New Project Thrills

I had a bit of a downer last week with real world junk invading my brain. To turn off the nastiness and get my head back into the game, I avoided all negativity from others involved. Instead, I listened to the JR Ward & Jessica Andersen Chat from the RWA 2009 NATIONAL CONFERENCE. Man, are those ladies awesome and real. They balance each other beautifully. And I bow to JR Ward's writing schedule. I am probably a blend of the two. I believe in a little downtime and R&R. I need it. My characters need me to take a break -- I'm a little OCD (okay a lot--hence the lists--I am a control freak), and my family in real life needs me to take breaks as well. So I won't write 365 days a year, but I do write a lot!

What I love about these ladies is they know what it's like to sit where I am sitting. I'm not published, but I write and I hope one day with skill and a whole lot of good energy and luck I will be published. They believe every person writing is an author. Publishing is the icing. And they can't explain why the stars aligned for them and not for others. They only appreciate the coolness of it and hope the good news continues. I'd say by putting out all their great karma and sharing their insights with us, they will draw that good karma again and again.

After that inspiring chat, I was pumped. Yesterday I got up super early and played around with my fifth story. I inputted all my new ideas and thoughts about the heroine and hero derived from the FROM THOUGHT TO PLOT Workshop into my wonderful Scrivener program--I love my MAC!! I love playing around with the new characters and fleshing them out. My newest hero and heroine are strong individually, but they need each other to soften the edges and restore balance to their lives. As I worked on each of them, I began to understand them even better. They already made me weep for them and for the love they have for each other. Once again, two lost souls find each other and will discover home.

But it won't be an easy journey! They'll bump. They'll fight each other. They'll misjudge each other. And they'll challenge each other to grow.

Oh, but the journey will be a fun ride as well. I can already envision many of the scenes where laughter occurs. I love the idea of a carefree man bringing joy back into my heroine's life. And they'll definitely have some good rocking sex. She's a pro golfer... I see some great ideas for naughty times on the greens. Delicious shivers already making me feel sinfully gleeful!

Today I'll fool around with them a little more, get a deeper feeling for where the story has to go and how it might play out. Then tomorrow I'll dive back into the fourth book and begin revising. I want to have it ready for MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS. Well, ready enough hehe. I'm excited about the new career I'm giving my hero (his third thus far)--cause I get to interview hunky retired marines and green berets. And my heroine's got a job with a twist. She's the shock jock on radio--but the biggest shock is she's celibate by choice. It'll take a special man to kick down her guard and bring her home. *Grin*

Life is good. Things are looking up and I am ready to tackle my next revision.