From Adversity, My Darker Side, Dabblers Re-envisioned

Entered one of my books in a contest (and paid for the privilege). Results came out today--I didn't even make the first cut, i.e., the screening process. Bummer. BIIIIG bummer. I started thinking about it and decided that perhaps the book did not seem to fit within the category in which it was entered. It always struck me as a sort of genre-bender anyway.

So in a black sort of mood, I went out to do some errands, and on my MP3 collection, "Lady In Black" by Uriah Heep played. For some reason, all the elements combined and, voila!, Stefanie from "Dabblers" got a make-over. I had noted in a previous post that I stopped work on "Dabblers" when I realized I found her too weak, too needy. That meshed with the idea of my contest entry not clearly fitting into a specific genre. My dark mood morphed into Stefanie's personna. While the original premise of a woman with unique talents trying to hide and deny them getting into a situation where she must embrace them still stands, some fresh ideas were born out of my sudden inspiration. One, she doesn't deny them but tries to hide them and control them because she still wants to fit in and enjoy normalcy. But instead of being frightened, nervous, and lost, the character will react in a far different way. I also had some ideas about important elements of the story, certain events, and how they transpire. I'll be thinking about all this more in days to come.

But I am also in the middle of Book 3 in the "Faces" series. I got past the first "stuck place" and have formulated some events that will move things forward. Still need a vision for the dramatic climax though. I may be interleaving this one with a bit of work on "Dabblers." Two books at once? We shall see...

Someone I know bought and is reading "The Changeling Kill," and I warned her before she started that there was a scene that might prove shocking. Well, she reached it, and shock her I did. Let us just say there was an abrupt need to do some laundry. (If that makes anyone curious, read it and find out.)