Dreary, Drudgery Day

Try saying that title three times fast.

Go ahead.

I'm listening.


Okay, so today was pretty much boring all around. The one somewhat interesting thing I did was go to step aerobics. It was a lot of fun, and right in the middle of class when the instructor shouted out "Let's get those knees up, ladies. Higher, let's go!" I was all of a sudden struck by the realization that step aerobics shares quite a few similarities to porno films.

I'd go into further detail about this subject, however I was advised against it by my lawyers. Not really. But, by day I'm a preschool teacher. What would the parents think?

So I'll leave you all to discuss the topic amongst yourselves. It's quite entertaining if you think about it. And I SOOooo know you ARE thinking about it, filthy kitten.

I suppose I shall have to discuss another topic today, so how about something similarly related? Where do ideas come from? We've been hearing a lot about where Laurell K. Hamilton gets her ideas. She even wrote a whole essay about how the idea for her new book Flirt came about.

My ideas tend to sneak up on me when I least expect it. For example; when I am dripping sweat, gasping for air, and trying very hard not to fall flat on my face while I do aerobics. (You thought I was going to say making a porno, didn't you? Cheeky monkey!)

I can't honestly remember the exact place I was when the idea hit me for the book I'm writing. All I know is that I was looking out the window somewhere, and thinking about how much I missed living in Lower Manhattan. Then, all of a sudden, Sidney walked into my head. There she was, with her long thin frame, brown hair pulled up in a ponytail, and she was holding up a badge saying, "What have we got?"

I didn't know much about her at first, but I knew the crime scene she was walking into was a grizzly one. She didn't seem terribly bothered by the gruesome findings, so I assumed she'd been at this for awhile. I wrote that first chapter, the first scene, and put it aside for awhile.

There were other projects I was working on, other characters in my head who were nagging at me louder than Sidney was. She seemed content to sit back and take it all in for awhile. Finally, I brought the chapter back out and read over it. Then everything seemed to clicked into place. I found out more about her backstory and the rest of it all just sort of happened. There's another character who's giving me trouble right now, keeping the story from running smoothly. As soon as I figure out exactly what his reason for popping into my head is, perhaps I will be able to work out the kinks and get things going again. Sidney seems to be hung up on someone else at the moment. I might try giving her a reason  to notice him more fully and see what happens.

Stay tuned....