New Ideas

            I made two big decisions today. Well, sort of today. It was actually in that in-between time, somewhere between 2 o'clock & 3 o'clock am. You know, where it’s tomorrow but it’s not really tomorrow because you haven’t slept because you have meds-induced insomnia? Yeah, then.

            Anywho, the first big decision was not to enter the next Paramourtal contest. There are several reasons behind this, but the main ones are my current medical issues (which wreak havoc on a deadline), and the fact that the idea I have concocted could turn out to be a fantastic novel. Or fantastic series of novels. And I want to develop that more fully than a short story would allow. Which leads me to my next decision.

            I have found the subject matter for my next paranormal novel. Well, I say “next” because I have one finished already that I’m marketing to agents, but it would really be the “first” since no one has picked me up yet. I digress.

            I’m not going to tell you the actual subject, because I wholeheartedly believe in the Universal Consciousness, and this idea is MINE. *ahem* Also, I haven’t fully developed the story arc, which both excites me and terrifies me.

            The basis of it comes quite a bit from my real life, and there is so much room for artistic license it makes me giddy. I do worry about having started it without the storyline in place, because generally if I do that the characters abscond with my plot and twist it all up into what they wanted it to be. Hell, they do that anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

            So wish me luck. I’m off to poke my muse in the ribs and tell her it’s time to go back to work.

Sometimes, insomnia can be a good thing.

Writer's Block and Other Problems...

        Before I start this particular rant, it has come to my attention that unless you already have a Blogger account, it is insanely difficult to leave me a comment here. While I know you all adore me already, if you have something specific to say about the awesomeness that is me, you can leave it on my facebook page instead to make things easier. You're welcome. ;0)

***** 

        So like I said in my last blog, I have about 457 irons in the fire right now. I have no idea if it’s the fact there’s so many, if it’s the post-surgery drugs they have me on, or if it’s just plain ol’ writer’s block, but nothin’s brewing over at the Rebecca Ranch.

         I have finally decided that my next entry (should my muse get off her ass and help me out sometime soon) for the Paramourtal 2 anthology will not be another installment bridging between my short story and my novel. For one, there’s no convincing “love story” between the two, because Aurelius is clearly still in love with Eleia in my novel, even after a century. The only story arc that I could submit is the romantic (and I use that term loosely here) history of Aurelius and Isadora, which is really more of a kinky, regrettable, torrid affair kind of thing. Not that it wouldn’t be awesome, because it would. It’s already awesome in my head. Trust.

         But it’s not what they are looking for, and I’m sad to say that people are sick to death of vampires now. Even I glance over the book racks at grocery stores and the like and think, “Dear gods, really? Another one?” What I have been trying (and obviously failing) to get agents to understand is that my novel is not a typical “paranormal romance” novel where the girl gets all flushy when the big, strapping vampire man comes around. Nor are there any sparkles. Anywhere. Period. That shit is just wrong.

         No, mine is more about the politics of the Vampire Realm, and the repercussions of hasty action. Yeah, there’s some sex thrown in there, because who over the age of 16 wants to read a story without sex? I mean, really. But I have strayed yet again from what I was writing about. What was I writing about…? Ah yes. My enormous slice of writer’s block.

         So after I dismissed the ‘interim’ piece for a submission, I thought about taking a chapter or two of what I have already done on “What We Hear”. However, the submission guidelines specify that the romance is to be between one male and one female. I’m not even going there with that, but I think it’s kinda wrong and limiting. Either way, that puts my lesbian medium story out of the running.

         So now what?

         I don’t want to write about other vampires – there are already too many of them running loose in my head, and I have trouble keeping up with them as it is. I don’t want to write about mediums or ghosts, because that belongs to said lesbian characters. And I really don’t want to do any zombie/lycanthrope/shapeshifter/overdone literary adaptation thing, either.

         What’s a girl to do?

         I think I’m simply going to have to create a new paranormal category, or write about an already existing but obscure one.

“Bigfoot Love”, anyone?

No?

Didn’t think so. 

A few questions for you all...ANSWER THEM!!! Um, please. ;0)

Hey! How’ve you been?

Not to sound like a Jewish mother or anything, but you don’t call…you don’t write… 

What’s that? Oh, that’s me. I see. In that case, let’s get on with it…

I have been in somewhat of a ‘creatively manic’ state lately. I’m not sure if it’s the fact I’ve been locked in the house with two small children day after day (Dear sweet baby Jesus, can you please make school start a week early? Sincerely, Rebecca), or if it’s the alternately groovy/soul-sucking meds they keep changing around on me. Either way, I have children’s books in the works, still shopping my novel Of Blood and Wine, still writing on What We Hear to turn it into a novel, have decided to start a darkly humored memoir, and am now considering yet another project.

Those of you who read this (and I love all four of you) are aware of my short story Of Fate and Fire that appeared in Paramourtal. It is what launched me into this writing hell career. Now it seems they have a new open call for submissions for Paramourtal 2, and I am seriously considering entering the fray.

Being that my novel includes the characters from the short story – albeit around 100 years later – I think I have decided to write an additional short story that tells something about the time between the two. If you didn’t follow that, don’t worry – I’ll make a diagram at the bottom. Actually, I’m lying. I can’t draw for shit. You’re on your own.

In addition to it being awesome because I’m writing it, the new story will explain a little about the tension between two main characters in the novel. So here’s my question for you folks… Should I do this as an ‘interim’ piece between the two I already have? Or should I go for something completely different this time?

 Your opinions are very valued, so please let me know what you think. Unless your opinion is stupid and doesn’t match mine, in which case I will pretend you were never born. And now back to me…

The thing I’m really excited about right now is the memoir project. I don’t even know if I should call it that, really. Memoir brings to mind pleasant memories, nostalgia, and making peace with what life has given you. Guys, I was a lesbian raised in the South by a Southern Baptist, right-wing family heavily involved in conservative politics. Ain’t none of that gooshy shit in there. It’s more the ‘laughing through the tears cuz’ damn your life was screwed up but you just made a joke about being dick-slapped by a monkey’ type of thing.

So here’s my other question… What should I call this new tome? The history of? The life and times of? Don’t try this shit at home? I’m open to suggestions on this one. No, really. I mean it this time. Okay, I kind of mean it.

Physically I am getting stronger every day. I have graduated to only using a quad cane most of the time, and my partner gleefully tells me I look like a giant toddler when I walk. Kind of makes me want to shit my pants just to prove a point, but let’s face it – we all know I’d be the one to clean that up.

I am still taking an exorbitant amount of meds which the docs keep changing weekly so that I feel a little like a monkey in a lab, which makes me want to throw said poo from said pants to prove another point. But I digress…

The important thing is that I am continuing to get better, and there are lots of surprises in store for me and for you guys just around the corner.

We’re talking life-changing shit here people. So please, hold the poo.