A Few Words from Me and My Muse

Tomorrow I head off for the familiar climes of Cally-for-ny-aye. Woot!

I'm attending an academic conference in Oakland and spending a day with my friend Catherine in San Francisco, then I'm heading down to L.A. for a week of vacation fun time with my good friend Monkey! While there, I hope to discover the delights of her dairy wenching skills and sample the fruits of her labor. I'm thinking we need to make some delightful baked goat cheese one night for certain.

Of course, while Monkey is toiling away in her lawyery manner each day I plan to get some work done on my dissertation. I've got a chapter to revise and a draft of my cover letter for jobs to get through while I'm there. At the same time, however, I'm hoping to spend some time on my novel(s).

That's right, I'm sure you all thought my creative brain powers were off skulking in some corner ne'er to return. Sometimes I *almost* wish that were the case. In fact, it has been quite the opposite. My inner would-be author has been laying a number of fictional eggs in a well-protected mental nest. I've taken to carrying around a little black book to jot down ideas in because I'm just brimming with material. Honestly folks, I have outlines and notes for about seven different projects apart from the series I'm already working on. It's exciting but also a tad overwhelming, especially since my inner would-be author wants to write fiction when I know I need to be writing my dissertation.

We've been battling it out rather ferociously of late, and I've managed to momentarily satisfy my evil twin for the moment with my little book of notes. Just getting out those ideas on paper has assuaged her, but I don't know for how long. It's incredibly frustrating because I enjoy my research and I know I need to get it done so I can find a job that actually pays and has benefits, but at the same time the other half of me wants to be a full-time author. Perhaps that will be in the cards somewhere later down the road, but I need financial security first!

I have made some excellent headway on revisions for novel #1. I've actually made some significant changes to the plot and I've been editing for overall readability, fleshing out characters, and tying up loose ends. I think it's going to be a much better end product once I'm done, and believe me, I will be sending out email attachments to all my pals who volunteered to read and give me feedback. You guys rock! :)

Sadly, in the meantime, novel #2 has not progressed. I wanted to finish up changes on #1 before going any further with #2, lest I have to totally cut out things that will no longer work. But I promise, once #1 is revised I will be returning to #2 (especially as those of you who read the first raw version of #1 were already psyched for the sequel, bless your hearts).

So, the blog will undoubtedly remain silent until I return toward the end of this month. Until then, peace out! And let us hope my muse and I shall be able to co-exist and write together in harmony over this vacation.