“Turn Left” was the name of a memorable Doctor Who episode some years ago (any other Whovians out there?). It referred to the moment in one’s life that was so important that something as simple as turning left instead of right at an intersection could alter one’s entire existence as well as that of others. I had never before heard those two little words used to express such an enormous thought but the other day I saw “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and heard “turn left” used again in the same context. Perhaps the Brits have used it for ages and I was just unaware, but it really got my imagination going. (The movie was wonderful, by the way.)
I suppose we have all thought about how our life might have gone if we had made a different decision regarding the big issues, like who we married or what subject we chose to study in school. Of course, as an author, I couldn’t help but think of how many different stories could come out of such ponderings.
Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday. She’s in Europe this summer and out of touch most of the time so I’m missing her terribly. And I couldn’t help but wonder, if I had moved from Pittsburgh to New York instead of Chicago after graduation, would I still have somehow ended up with her in my life? Perhaps she still would have come to me as a daughter no matter who I married or when or where. Or did that one flip-of-a-coin decision make a difference?
When you look back at your own life, what moment stands out to you and makes you wonder, what if I had turned left instead of right?
On a much lighter subject, I would like to invite everyone to stop by The Romance Studio Release Party on July 12, during which I will be one of a plethora of wonderful authors celebrating, sharing peeks at our new books and giving away lots of free stuff! http://theromancestudio.com/party
For a parting treat, check out this super-cool book trailer for SERVING NICOLE, the first release of the Passion’s Portal Series, magickally created by another Passion’s Portal author, Nara Malone. And don’t forget to check out the new interactive Shadowling Manor website created to accompany the new series – www.passionsportal.com
For more information about me or my books, please visit www.marilyncampbell.com.
I have a definitive crossroad moment in my life, and it is part of my bio. I posed the question, “Should I take this job?” and was glad I did, because it led me to a town by an Airforce base where I happened to meet a dashing pilot… And the rest is history.
Perfect example Madison! Thanks for sharing.
Love to hear from a fellow Whovian. Totally hear you about turning left. I think all the time about my “left turns”. Even wrote a story about Fear of Left Turns. Found you on FB’s Indie Writers Unite (I think) Glad I did!
Thanks for finding me and commenting Anne! Do you have a fave Doctor Who? David Tennant is still mine.
Marilyn Campbell http://www.marilyncampbell.com http://facebook.com/AuthorMarilynCampbell http://twitter.com/MarilynCampbel3 http://passionatereads.com http://www.passionsportal.com
Oh, yeah. Tennant is genius. He also played one of the best Hamlets I’ve ever seen. #2 is Eccleson. Loved his Manchester swagger!
Tennant as Hamlet? Yes, I can imagine that! I just discovered that Netflix has a cache of the old-old-old Doctor Who episodes that didn’t get lost or destroyed. Kind of fun to watch if you find retrospectives at all interesting.
Another movie that explores this ‘turn left’ concept is ‘Sliding Doors’ with Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s about a woman whose life is very different because she either caught the underground, or missed the train because the door closed too quickly. It is definitely something that bears consideration, especially for fiction writers.
Oh Yes indeed. Sliding Doors was really a wonderful movie. Thanks for reminding me. I think I need to download that on Netflix tonight!
I forgot to tell you I gave you a shout-out in this week’s blogpost !http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2012/07/social-media-vs-new-york-times-book.html