A little bit of pixie dust

Writing is going well. I'm having that feeling again where I'm thinking about the book often; I can't wait to get to it and find out what happens. Of course it helps, for suspense, that I have a MC who won't TELL me critical parts of the world. I ask, there is silence. I planned and brainstormed, and it immediately morphed on me. So I'm going with the flow. This might be one of those things I need to write to see.

In other news, planning is hot and heavy for Child's 5th birthday party. Birthday is Friday, party is Saturday. We did something Completely Different for here and are having an Art Party at our new Arts Center (otherwise known--heck, ubiquitously known--as "the Old Y"). We hired an artist for an hour, and she's going to do a project with the kids where they paint clay animal figures and then string them with beads and bells to make a windchime. Sweet! (Bonus: these are our party "favors" for the kids to take home.) We also will have a table with paper, stamps, stencils, crayons, markers, scissors, etc. to do with as they will. Plus pizza, a Tinkerbell cake, and games. Doesn't that sound awesome? Yesterday we went and bought Tinkerbell plates, cups, and napkins, and Happy Birthday banners and stuff to decorate.

We originally weren't going to have a party this year--we thought maybe we'd have one every other year--but then we looked at each other, realized she's only 5 once, and said "why not?" Requested birthday present: a fish. Our first pet. (We're allergic to furry and fuzzy animals.) We'll see how we do with pets!

I have meetings and class today, so I'd better go--though I really wish I could just open up the Word file and hunker down. Maybe later.

Further progress

Well, hello out there.

Had a full and satisfying weekend and am now back at work, if not fully awake. Senator Tester is on campus today, so I'm going to hear him talk in about 10 minutes. (Hmmm, must put on shoes for that.)

I'm still reading STORY, and continuing to flag wisdom I want to remember. There are flags all over the place!

I also had a plotting breakthrough on The New Book this weekend that I'm very excited about it. It's all going to tie together--and I love it. AND...drum roll, please...I started writing today. Yay, me! Yay, New Book!

That is all. :)

Moving On

I've simply had no time to blog the past couple of days--Tuesday I went on a ski trip with Child's preschool, and when I got back I had a work "emergency". Fortunately it's turning out fine, almost done.

I've had a couple of people ask me how I'm doing with the Big Change, and whether I'm feeling a sense of loss.

Short answer: Nope!

I rather thought I would. After all, I've let go of my first book, shoved the poor thing under the bed for now, and am dangling over the precipice of the unknown. Right? I should be mourning or something, shouldn't I?

Actually I was Without WIP, honestly, for about half a day. The very night I "let go", I couldn't sleep for all the ideas pouring into my head. A MC popped in whole, made herself comfortable, and settled right down to tell her story. So far it's pretty interesting, too. I'm not actually writing story as yet, but I'm doing a daily writing journal where I brainstorm the character/plot/world etc., and it's working. (Yes, Vic, I have brilliant friends.)

I'm going to keep it to myself for a while, but thought I'd let you know that I've already moved on, and yes, it's fun again. Yay. I think that transition might have been one of my best writing decisions yet. Onward!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

There are some big changes going on...in my head. {s}

On Friday I took a hard look at what I'm doing--what my writing goals are, what I'm passionate about, what kind of career I want to build. And what's not working for me now. With the help of a good friend, I realized that if I want to change course I need to do it NOW, before I get stuck on a track I don't want to be on.

In short, writing historicals isn't making me happy right now; it's making me UNhappy. I dread the research, I'm bored with characters whose lives I already know, in a world I can't experience yet have to stick to. I feel like I'm writing with both hands tied behind my back, and it's stopped being fun.

I'm yearning to write something of my own, a story that's wholly mine. Where I don't have to stick to a script--I make up the script. Where I can include elements that excite me, where I can let go and use my real voice, instead of trying to re-create someone long dead.

And I was thinking, la la la, I can write this new book, in a new genre for me, and still try to sell TMT.

No.

If I sell it--and I still think that I could, if I spent some time really improving it--I will be expected to write historicals for a good long time, to build my career. And I don't want to do that.

I made a list of all the things I love to read about, to think about. Of the things that I love from my favorite authors of all time (the humor of Douglas Adams; the other worlds of Susan Cooper; the adventure and pacing of Mary Stewart, etc.). And folks, I am going My Own Way.

So you will see a change already in the blog...the Book 2 counter is gone. The references to historical fiction are gone. And guess what--instead of that medieval lady over there in the profile that I was hiding behind? There's me. (Well, a cartoon representation of me, but that's the closest you get for now.)

And the Medieval Word of the Day? That was nice, wasn't it? But I'm sorry, that has to go too.

My word of the day: transform: To change the form of; to change into another shape or form; to metamorphose.