Reveal Yourself!

 

The last of the Merriam-Webster definitions of epiphany...

that’s the one!

Because...

How great is it when you reach that twist, that turn, that aha moment in a book or a movie! How great it is when you didn’t see it coming! How great is it when you had no clue how the writer would weave all those pieces together in one cohesive, satisfying conclusion. 

There was one book when it didn’t happen for me. 

I was in 4th grade when our teacher handed out the seasonal Scholastic Book Club flyer.
Me! I could choose whichever books I wanted. My shortlist must’ve included a dozen titles or more but the budget would allow only three. 

One book, in particular, was a slam dunk. The main character had a big secret. What was it? What was it? What? Was? It!?

When the books finally arrived, I tore into that story immediately. And when I got to The End, I sat there, stunned.

Not surprised-stunned.
Disappointed-stunned.
The MC’s secret may have been a big deal to her, but it was a who-cares to me. 

I still remember the book’s cover. I remember its title. What I don’t remember are the particulars of the character and the plot. I suppose I chose to forget them.

 
What I’ve never forgotten is this:
My readers deserve an ending they can sink their teeth into.

Easier said than done.
Even after I’ve carefully crafted plot and characters, after I’ve imagined scenes that are rich with detail, after I’ve promised my readers they'll come away with that feeling of satisfaction, I’ve sat there. Wracking my brain. Searching for that spark, that aha-moment which remains buried deep in those tens of thousand of words.

 
It's at this point, I should sit back and take a deep breath.  I really should. But that 4th grader's voice bubbles up, loud and clear. “Hey Reveal, pretty please, REVEAL YOURSELF. NOW!”

Jody Feldman refuses to show anyone her work before she’s certain it has the payoff she expected from that book she read so long ago.