The Golden Touch

Jealousy. It's a tricky thing. I'm not going to lie. When fellow writers gush about their latest seventeen-book series sale to me (okay I'm exaggerating but indulge me) I am always happy for them. ALWAYS. Genuinely and truly. No sarcasm at all.

But there's always that little nagging feeling, where the little green monster sometimes peeks his head above the water, just for a minute. I think--"Hmmmm, why do some people seem to have "the Golden Touch?" There are a few of them out there. You know. The ones who "have a dream" write it down, and suddenly they are a household name. People who have people LINE UP AT MIDNIGHT at bookstores to buy their books.

Yeah, sometimes I get a little jealous of those "golden touch" people. But you know what? It doesn't happen to everyone. In fact, more people are likely to fail at this business than succeed.

You only get out of Life what you put into it, right? Generally speaking.

The Itch I Can't Scratch.

I have the writing Itch. And the only way to scratch it, is to spend at least several uninterrupted hours in my office, typing away and lost in my own world.

NOT. Happening. Not unless I want to hog-tie my kids and tranquilizer-dart-gun them and put them in a closet and shut the door and put on earplugs. Even when my oldest three are in school, I have a three year old who is VERY freaked out about the prospect of not being within ten feet of me and asking me 9385847586 questions every hour.

Naptime. Naptime is my salvation, and SOMEONE (a very little someone), is starting to think naptime is unnecessary. BIG PROBLEM. Mommy will stick a very sharp object in her eye if she doesn't get naptime. (Not mommy, the three-year old!) Because Mommy needs naptime to write and edit and get some sanity back!

Hmmm, I wonder if you can buy tranquilizer dart guns online...

What's your Inspiration?

Inspiration for writing comes in many forms. People watching at the airport, conversations overheard on cell phones (why is it that people speak so LOUDLY once they answer a call?) a good movie, a good book, or even a trip to the supermarket.

Music is probably my biggest inspiration. If I know I'm going to write a historical fantasy, I put on the Enya/Celtic harp. Historical? The music of the time period.

Lately, it's been movies. My kids decided to watch a Harry Potter movie every Friday, and currently we're on Goblet of Fire. I tell you, it amazes me, the depth of Jo Rowling's imagination. People say she's too fond of adverbs, etc. etc. etc., but she is an amazing storyteller and frankly, if you get so lost in a story you don't notice the imperfections, THAT is what I call success.

Great storytelling inspires me. Now on to what I've been attempting to do!

Settling In

I still can't believe it was September first yesterday! That means NINE freaking months have gone by, without any submissions from me! This move has sucked the life out of everything I hold dear--writingwise. Now I am done unpacking, and just shoving the durn boxes in storage, I am happy to be back in the writing sphere. Writing, editing, SUBMITTING. My sticky note on my Mac says the following:

"A Diamond is a piece of coal that stuck to the job."

I know, BEYOND cheesey, but inspiring all the same. And so I, like that little lump of coal, will be diligent, and keep editing...

Time Suckage

I've blogged about this before, but it never ceases to amaze me.

Yesterday, I sat down to the computer. The baby was down, and I had two hours of UNINTERRUPTED writing/editing time. I was so excited. I pulled up my wip, and got going.

15 minutes later, my son was coming in through the front door, home from school. I was like, HUH? Where did the time go? I was so immersed in the work two hours flew by like nothing.

I felt cheated. I really did! Granted, I got a good chunk of stuff done, but I still felt cheated. Like I only got the 15 minutes it FELT like I got.

Go figure.

I'm BACK!

Call it a shaky start, or what you will, but I am BACK and I am WRITING. Well, more like editing. I have started editing my EMMA story, and boy, do I have my work cut out for me. As in, convert from omniscient Third to First person, and make it FUNNIER and less boring.

Talk about a challenge!

I've blocked off two hours a day, just for me, when my son goes down for his nap. That's my sacred writing time. Come heck or high water, or anything else. I'm not budging on this one!

I'm so glad to be back!

WHY??

I had resigned myself to the fact that I had two novels to edit, and I've been working on EMMA very diligently.

So, now I have a new idea forming in my mind, something very different, and it is BUGGING me. I've already thought of His name. I've already pictured him in my mind's eye. I've already decided what he is. (No, he's not a vampire, werewolf, zombie or immortal Highlander!) He's a creature of my own making.

And he has issues. Serious issues.

I haven't thought of HER name yet, but she certainly isn't a shrinking violet. And she's very much taken. An adoring boyfriend. And she's Happy. And Well-rounded.

Until he comes along.

Why do I do this? I want to EDIT, not WRITE!!! Why is this story refusing to retreat back to where it came from for a while and BEHAVE like a good little story idea?

Urgh.