pass

i keep meeting the characters in my book. and i don't mean basing characters off of people i've met, although of course, i'm doing that too, at least in small ways. no, i mean literally meeting people or getting something in my email about someone that very much resembles a character i've written about in my book. from an unusual animal breed to a person with the same name and personality traits as someone i've written about.

i'm not sure that really means anything, maybe it's a godwink. but it feels more like a hand on my shoulder.

i fell off my word-quota toward the end of last week with all the puppy-prep. shopping, reading, planning, obsessing - it's quite time consuming. then the weekend was spent pampering sweet mega and i'm just now getting caught up on my blogging, let alone thinking about my novel.

when i first fell behind on the quota, i started my typical self-criticism and guilt. (which, by the way, is not very conducive to creative writing.) and then, i decided to give myself a pass for the week.

cliche aside, it's not every day that i get a new puppy. in fact, i've never gotten a new puppy. never ever. and i wanted to enjoy every minute of the planning and these first few days and weeks with her. without guilt for not writing enough.

and i have.

and so when these small incidents have happened over the past few days, rather than feeling guilty about not being as immersed in my writing as i thought i might be at this time; i feel reassured. i feel comforted by the universe. as if i'm getting a pat on the back. a hand on my shoulder.

it's ok. your ideas are good. your characters are real. so real, in fact, here they are! tada!
and when you and mega are all settled in, your characters will be waiting for you to tell their story.
really they will.

i know that's true. her sweet warm body curled up under my arm, as it is now, is the most inspiration i could ask for.

d: patience with myself.
b: a week pass on guilt!
g: hand on my shoulder.. emails and calls and real people walking up out of my book..