CONTRAST by Jane Kelley

 Contrast is where great stories begin.

Look at this photo. (My dad, by the way, is the one on the left.)

What's wrong with this picture? 

Little children in chicken costumes would be adorable -- and expected. Primarily of interest to their family and friends.  

Grown men in chicken costumes? That already provides contrast. Add to that the guy in darker clothing who clearly has a lot to say about something. Now we're really wondering what is going on. 

Contrast causes tension. This bit of cognitive dissonance grabs our attention and holds it. We want that chord to resolve and so we'll stick around until it does. 

Contrast is comic. Contrast is tragic. The bigger they are, the funnier they fall.

JANE KELLEY has put many characters in uncomfortable situations. Including in her first novel, NATURE GIRL, when she forced a city kid to survive a few days on the Appalachian Trail.