I am just under a week returned from my “vacation”. It was too short, really, to consider it as such, but I got out of my daily element, out of the area–out of my comfort zone.  A pretty good balance of good and bad on both of those. I turned over rocks and opened doors on my past and got everything I had expected (well, sort of), and though nothing is resolved, some of those are a little closer to being put to rest. This is really vague, I know. Just, please, go with it.

I have finished all editing for The Doll Collection: Volume One, and it has gone through one editor so far. Five stories left to get back from my second editor. Also, sketches have been done for 4 of the 5 commissioned stories. I believe my artist said she’d take the entire project. Once again, I’m over the moon about having her art in this book! So far what I’ve seen is just utterly beautiful!

I now have five new story ideas for The Doll Collection: Volume Two. I’m not at all surprised that these have continued to come. I think there would probably be even more if I wasn’t putting up some mental shields. I hate doing that, but five??? Already???? I have, since finishing Vol. 1, picked up Darling Orphan again and added a total of about 2 pages to it. Certainly not enough to get it finished (but closer). At a glance, the book is at least 2/3 done, so that is encouraging. I’ve had the tiniest of contact with Leo Pittman’s muse in the past 12 hours, so that may be of help. Muses have no idea how powerful or influential they are and can be! In some cases, that’s a good thing. In this case…. well. He sparked a boost to help me finish The Quad a few years ago, so perhaps if I let him… I think one little bit of hold up with finishing D.O. can be attributed to the muse of a new character–or lack thereof for said character. I can’t see this gentleman’s face and barely his movements, or hear his voice. That makes a difference in whether scenes can get written, especially when dialogue is involved. Lucy Stewart has a few interactions with him so it’s crucial to have these bits in place. There is a lot that will build off of those, even when he’s not present. It is one of the factors that is making Swiss cheese of this book right now.

I’m about a half hour from heading off to an antiques flea market in Gettysburg–if I don’t find inspiration for the above mentioned gentleman there, then I am confident that there will be some for TDC: V2. Either way, I’m writing, and that is bliss for my soul.