousand members, made up of parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, and friends of the Wichita Youth Symphony musicians.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My heart thundered in my chest like a kettledrum. I\u2019d practiced the Saint-Sa\u00ebns Violin Concerto in B minor, the first movement, so many times I could almost play it in my sleep. Still, the thought of the opening shift and the numerous fast passages sent a shiver of terror down my spine. What if I failed in front of all these people?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At least it wouldn\u2019t affect my admission into college. Over the past few weeks, I\u2019d already received several acceptance letters to a variety of music schools. I\u2019d auditioned for a couple in Chicago, and several in Texas. Of course, there was always my local university to fall back on, but who in their right mind would want to stay in her hometown for university? A sense of wanderlust welled up inside my chest. Now was the time to spread my wings and visit somewhere new. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ed-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ed-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ed-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_64ed.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The conductor poked his head through the door. \u201cFive minutes till the concert. Everyone take your places.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I rubbed sweaty palms on the folds of my shimmering pink gown. Amidst the sea of black-clad musicians, I stood out like a harp in a marching band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHey, how\u2019s it going?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I whirled to find myself face-to-face with a skinny guy dressed in a black suit. Speaking of marching bands, wasn\u2019t he the tuba player? Or was it trombone? Who paid attention to the brass, anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tuba guy ran a hand through his sandy-colored hair. \u201cAny chance you\u2019d want to go out with me next weekend?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What in the world? Why would he have the audacity to ask me out, especially now, right before I needed to go onstage for my solo? Was he crazy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I\u2019ve got to play my solo in a couple of minutes. I can\u2019t think about this right now.\u201d I straightened my shoulders. \u201cBesides, I leave for Paris tomorrow with my mom. We\u2019re supposed to meet up with my choir to sing in several famous cathedrals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He lowered his gaze. \u201cI see.\u201d With a quick motion, he swiveled away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Boys. Wouldn\u2019t they ever learn? I had much more important things to do. Like perform my concerto.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A door clicked open, and the conductor returned. \u201cAshley, it\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a deep breath, I pulled back the curtain and stepped onto the luminescent stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>###<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A couple of weeks later, I sat on my bed, college acceptance letters in hand. After an exhilarating ten days in Europe, I struggled to wrap my mind around the college decision. How would I ever decide? Time to make a trusty pros and cons list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wrote the names of my top schools on a piece of paper. Which school offered the best scholarships? Five points. Which school had the best rec plex? One point. Which school required foreign language instead of science? Two points. Maybe I could continue with a minor in French. Which university offered the best faith-based education? Three points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which violin teacher possessed the most prestigious reputation? Three points. Hmm. That one was tricky. Several of the teachers had attended the renowned Julliard Conservatory. Ironically, they lacked the energy and enthusiasm of a younger professor who\u2019d  moved to the United States from Eastern Europe. The creative violin lesson she\u2019d taught had inspired a flame in me that surpassed the dry technique of the others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I held my breath as I tallied the total. A tight race. A second later, a smile spread across my face at the final count. Baylor University. \u201cWell howdy y\u2019all. Texas, here I come!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>###<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re wearing yourself too thin.\u201d Mom\u2019s worried voice rang through the phone as I pulled my violin from the metal locker in the music school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"120\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/P2cYH2SlRj68L7zWkLrL0w_thumb_65d2-120x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/P2cYH2SlRj68L7zWkLrL0w_thumb_65d2-120x300.jpg 120w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/P2cYH2SlRj68L7zWkLrL0w_thumb_65d2.jpg 359w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 120px) 100vw, 120px\" \/><figcaption>Me in high school<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI know.\u201d I ran my shaking fingers through my hair. \u201cBut what am I supposed to do about it? My violin lesson is tomorrow, I\u2019m accompanying one of my friends on the piano this morning, then I need to rush to chamber music rehearsal after music theory class.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCan you rest later?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo, tonight we have a two-hour dress rehearsal for our orchestra concert this weekend. Besides, the concerto competition is in two days. I have to perform the first movement. There\u2019s no way I can take a break now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mom sighed. \u201cI just don\u2019t want you to get sick or hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Mom, I can handle it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI hope so. I love you, Ash.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI love you, too.\u201d I slipped the phone into my purse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour mom, huh?\u201d A cellist propped his hand on his bulky case.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I nodded. \u201cShe worries too much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He cocked an eyebrow. \u201cWhat are you playing for the concerto competition?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Barber Violin Concerto. Ugh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cellist frowned. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you like it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBecause it\u2019s lame. Nothing happens in the first movement. So boring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIs that the concerto where the violinist told the composer it was too easy, then Barber turned around and wrote a bear of a third movement?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I squinted at him. &#8220;Maybe?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> He nodded. &#8220;I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s perpetual fast passages the entire time. And just when you think it can\u2019t get crazier, he throws in straight sixteenth notes until the end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My heart sank. To be honest, my arm had already been killing me recently. Probably a bad case of tendinitis. How would I ever memorize a third movement like that? \u201cI guess I\u2019ll worry about that when I get to it. For now, I need to focus on performing the first movement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGood luck!\u201d He grinned, then slung his cello case over his shoulder and sauntered off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two days later, I rubbed my wrist with my thumb before I pulled out the violin. Time to perform the Barber. It should be easy, although I probably wouldn\u2019t win the contest. Several of the seniors were competing on concertos by renowned composers like Tchaikovsky and Sibelius. As a sophomore, I wouldn\u2019t stand a chance, especially not on the Barber.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I took my place on stage, lifted my violin to my shoulder, and started to play. The notes flowed from my fingers like water from a fountain. The music struck a chord deep inside, as though a part of my soul poured out onto those strings. What was Barber imagining when he wrote this melody?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A moment later, my fingers froze. Why didn\u2019t the notes sound right? I\u2019d played the phrase exactly as I had at the beginning. Oh no. That was the problem. I hadn\u2019t changed keys for the ending. What were the notes? Mortified, I lowered the violin to my side, peaked at the pianist\u2019s score, and recommenced the final section.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the close of the movement, I walked offstage, head hung low. Not watching my steps, I nearly bumped into someone. The cellist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat a disaster,\u201d I exclaimed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A painful pause ensued as he ran his hands through his hair. \u201cHey, at least you looked good.\u201d He winked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ugh. If he had nothing better to say than \u201cyou looked good,\u201d I\u2019d definitely bombed. The only thing left to do would be to ace the third movement next month. I\u2019d practice it so many times I could play it perfectly by memory. No matter the cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_6715-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_6715-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_6715.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>###<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A month later, I pulled the sweater more tightly around my slender frame. The cold in the stale doctor&#8217;s office seeped through my skin and into my tendons like an icy hand. My fingers prickled as pain shot to the tips of my fingers, followed by a wave of numbness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A quick rap on the door jolted me to attention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The doctor entered, dressed in a white coat, clipboard in hand. \u201cAshley Peterson, I presume?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d I croaked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy notes show you\u2019ve been experiencing soreness, shooting pain, and numbness in your wrist, hand, and fingers. Is this correct?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I nodded, then winced as he stretched out my palm, bending my hand into several uncomfortable positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes, it\u2019s definitely a repetitive use injury. Inflammation of the joints and tendons.\u201d He scribbled down a few notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I looked up. \u201cWhat can you do? I need to be ready for my concert next weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He shook his head. \u201cWe can try a steroid shot and anti-inflammatory medications. But what you need most is rest. We could put on a cast to stabilize the joints. And absolutely no playing the violin for a long while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Silently, I opened my mouth, but it was dry. I\u2019d lost my voice, my song. I\u2019d given in to my neurotic musical obsession. And I\u2019d paid the price. What could I possibly do now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Want to help support my channel? Check out my musician MERCH page!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"text-align:center;line-height:150%\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zazzle.com\/collections\/musician_character_mugs-119875771875485409\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rlv.zcache.com\/musician_character_mugs_119875771875485409-r_zruem_c0uqb_425.jpg\" alt=\"Musician Character Mugs\" style=\"border:0;\"><\/a>\n<br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zazzle.com\/collections\/musician_character_mugs-119875771875485409\" rel=\"nofollow\">Musician Character Mugs<\/a>\n<br>by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zazzle.com\/store\/rescotcreative\" rel=\"nofollow\">RescotCreative<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fmusic_book_club%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fmusic_book_club%2FMy_Bio_1.mp3&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rescotcreative.com%2Fit%2F2021%2F11%2F05%2Ffact-or-fiction%2F#mode-Light&border-000000&progress-000000\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"165\" frameborder=\"0\" id=\"blubrryplayer-1\" class=\"blubrryplayer\" title=\"Blubrry Podcast Player\"><\/iframe><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/music_book_club\/content.blubrry.com\/music_book_club\/My_Bio_1.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/?powerpress_pinw=4242-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/music_book_club\/content.blubrry.com\/music_book_club\/My_Bio_1.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"My_Bio_1.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Growing up, I loved reading authors of autobiographical fiction. My favorite, of course, was Louisa May Alcott&#8217;s legendary Little Women. She drew from her real life to create memorable, realistic characters that have charmed readers for centuries.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, I listened to Thomas Umstadt Jr.&#8217;s podcast in which he encourages authors to transform their bio pages from boring resumes to scintillating stories. As a result, I decided to give it a try! I selected key moments and turning points in my own biography, adding some dialogue to spice it up a bit. You might catch several glimpses into the characters and events that have shaped my own fiction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":533,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,16,164],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-the-artist","category-literary","category-music-fiction-fridays"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"it","enabled_languages":["en","es","fr","de","it","br"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":true},"es":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"fr":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"de":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"it":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"br":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4242"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4273,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4242\/revisions\/4273"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}