I think I've Blown My Timeline

Well, it's the Eve of April (not to be confused with the Ides of March) and all the projects I'd hoped to have done by now are still, for the most part, languishing on my desk. As I open the files to work on those projects left behind by when other ones have turned my head and peaked my interest, I realize why I let them go: I was really and truly stuck.

The computer screen is in constant mock-mode. I swear I hear it laughing behind my back. I sit down to work, open a file and nothing comes to me. Could I be burned out? I have been pushing myself awfully hard the past few months...hell, the past year or two. Granted, I have been writing fresh stories to submit to those special project anthologies at Samhain, so things did get pushed back, but so far I've only crossed off one item off my WIP's list. ONE!!! Since January 1st. - (Refer back to sentence before that...I have worked on more than one thing since Jan. but I had hoped to be farther along on the others.)

Currently, I'm working on that erotic romance for Trisk's Fever line. The title used to be A Cold Day in Hell, but I changed it to Hot Days in Heaven. The premise has a fallen angel squaring off against a minor demon. So, far haven't gotten to much of the demon part. Have to figure out how to work that in without revealing which side of the fence the hero comes down on. Is he the fallen angel or the demon? The heroine is caught somewhere between them, though she doesn't realize that yet. You see, like the story of Job where God and the Devil make a wager on Job's soul, this minor demon and fallen angel make a wager on the heroine's heart. But I've switched rolls between who is demon and who is fallen. I thought it might make it a little more interesting...and therein lies the problem. This is definately going to be a story that I have to do a very loose rough draft in order to go back and fill in the plot holes. Or as I call them sign posts.

I'm still trying to work on the sequel to Immorati. Though I have a good working outline for Corpesetti, it isn't flowing as well as Immorati did. I think the problem may be that I've got the heroine injured during her first appearance in the book. Now, she has to get back up to speed in order to be productive. Which is the chapter I'm on now. I know what is supposed to happen next, but I want her to be more proactive. Not a standby character who things happen to, but she doesn't make things happen for her. An important distinction while writing a heroine. No wishy-washy females in my stories. I've always been a pretty straightforward person, so I like my heroines to have that quality as well. Fine if they begin a tale a little unsure or afraid and then bust out of their shells. That's just part of the character growth and progression, something a story arc needs anyways.

Then there are two contemporaries I really want to write: Love Thy Neighbor and Lessons From The Love Machine. LTN is more of a suspense with some quirky humor along the way. Very much a stalker story. LFTLM is another one with a blend of humor and suspense. Haven't really figured out exactly why the heroine is in danger in that one, only that she is. - However, I promised myself I would finish at least five other novels before I write LFTLM. I've already started LTN and have the outline complete, so if I slip it in there before some of the others, no big deal.

And here I sit, writing on my blog when I could have a file open, working on something that will pay me, or sleeping since I have to work tonight.

Ahhhh, the writing life. Never a dull moment. And so like Lady Godiva pictured above, I trudged nakedly through the mire of prose hoping I'll write something in the next few days that will actually be worthy enough to have someone look at it.

-Kat