I Triple Dog Dare You, Naty!

What would you do on a dare?  The answer to this probably depends on who you ask.  Watch cable television long enough and you will find that some people will do completely inane things simple because they are dared.  Compare this to people like my husband, who, when dared, are actually repelled from whatever the dare involves. (I’d like to publicly ‘thank’ him for passing this trait on to our daughter, who won’t do anything she is asked to do.)  What’s it like to pass through adolescence virtually immune to peer pressure? 

I, Naty Severson, seem to have an extreme weakness when it comes to being dared.  If the dare is not morally questionable and will not hurt others, I have a hard time saying no. 

Small Dares… Last night while camping, my cousin, after stating it was impossible to evenly roast a rectangular marshmallow, dared me to do it.  In his defense, I had just finished a six-minute soliloquy that basically implied that I was the best marshmallow roaster that the world has ever seen.  Naturally, I accepted his dare. 

Before

After

This particular dare had very low stakes and a very short time frame.

Crazy Big Dares… Late one night last summer at a cabin in Northern Minnesota I, as I like to do, began shooting off my over-active mouth claiming that anyone who put their mind to it could write a novel.  Sensing an opportunity for a legendary dare, my friends capitalized on my inability to decline a dare and challenged me to write my own novel. 

The terms of the dare:

• Write a fiction Trilogy
• The novel must have a modern day setting (i.e. no dystopian or supernatural elements)
• The story must center around a love triangle
• Include 22 specific and totally ridiculous plot points (example: the main character has to be a peanut butter heiress who is allergic to peanuts) 

With the terms of the dare set, I started putting plot points together, created an outline, and eventually wrote the first several chapters.  To my surprise, my friends not only liked my first chapters… they wanted more.

Well, I wrote a book. To be more accurate a 87,000 word novel. 

Before you ask... 

• No it's not published... Yet. 
• No, it's really unlikely that I would let you read it as it is. But feel free to make a case for yourself as an exception. 
• Yes, it's a legit good book. 

Why this post? 

I like a good challenge, and I need some fresh ideas.  I’m looking for your suggestions! 

DARE RULES:

Let's keep this all above board. This is not an excuse to be...

• Moronic
• Dangerous
• Hurtful

This is a chance to be...

• Clever
• Creative
• Innovative
• Funny

Fine Print:  Like peanut butter and jelly are meant to go together, some dares were just meant for particular people.  Therefore, I reserve the right to pass dares on to others for whom they are perfectly suited.  

So what do you have for me?  Leave a comment below and I might just take you up on your dare… as long as it’s wholesome and good-natured.