Exhaustion = Great Ideas!

No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking. ~Voltaire

So ... yesterday I was a zombie. Okay, not literally (I know it wasn't literal because I had no craving for brains) but I had about 1/100 of my usual energy. I fell back on doing chores which are brainless (keeps me safe from any real zombies out there) and needed doing.

Washed my comforter (my dry clean only comforter that Patience pooped on yesterday) -- took three times, but I got out both the stain and the stink. I made dog food, swept and mopped the downstairs, did so many dishes, I'm pretty sure every dish in my house was touched, and a few other things I no longer remember (which isn't surprising since I was nearly unconscious during the entire day -- hope I don't end up poisoning the dog).

As a side note, Dakota was clearly as exhausted as I was because she barely moved all day. Didn't want to go out to play, didn't bring me toys, just stayed on the couch snoozing (except for the occasional food and potty break). She's actually still sleeping as I write this.

Last night around 8:00 when everything started getting a little blurry and I pretty much hit the wall, I got ready for bed. I tried reading for a bit, but my eyeballs were determined not to focus, so I turned off the light and closed them. My brain wasn't ready to shut down though, so began thinking about things until it grabbed hold of my fantasy and ran with it.

I'd managed to write about 100 words yesterday that made any sense, and of those, I'd done something I hadn't planned. There are these items that are important to the story ... and I'd sort of forgotten about them. Yesterday, I realized I had to do something with them, and did ... and THEN that small action actually gave me the way to defeat the Big Bad, something I was agonizing over. And my brain figured it out last night as I was dozing off.

Good brain.

Of course, I worried about forgetting it by morning, so kept replaying it over and over in my head. I even woke up once in the middle of the night, and thought about it. So, this morning I took some time and wrote it all down.

I'm excited. I wish I always had these kinds of brainstorms, but I'm really not willing to go through total exhaustion on a regular basis to see if it works.

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You Are Sophisticated

You are a sentimental gift giver. You prefer to give gifts that have meaning, even if they aren't particularly useful. You are spontaneous and impulsive. You tend to do things quickly, and you're quite impatient. You are somewhat organized, but you always feel like you could be doing a bit better! You have high standards for yourself. You love to dress up and take care of yourself. You get a lot of confidence from looking sharp.

The Present Wrapping Oracle

This couldn't be more wrong...

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A Funny Place to Find an Idea

"Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young." - W. Somerset Maugham

So ... funny thing happened the other day. My biz partner, Judy, mentioned that she's written the title of a book wrong in an email to someone. Just a "ha ha" moment, really, but then I grabbed the title and said, "The story could be about this and the heroine could be this way." and then she chimed in with more, that I added to, and she added to and then I said, "Yanno, this would work for Geoff's story."

You see, I'd set "A Jewel For Geoff" aside because the heroine wasn't working for me. I liked HER and her family, but what she was in the story? Just wasn't adding enough conflict and she fought me every step of the way, so I knew it was wrong. I just didn't know what was right.

Now I think I do. I'm going to jot down some notes and let it simmer in my brain a bit while I work on the "Kitchen Matches" sequel, but I'm pretty sure this one is it.

And all from an error on an email.

People always ask writers where they get their ideas. Fact is, ideas are everywhere .... you just need to grab 'em when you see 'em.

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In Pillar Place: we have one more pillar on walkabout. Lambda started doing his thing late afternoon.

We are a bit concerned about Kappa... he made his little webbing (the one that adheres him to the roof) funny and it's sort of loosely wrapped around the front of his body. We're concerned that it may impede his ability to shed his skin the final time -- and if it does, hopefully that's ALL it will do. We're hoping he still makes his pupa correctly.

Iota is the only big pillar left and I bet he goes walkabout today. Then things should be very quiet for a bit (unless DD finds more pillars. She's looking every day, but no luck).

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You Are Popular

For as long as you can remember, you've always made friends easily. You are spontaneous and adventurous. You're happy to go with the flow or shake things up a little bit. You are charming and smooth. You can make the best of a boring or awkward moment. You are hilarious and eager to make others laugh. Things can only be so bad when you are around.

Who Are You?

Uh... no. Not really...

In the Dark of Night...

Night time is really the best time to work. All the ideas are there to be yours because everyone else is asleep. ~Catherine O'Hara

... is when the best ideas come to me.

Last night, as I was drifting off to sleep I figured out a HUGE problem I was having with Stiller Creek. I even started writing the new version in my head AND wonder of wonders, I remembered it this morning without having written it down.

YAY.

So, as soon as I get DH off to work, I'm going to sit down and write it.

I've decided that once I get it fixed, I'm going to resend to the editor at Samhain again. Resplendence didn't invite me to resubmit (though she liked my writing and asked me to send anything new) and it looks like WRP is really pushing out their release dates. Hopefully, I'll get it ready to resubmit soon. It's been greatly on my mind.

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****WARNING: GROSSNESS AHEAD (weak stomachs beware)*******

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In other news, I was awakened at 3:30 this morning by DD racing for the bathroom to throw up. Thankfully, she made it, but because she'd been holding it in, most of it ended up coming out her nose. I know, ICK, right? And DD is prone to nosebleeds, so when she blew her nose to get out the residue, she began to gush blood. We finally got THAT taken care of and the blood in her throat made her nauseous again, so ... you guessed it. More throwing up.

It's been an interesting morning.

She went back to bed. Not so, me.

**yawn**

I think naptime may be called for today.

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Your Walk Says You're Approachable

You are intelligent, thoughtful, and even philosophical. You like to go unnoticed for the most part. Other people see you as humble and down to earth. You don't put on airs. You are assertive, energetic, and curious about the world. You never hold back, and you're often the first to try something. You tend to be all work and very little play. You are too responsible to let loose.

What Does Your Walk Say About You?

That's about 75% right...

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Brainstorming

"I never make [my books]: they grow; they come to me and insist on being written." -- Samuel Butler

I've come to the conclusion that nothing is better for writing than sitting around with a friend and talking about it. Okay, maybe actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is better, but talking comes in a really close second.

Yesterday, I was chatting via IM with a friend and the subject of dancing came up... we'd been talking about music, and I sent her a YouTube link to some big band ("In the Mood" by Glenn Miller, if you're interested) and said, "I used to dance to that." She was surprised, and mentioned that her husband considered it an affront to his manhood whenever she mentioned dancing (real dancing, yanno, with steps and stuff *G*). I told her that I thought dancing was sexy. She said I should write a seduction-type scene in a book that used dancing.

Et voila!

In my sequel to "One Love For Liv", I have the perfect, perfect place to do just that. And it's one of the scenes coming up shortly. What a great way for my H/H to really become aware of one another! Right now, they're really just acquaintances, not even exactly friends... though on the way to that. But a dance, one short three-minute dance, could really change things between them.

What a fabulous idea!

And I owe it all to a chat that started with my friend quoting a song (Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy) that gave me an earworm that caused me to find the YouTube video that listed "In the Mood" as related that led to our conversation.

Fate. Kismet. Whatever.

And they wonder where authors get their ideas.... they are freakin' EVERYWHERE.

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Next time it's snowing outside and I take out the dog to go potty, I'm taking my camera. She does the funniest thing -- she tries to catch snowflakes. She had me in stitches the last couple of nights (yes, we had some flurries last night) and I have to catch it on film... er...memory card.

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You Are a Cartographer

You have a wide range of knowledge and you're very detail oriented. You have a photographic memory, and you remember places very well. Like a middle ages cartographer, you're also very adventurous and curious about the world. In modern times, you would make a good non-fiction writer or scientist.

What's Your Medieval Profession?

Um... yes on the first paragraph, and a solid NO on the second. Me? A Scientist? You must have mistaken me for my oldest brother...

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The "R" and What To Do With It

"You must want to enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft—then you can add all the genius you like." - Phyllis A. Whitney

I heard back from Womans World yesterday... finally... and it was a rejection. This time, I didn't even get a note. I DID get their new submissions guidelines (and it may be part of why I was rejected) -- their short romance stories now must be 800 words.

Eight. Hundred. Words.

When I first started trying to write for them, their word count was 1,100. Then it went to 1,000. Then 900. Dear heavens to betsy, no wonder some of the stories are so inane.

In any case (and, I know I've said it before), I think I'm done trying to write for them. Not only do I clearly not know what they're looking for (and I read their story every week, so I don't know why I can't seem to catch on), but trying to write something readable in 800 words is more than I want to try. At least for now.

BUT...

I really loved this little story. It's another short piece about falling in love despite all the misfortunes that occur and I had a lot of fun writing it. OTOH, I really loved my characters (especially the hero) and was sort of sad that it would only ever by a 900 word piece (because I was CERTAIN WW would take it this time... ha!). Now, though, I have a great opportunity to expand this little story into something bigger. And, I'm strangely excited by that.

Since my "Liv" sequel is giving me fits, I may use this story as the foil to my fantasy as I write for JaNoWriMo next month. I love my fantasy, but it's kind of dark and I need to escape sometimes... this would be perfect.

Speaking of JaNoWriMo, a new month of it starts TODAY. YAY!

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I started Dakota on her probiotics yesterday -- I finally found some for dogs, but they are ABSURDLY expensive, so I'm looking into getting people probiotics. I can't imagine (aside from not being liver flavored, lol) that they are all that different. I'll just need to figure out the dosage.

I hope this helps.

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This is something I don't like to read... from Accuweather.com:

AccuWeather.com is predicting snow for the big cities along the Northeast's Interstate 95 corridor early this coming week as a storm races up the East Coast. This storm may be followed by several more as the unfolding weather pattern seems to indicate a stormy February and early March.

It goes on to say one good thing:

On a positive note, unlike the crippling storm that brought destructive icing to the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys earlier this past week, this storm will be quick-moving and only allow for mainly rain and snow. While a little ice can't be completely ruled out, it will not be nearly as big of a threat as it was with the last storm.

The good part? THE GROUNDHOG WON'T SEE HIS SHADOW!!!

Woot!

Early spring, early spring, early spring... nananananannana!

:-)

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You Are Copper

You are provocative and challenging. You help people realize who they really are. You live a very balanced life. You always take time for love and art. You are both a powerful and generous person. You always have time to give back. People find you to be incredibly ethical and loyal.

What Metal Are You?

I don't feel very balanced... but if Blogthings says I am, I must be!!

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Christmas is over

A half-baked idea is okay as long as it's in the oven. ~Author Unknown

The stockings are no longer hanging by the chimney with care. Visions of sugarplums are over. Although I am still liking the part about kerchiefs and settling down for a long winter's nap.

Yesterday the decorations came down. I was so ready... if I hadn't had to wait until Christmas, they would have been down earlier. Truthfully, there was a dearth of Christmas spirit this year. I'm not sure why.

Snow, ice and rain today (in that order). Not sure how I feel about any of those...

On a writing-type note, and to my writer-type readers: Why is it when you're trying to brainstorm a story you inevitably end up thinking of some truly amazing stuff on another one?

Whilst thinking about Geoff and/or Nick I had this incredible, long-term idea for my fantasy novel. I realized just WHY the throne (now a sentient being) was so important and WHY the queen had to be an empath, and how those things affect the world they live in. And it makes me itch to work on that story instead.

That's just wrong.

Now... what do I do about JaNoWriMo? Which, in case you don't remember, is only FOUR DAYS AWAY.

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Ear Worms

I worry that the person who thought up Muzak may be thinking up something else. ~Lily Tomlin
Last night, DD was singing and humming to herself (she does this quite a lot -- in fact, when she was a baby, she'd wake up singing... and I'd lie in bed for a few minutes and just listen to it on the baby monitor. I can't think of a better way to start the day), and she suddenly burst out with: La de da de deeeee!

And you know what happened? I sang: La de da de daaaaa!

And promptly got THIS song stuck in my freaking head.



So... enjoy your ear worm. And that birth order quiz said I didn't like to share. Ha. Proved THEM wrong.

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Got a great idea while I was lying in bed desperately trying to sleep last night... and knew I'd forget it if I wasn't careful. So, I repeated it over and over and over... I even know THE LAST FREAKING LINE! It's truly amazing (the line... though hopefully the story will be, too).

It's just a short one, maybe for WW. We'll see.

So, even though it's not writing day, I'm going to get that sucker down.

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I meant to mention from the other day -- it was interesting to read that not many folks buy that many books, and one of the ways they get turned on to a new writer is from excerpts (that is, truthfully, a good way to get to know an author's voice). So, my next question for all you reader-type people:

Where do you find your excerpts? Do you belong to yahoo groups (like the LASR one? We have excerpt Monday, and I know lots of groups offer similar opportunities). Do you consciously go searching for them (on author's websites, etc.)?

Inquiring minds want to know *G*.

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A gratuitous picture of Dakota, just because I can:



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