Current reading:
Diplomacy of Wolves by Holly Lisle

Current work:
New project (Novel): 1,200/5,100
Wishers (F short): finished! Getting crits now
Erin Glen II: Brainstorming/plotting

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  February 6, 2001:

Todays music: Michael Bolton: Time, Love and Tenderness

Lookie at what I did Saturday! After exercising, on the spur of the moment, James and I decided that we'd build Z's doghouse. We've been talking about doing it for a while and just decided that Saturday was the day to do it. It was a nice day, just a little chilly, so it seemed just right to do it.

With some scrap wood we'd had lying around, some nails that James had sitting around, some left over shingles that won't be needed, and one brand new piece of plywood for \$9, we put it together. It's huge. We've seen smaller plastic ones for sale at pet stores for about $100.

Now all it needs is something across the peak to keep the rain out and a bit of paint.

I put the shingles on myself, the first time I've ever put them on. It was an interesting, albeit skin-losing experience. That stuff is rougher than sandpaper!

Because we spent all day saturday working on that, I didn't get any writing done. Sundays and Monday are my days off. I did, however, take my laptop with me to Montgomery yesterday in the hopes that I'd get some work done in the car, but I ended up driving more than I'd planned, so I didn't get any done. I did get a story read for a critique I have to do though.

Oh, and yesterday, I got two new fishies to live in my tank. Two painted tetras, one blue and one pink. They really add some more color to my tank. Now there's a purple, two orange, a pink and a blue one. Next fish? Some kind of cory cat to clean up the bottom of the tank. Extra food is starting to sit there and turn it black. I also need to replace the filter soon too.

I still need to get to work today, so off I go!

LATER:

Progress on the new project is going well. Another 1200 words added today.

My writing lesson that I started yesterday and plan to finish reading today is called "Where do you get your ideas?" It's making me think about this current work and where all the ideas are coming from for it. First of all, it started with a chance meeting with an ex-boyfriend. I hadn't seen him in nearly ten years (I can't believe my ten year reunion will be coming up in about a year!) and it was interesting to note the changes in his personal experience. This led to thinking about a novel about a woman who meets an old boyfriend and it turns out that they both are currently single. Further thinking on it caused a dream in which I gained two scenes. These two scenes and the back story to go with it, plus the first chance encounter gave me the first (hopefully) quarter of the book. If I get 10K out of it, I'll be glad though. Then, more thinking on it gave me another idea, then watching E-vets on Animal Planet gave me some ideas (the main character is a vet).

I never really considered before where my ideas came from. I never stopped to analyze them all at once. And maybe that's why, but suddenly it seems I'm more imersed in my work than ever. Usually it comes in spurts, but it's been more than a week since the dream that spurred me to write it and it seems like the story is constantly in my thoughts. This is a good thing. I'm learning how to use my real-life experiences, combined with knowledge to build the story. That's really where we get our ideas, isn't it? Experience + knowledge = story. That's the magic formula.

Heh, combined with Linda Dunn's secret recipe, it sounds almost easy. :)

TTFN!