Colorful rockstar - This is for you Jenny

I read somewhere that when ever you have the opportunity to travel if you are a writer, seize this chance and use it, as it serves to feed the writers mind and creativity. As I am driving to Washington DC for vacation ( I now have a pen everywhere I go and a notebook of some sort) I find myself doodling words about the way the sky looks. I could not help it, we were driving past the Tapenzee bridge in New York and I wished we could have stopped to take a picture. It was dusk and the sun was a pale pink , the sky was was like a striped Blue Raspberry and Cotton Candy Icee it was so pretty. The song colorful came on and I just melted, there seemed to be such harmony. I had to write it down and several adjectives, just to describe the sky. Who knows when you may need to remember that scene? I feel as if I need to capture everything, in case I may need to use it when writing? Is that the same for any one else?

It has been two weeks since I last really worked on my novel, that's my confession. I admit I have felt quite bereft. Also, a tiny bit scared that I will never be able to pick up where I left off, or indeed ever finish it, or be able to think of anything else to write. After writing a short story a couple of weeks ago, I proved to myself somewhat, that I am capable of other ideas but even so. This week as I was on holiday from my novel, The Promise, I did have two further ideas that gave me a wonderful thrill. Firstly maybe another short story taken out of the novel called Sundara, telling the tale of Robert and Mia, before they go on their time travelling quest, looking at their life in this marvelous place in the future and the constraints it places on them. Then, I had a completely off the block idea about a serious topic of adolescent bullying, the ramifications and consequences, for the victim and the bully. Told from the view of the victim, who after committing suicide comes back to haunt the bully. Her mission is to get the bully to confront her treatment of others and make changes for the better, then she can enter heaven??? Not sure if this is a completely ludicrous idea?

So, I have started a notebook particularly dedicated to write down ideas for stories. When my oldest son was in High school I began to think there were so many important issues that  adolescents face and go through.It can be a heart wrenching experience, full of first's. High's and low's. I longed at the time  to write a serious young adult novel. So this is all research for the time when I feel I can tackle such a deep topic with skill, sensitivity and warmth. And after a lot of research and insight!


Anyway, will try to start some rewriting this week. However, and I dont know if this is the case for anyone else but if I know I have something else in my diary to do, I feel I cannot settle to write. Tomorrow is a big ?? as I am either in school volunteering or home looking after my little one, who was home sick today. Will see what the night brings. So possibly I can start again, Wednesday ? After meeting with my consult who is a lovely lady, very inspiring and talented, I am thinking I need to retitle my write up about my blog, taking out the fixed goal of a year, as I am pretty sure it is going to take me longer to finish the novel, maybe longer than I ever imagined, but I will endeavour. Thank you .

Good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you; the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse, and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. -Ernest Hemingway