Sleepless in Atlanta

I apologize in advance. This is much more of a stream of consciousness than what I normally write, but it’s kind of how I feel today. So, I’m just going to go with it.

One of the huge downsides to how my day is structured is that I don’t sit down to write until late at night. I work 8 to 4, come home make dinner or at least help, play with the kiddos until bedtime, tuck them back in a second time, and then tie them to their beds the third. (Kidding. No children were harmed in the making of this book.) With all of that, my house doesn’t get quiet until a little after nine o’clock. This is when I crack open the laptop and sit down and try to let my brain focus on the task at hand.

What normally ends up happening is I play on the internet reading other writer’s or agent’s blogs because my own personal well is dry. Then about thirty minutes later I turn to my projects trying to pick up where I left off from the night before. I look up and the clock has magically hit midnight. For fear of turning into a pumpkin, I shut it down and try to make myself go to sleep. Hey, I relate to Cinderella. I don’t want a prince or a castle or anything. Just the singing, dancing mice to do my dishes and laundry. Wait, I think I had a point that I was getting to. Umm… right. Trying to go to sleep.

Completely wound up because I don’t write slow moving, lullaby type stories, I lay in the dark trying to force my eyelids to stay shut. Within five minutes, they pop open like a jack-in-the-box. I think there should really be another character in the fight scene. I need someone driving the car later for the rest of the scene to really work. Reach over write it down in my handy-dandy notebook and roll over. A few more minutes pass…Oh my god! I have it. The key story line in the next book. No need for notebook. I won’t forget that one. Notice the OMG. Ok. Enough work tonight. Seriously, go to sleep!

And so it continues. Last night alone, I came up with the character concept complete with name for a book idea which is a complete departure from my current project, the outline for the follow up to Iron Obsession (oooo, and it’s juicy), and a short story concept to submit to the Scratch contest. I didn’t fall asleep until after 3 am. Which is still a great Matchbox 20 song. I’m just sayin. I’m not complaining, because the ideas are coming. I won’t be so selfish as to say – not now, it’s not convenient for me. I just find it humorous the way the brain works.

Thank heavens I have found Turkish coffee. If that stuff doesn’t wake you up, you have no business on your feet.