Suspense in the Paranormal

by Rita Herron

I’ve been writing romantic suspense for years, both category romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue, and romantic suspense books for HQN. As my love of heart pounding mystery/suspense grew, so did my infatuation with the paranormal.

Slowly I began sprinkling paranormal elements into my stories – a ghost, a psychic, a firestarter, a character with telepathy.

So when I first contemplated writing a paranormal series, I asked myself: how could it be different from the numerous paranormal romances out there?

The answer was easy. It had to be a suspense thriller!

The crime fighters, cops, FBI agents, and detectives that I usually write about and love would not only be solving horrific crimes and saving innocents but the villains would be demons. The crimes could also be unique to the type of demon in the story. And the plots could be even more twisted and layered!

In the first book in the series, Insatiable Desire, I introduce Pan, the god of fear. With one touch, he knows a person’s fear and uses it to kill the person.

In Dark Hunger, the Death Angel sweeps in to take innocent’s lives and claims that death is inevitable, posing the question: Can death be stopped?

But I also wanted to add another complication – I wanted the heroes in the story to not only fight evil, but to be evil.

Okay, that presented a challenge. If the heroes were completely evil, how could I have my heroine fall in love with them? How could they actually be heroes?

The character of Cole Turner in Charmed came to mind, and I had my solution. My heroes were going to be part demonic, born from a descendant of Satan. But they had to possess

some good, and that good would come from their mother, an Angel of Light.

Naturally, the parents had been forbidden to marry, but the Angel thought she could save the soul of her lover, and she did for a while. But eventually she failed and Zion completely succumbed to evil.

That realization brought another element of conflict to my series. Would my heroes fail as their father did and follow the darkness? Could the love of the heroines save them?

****

Do you think the love of a good woman can save a man? What paranormal elements would you like to see that you haven’t seen in a story?

Leave a comment or question for Rita today and be entered in a contest for a copy of Rita’s first book in The Demonborn Series: Insatiable Desire. But don’t stop there! There’s a second contest for today’s readers.

Visit Rita at her website www.ritaherron.com and sign up for her newsletter to be entered in a contest to a copy of both books in The Demonborn Series: Insatiable Desire and Dark Hunger. And, by singing up for Rita’s newsletter, you will also be automatically entered in Rita’s regular monthly contests. You can also find extras on the Demonborn series at www.thedemonborn.com. And visit Rita on Facebook, Myspace.com/ritaherron, and Twitter.com/ritaherron!

Welcome, Rita Herron!

Multi-published, award-winning author Rita Herron cut her teeth on mystery books and television shows like Alfred Hitchcock, The Outer Limits and the Twilight Zone. More recently, she’s added Medium, The Ghost Whisperer, and Dead Zone to her list of favorites.

She currently writes paranormal romantic suspense for Grand Central Publishing and category romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue.

With her new series THE DEMONBORN, she blends her love of dark, steamy romantic suspense stories with her other love -- the paranormal.

Set in the contemporary world, she explores the age-old battle of good versus evil, and that battle as it rages within each person. And of course, the ultimate question for the romantic – can love conquer all?

Just keep writing...

So, yesterday, I finished up a novella I'd been working on regarding demons. Of course, it still needs to be edited a few times, etc., but it's a pretty darn good feeling to know it's been knocked out. Now I can move on to other projects.

For the first time in several months, I think I'll start a novel that doesn't have anything to do with the paranormal. Gasp, right? Sometimes I need to go a different direction with my writing to stop from getting burned out on one genre. So, for a couple of months, I'll be doing the contemporary thing--until I get the hankering to go back to the paranormal :-)

Does anyone else switch gears and genres to keep your brain fresh?

Dun Dun... Dun Dun... Dun Dun Dun Dun.....

Suspense is something I have a lot of trouble with. As you may have noticed from my blogs, I like to say things in as few words as possible. I like to get the point across. Quickly and cleanly.

That's not to say I don't LIKE suspense. I love it! I love horror movies, the more suspenseful the better. I just can't seem to tap into that. So, consequently, every thing I write tends to the short story. I've never really had to draw something out. Suspense... A bit of a challenge for me.

Paranormal Suspense

A fine line exists between paranormal and suspense. Suspense is defined as anxiety or apprehension resulting from an uncertain or undecided mysterious outcome. In my opinion, it comes in differents kinds of forms. For instance, the paranormal lends a spooky element to suspense. Where will the ghost show next? Will it make itself visible? A tiny sliver of the moment before a werewolf springs to attack, or backs away? Definitely suspenseful.

But there are other ways to use suspense. In romance, their is tension and almost fear of love. I we look hard enough, we can find some element of suspense in just about every genre book. The moment before a dragon unleashes his fiery breath? A knight poised to strike a final blow? The hero and heroine in a romance novel just before their first kiss? That is the kind of 'edge of your seat' tension bound to keep readers reading.

You may say "Well, I can't write suspense." I think the best authors are masters of the art of suspense, some of them are just a little sneakier about sprinkling it through their work.

Beth

Keep the suspense

Suspense is a tough thing to master. It is certainly necessary for a mystery.

The paranormal, also, lends itself to a certain degree of suspense.

Just the unknown makes things a little suspenseful, doesn't it?

I certainly enjoy suspense. If I didn't, I don't think I'd read as veraciously as I do -- especially since most of what I read are mysteries. And I certainly wouldn't write mysteries if I didn't enjoy the suspense aspect.

So how do you combine the two? How can suspense and the paranormal work together?

I think there is a tendency to let the paranormal be the suspense, and that doesn't work so well for me. I need my suspense to have an element of realism. Well, it needs to have the realism that works in that particular "world." Authors must follow the rules of the world they create. Sorry, anything else doesn't work for me.

So if your characters always do A, they can't do B just for the suspense value. It doesn't work! But, if you need to add suspense to your novel, how do you do it? I'm a firm believer of letting characters determine their course of action -- to a certain point at any rate. (As long as the author knows where the characters should end up, that is... but that's a whole other topic!)

I have no tips on writing suspense (hence the crazy rambling this morning!), but I know it's important. I know it's needed to keep readers interested in the novel.

It's a trick I'm working on perfecting.

Blessings!

Nichole

Overcoming Inertia

I thought long and hard about what I’d talk about in this guest spot, and finally my husband suggested I talk about the life of a struggling writer and how you should never give up, so I apologize in advance for the length of this post.

My life as a writer started two and a half years ago when the real estate industry and I parted ways by way of a lay-off. Once the euphoria of being “free” wore off and the realization that I needed a new job set in, I did the job-hunting thing. No luck. No one was hiring in that field. So, six months later, and with my husband’s support, I decided to “get serious” about my writing. I’d scribbled down stories and books for years since the fifth grade and always wanted to be a writer. The only problem was, I didn’t have a clue. None. Being a writer is much more than dropping words on paper or banging them into a computer.

The first thing I did was enter what I considered a worthy first manuscript into a few RWA-sponsored contests. The mindset of an early writer is very naïve and pompous. I envisioned this book winning all sorts of awards and accolades, then I’d be set.

Fast forward a couple of months and the results of those contests came in, marked up in red, comments everywhere saying “nice voice but needs rewritten.” Finally, after many tears and coming to the realization I didn’t know everything, I bid goodbye to that book and finished another, determined to “show them.” Sometimes, criticism of one’s work is the best motivator. I joined a critique group and learned more stuff.

The second novel did much better. I’d learned a bit of the craft of writing, did some research on how to better my writing, etc. Never, ever think you know all there is to writing, because you don’t, know matter how many successes you have. This book actually finaled in contests. Confidence surged in.

I wrote another book, this one in a totally new genre I’d never attempted before: paranormal. It was the most fun novel I’d ever written to that point. Contest judges liked it and it finaled in four contests during the next year or so, but even though I’d had requests for partials and fulls on it, no one wanted to take it on, which is more disheartening that a flat, standard rejection because they’ve actually read the books. Depression set in during the fall of ’08.

I had no job, no money of my own, no book contracts. The only thing I had for my hard work was a pile of rejection letters. I kept sending my books out into the world, but the fun had been diminished. I turned my attention to writing short stories in an effort to keep writing, keep working on the craft. Fall in the Midwest inspires me like no other season and I knocked out a short in September, containing paranormal elements, but it was a trip to a local Penzey’s spice shop that truly inspired me. I penned another short, this time about magic and food.

They both went through the critique group with flying colors (after many revisions) so I shut my eyes and submitted them both to e-presses. Big time scary moment and I truly expected another rejection. In a few weeks, I’d gotten my first “revise and re-submit” letter from one of the publishers. So, I did, totally excited that someone thought so much of my writing they’d ask me to do this. A few days before Thanksgiving, I was offered my first contract from the other publisher, and I’m pleased to say FOODIE’S GUIDE TO KITCHEN MAGIC released from Lyrical Press in May of this year. The other short THE HAUNTING OF AMELIA PRITCHART will release in September of this year with The Wild Rose Press.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, those two books that did well on the contest circuit? Both will be published in the next year. NOT JUST MAKE BELIEVE comes out in December of this year with Desert Breeze Publishing and THE ART OF FANG SHUI will release in January of 2010 with Eirelander Publishing. Please see my website http://www.sandrasookoo for further details.

Long story short? Even though it seems sometimes that the road to publication is a long, dark, depressing journey, you can’t give up. No matter how many people say no, it only takes one yes to change your life and your perception. If you have the drive and determination and an active imagination, you will succeed, as long as you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and work hard for it. If you have the opportunity to snag a good critique partner, do it. They’re an invaluable help in the journey, and mine tells me when I’m not being honest with myself and pushes me to be more than I think I can be.

Am I perfect? Heck no! There’s still much to learn in this business and I still make mistakes in my writing which is where the critique group/partner thing comes in real handy. Am I successful? Depends on how you define the word, but in my mind, I’m having the time of my life and I can’t complain. I’ve signed numerous contracts and people are reading my work and enjoying it, so yeah, I think I’m a success. Maybe not like Nora Roberts or Mary Higgins Clark, but they had to start somewhere, too, right?

But the thing I’m most proud of? When someone asks me what I do, I say, “I’m an author.” And let me tell you, it’s the best feeling in the world. I can’t wait to see what comes next in my career. Writing rocks.

Smashing the Wall of Writer's Block...

Warning- another Harry Potter review (I promise I'll tie it all in. You'll see.)


Last Wednesday was the official release of the newest Harry Potter movie in my hometown. You might be asking yourself what the heck does that have to do with paranormal writing, alot. I'm a big fan of Harry. Along with my kids, we have read all the books, watched the movies, and yes (sigh) bought the t-shirt. So, after work, I cooked supper and then we all piled in the car and headed out to the Dixie Theatre (another historic place in Haleyville, AL).

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the book, major changes are in store for Harry. More sneak peeks into his parent's deaths, Dumbledore actually enlists his help in the hunt for horcruxes instead of shielding him as he had in the previous five books, and lastly but certainly not least, is Harry's new romance with Ginny Weasley. The intricate details and clues strewn throughout tie up loose ends from 1-5, as well as leaving a few strands for book seven.

The movie was something we had looked forward too, well, since the last one (Which left me hoping the directors would split Half-Blood into two movies, because so much was left out of Order of the Phoenix that unless you read the book, you left the theater a little lost.) Again, we were dissapointed. Don't get me wrong, the book is awesome, its just the inconsistencies as well as huge time gaps (aka. December then Spring with no bridge between) throughout the movie made it hard for you to keep up. This may have been equipment failure where we were, but instead of a seemless scene change, the cuts were so definent the flow was lost.

But...all the actors played their relative parts as though this was who they were. I cried with Hermione, wanted to smack Ron a time or two and awed at Dumbledore's fire dragon. I cheered Ginny on when she ran through the fire to save Harry. And here is what this has to do with writing.

I wondered, if this movie were all you read in the book, what would you have? How can I apply the faults I see on screen to my writing. I've begun to notice those cut scenes, lost words and time, and lack of the awesome, more easily in my older works. Such glaring errors take away the magic of the page. So, what smashes your writer's block? Walking away from the wip for a day. Learning from the creativity of others.

Beth

Walking makes writing easier

Sometimes being the "Monday Blogger" isn't all it's cracked up to be. I mean, if the four of us don't plan our topic ahead, Heather, Beth, and Sandra expect me to pick one. Talk about pressure.

Well, guess what? We forgot to pick a topic ahead of time.

And then I slept in this morning, so I couldn't even send a quick note to the gang to see if they had any ideas. Dang it!

As I went on my walk this morning (in an effort to procrastinate writing the blog), I tried to think of a topic to write about. I couldn't think of much.

That is until I realized that my morning walk really helped my writing. In the hour that I'm out, I have the opportunity to work out plot problems. I can figure out where my characters are going without that evil cursor blinking and mocking me.

Even though I am not a fitness nut and would rather read a book then walk to the mailbox, I'm starting to figure out that I need that time to be more productive. I need that physical movement to counteract the mental planning I have to do.

What about you? How do other authors clear their heads to plan the next scene? I'd love to know!

Blessings!

Nichole

The paranormal and me

Oddly enough, I've got nothing. Never met a ghost. Never had a run in with anything less than of this world. So why then do I love to write in the genre?

Maybe because I don't have a connection with that world. It's an outlet for my creativity and an opportunity to visit with ghosts and creatures I've always dreamed of but never met. Sometimes I try to put myself in that world and wonder how I would react if I met some of the characters in my books.

Unfortunately, I firmly believe I would probably not be as brave as the heroines in those books. But they're still great fun to write.

And I can always believe...

My Paranormal Life

So as we speak, my grandmother is throwing things at my husband. It wouldn't be so bad, but she's been dead for several years. And she throws things because she LIKES him, not because she doesn't. Grandma Jean has always been the most vocal of the 'ghosts' in my life. Her mother Gigi is usually with her, and is as soft spoken in her afterlife as she was in her life. I'm pretty sure that Jean's husband Jack has crossed over, or if he hasn't he just doesn't feel the need to come around. My other grandfather Herb is more the 'felt not seen' type of ghost. Though if you go to my parents house, you can still hear him working in his basement workshop almost every day.

And those are just the ghosts I'm related to (and oddly the only ones in the house). There are the spirits that live in my back yard, the ones in the side yard (they don't cross whatever invisible binderies they've drawn up), and then the ones I just see walking around.

Yeah, I lead a charmed life.


Heather

Eerie venues...

Places and objects often spark the feeling of something hidden from me, just out of my mental or spiritual reach. Having had numerous paranormal experiences in various houses in the south, I've wondered if its the grounds and places that are sensitive or am I the cause of the commotion.



If you've never heard of the Belle Mont Mansion, don't feel left out, alot of people drive by this stately home and never realize it still stands. For years I've wanted to go explore its empty rooms and hear stories of those who lived there, mainly because it is supposed to be haunted. Situated on a hill, just off the highway going to Florence, Belle Mont was rescued in the 80's and is under restoration after falling into disrepair and ruin. The kids and I were taking a short day trip to meet up with my little sister, we decided to see if it was open for tours.



This particular house has pulled me for years, even when I was a child just riding by with someone. I pulled my Oldsmobile into a gravel spot apparently used for parking. No lot and just two other cars there. The pull was stronger, this was as close to the mansion we had ever been. My son felt it too. He gets vibes sometimes. The cheerleader was convinced it was haunted, and refused in her peppy voice to get out of the car. My son (I'll call him "Wizard" here) and I walked around to the wooden front porch and debated whether to knock or just turn the handle. Still saw no one around, so I tugged gently on the aging door, nothing. Turning to go back to the car defeated, my eye caught the view from the porch for the first? time. In the 1830's there would have been no highway, but a dirt road cutting through the cotton fields (someone has planted corn there this year.) I kept thinking there were supposed to be more trees or something, weird.

Just as we were climbing back into the car, an older gentelman (the acting-curator) introduced himself, stating he was in the middle of a tour, but if we'd like to see the house we could join them and he would fill us in at the end of their tour on the beginning. So, Wizard, Cheerleader, Starlight(youngest daughter) and I met them in the courtyard. He began telling us about the slave quarters and various outdoor buildings, long since gone dilapidated and swallowed up by the surrounding forest. Wizard kept poking me in the arm saying (Mom, there was a barn there) before the guide actually told us.

We all made our way up the open staircase to the second floor sitting room, where another porch jutted out over the first one (palladian style). There we found the view I knew should exist. An eerie chill went through me as I turned a saw my girls looking out the big window across from the doors. For a moment they were little again, red and brown curls flowing down the backs of long dresses. I blinked and the moment was gone.

I awed at the circa 1800's French silk Fluer de lis wallpaper, rosewood trim, and a history of strangely familiar people. I got to see a first edition copy of Lady of the Lake (one of my favorites). Everything there was within reach, but respected enough to leave untouched. We were guests within history, instead of intruders looking through iron gates. Her worn floors still scuffed, plaster still peeling and cracked waiting to be gently restored, like an old woman someone finally remembered.

We didn't find any ghosts or ghouls, or maybe the ghosts were inside us. We found a blessed hour of peace spent with each other wandering through a time capsule. If you'd like to know more about Belle Mont, click here http://www.preserveala.org/bellemont.aspx?sm=g_c

Smile
Beth (who is anxiously awaiting the five oclock whistle. The kids and I are going to watch the new Harry Potter movie. YAY!)

Missing the paranormal

One of the main themes of this blog is, of course, the paranormal. We often discuss our thoughts on the topic or relate our own experiences.

This week won't be any different.

Historically, there has always been the paranormal. Without starting a debate over who really built the Egyptian pyramids and why, there had to be some inspiration that started the process. In the Victorian era, people even threw parties just to discuss the paranormal (then referred to as "occult," meaning "hidden knowledge").

In our more modern, "enlightened" times, we have gut feelings and women's intuition.

I'll admit that lately I've been too involved in the physical world to pay much attention to the spiritual one. And, yes, that seems to be wrecking havoc on my sense of balance. I haven't noticed the strange and wonderful goings-on around me. I haven't been as faithful in my personal meditation time as I should be.

Therefore, I haven't been experiencing the paranormal as strongly as ... well ... normal. Even though my life hasn't slowed done, though, I'm making more of an effort to look -- and listen -- for the paranormal. I know it's out there. Waiting for me to discover it!

Blessings!

Nichole

You named your main character what?

Names and titles are my downfall with writing. I always want my characters to have interesting names that haven't been done before, but that's not always possible.

I've found myself scrolling through lists of names on baby sites, which is funny because I don't have kids :-)

In my WIP, I wanted to name my heroine Belle after a friend who wanted a girl but has two boys. Then my CP told me I probably shouldn't thanks to Stephanie Meyer and the Twilight franchise. With much grumbling, I changed the name. Darn it. I'm okay with the change now, but it's irritating.

But sometimes, I give my characters run of the mill names. Like Jane. Only spelled differently :-) Depends on the mood of the book.

Of course, there's been times I've changed someone's name mid way through a book because it simply wasn't working.

Names are powerful and also elusive. If you've got a great one, I'd love to hear it!

The Name Game

The name shapes the person. My name is Heather. It means "evergreen". It's also a fragrant Scottish weed that grows and even thrives in the harshest conditions, even in places where other plants can't get a foothold in. And for anybody that knows me, they can tell you, I was very well named. The same holds true with characters.

Would you name your kick-ass hero Irving? Ever heard of a sex-pot called Mable? Mmmmmm, no.

My main character was once called Wanda. She was just a fuzzy outline of a real person, and the name was just something I picked out of the ether because I needed something to call her. But with the name Wanda, she didn't change. She didn't become clearer at all. In fact, it became harder and harder to get a hold on her.

So changed her name. And Olivia was born. She became almost instantly earthy, natural, and strong. She was suddenly in tune with nearly everything around her. It was as if she were able to listen to the earth herself.

So see. The name DOES say it all.

To quote the Bard yet again "What's in a name..."

Out of most of the Shakespearian phrases stuffed in my head through high school, that one always comes to mind first. (Strange, because I hated Romeo and Juliet, I loved MacBeth. ) Of course, Juliet was trying to make a point, but then when it comes to characters, I think a name can make or break your case.



Have you ever read a book with a rambo type guy named Harold or Bob? I haven't. Now they are just fine for regular folks, but macho, gun-toting, jungle survivalists? Sounds silly doesn't it? So where do you get the names for your characters, and more importantly, why do you name them what you do?



By now ya'll know I'm a little nutty so I don't mind saying I don't always choose their names, but are given them by ...(I have know idea where they come from initially. They just are.) When I must choose, I think of what I have planned for them throughout the story. What time and setting will it have? Then I research. Scotland 1800? English? Or maybe just what sort of person will they be and then I'll dig through online baby name databases and find something that I like.

The meaning of a name is important too, not just the sound or look of it. For instance my pen name Brynna (Sword -Scottish or Strong- Gaelic) Curry (dagger) I love swords and Curry is a family name and then there is Brianna (Strong sword) Roarke (Famous ruler or Ancient ruler adopted as clan name Gaelic). Kail is one I heard somewhere. The closest thing to it is (Fire- Gaelic) Moral to the er...name is choose well and do your homework. Unless you want to have a heroine lady ceo named Bambie fall for Harold the jungle guy.

Beth

A rose by any other name....

There's a shirt I've heard of. It says something like "Careful, or I'll put you in my novel." That would make naming characters so much easier!

I have a lousy time trying to name characters. Come to think of it, I had a tough time trying to name my dog. And my cat. And my business. And my child. I'm a big fan of "nicknames," so that was important when naming my child. She needed a name that could be formal if necessary, but informal as well. And her first and middle names had to flow.

Think about it. Names are important. I could always tell when I was in trouble. My mother used my first, middle, and last names. Usually in a highly exasperated tone.

My dad once got in deep "doggie-doo-doo" because of the name of his escape artist dog. Jailbait, the dog, managed to break free of our back yard and find some teenage girls to pet him. Imagine my dad's face when he realized he had just screamed "Come here, Jailbait!" into a crowd like that! The dog's name was soon changed to "Trouble."

Character names are the same. Some characters are "passing through" the novel -- the neighbors of the murder victim, or the check out girl at the grocery store. I don't put the time and energy into those names that I do into the name of re-occurring characters. The name of my main character's father, for example, is important because it would have helped shape my main character. That would have been the last name she grew up with. Where was she in the alphabet? How did that effect her? Did it even matter?

So I research. I find what the names mean. Where did the name originate? How common is it? Does the name and all nicknames associated with it fit my character?

Does it always work? No. I'm honestly not sure I like the name I've given to my FBI agent character. But it's his now and he is starting to fit into it.

Blessings!

Nichole (meaning: victorious people)

Persistence--Can't Write Without It

This was a blog post I did yesterday on a different site that had good feedback so I thought I'd post it today here so other people could read it too.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race” -- Calvin Coolidge quote

This week has been unusually hectic for me as a writer, and unusually stressful. Last Thursday, an idea for a short story gripped me. I stopped production on my WIP in order to deal with the surge of new words and wrote 20,000 words in three days to complete the short. Writing isn’t the stressful part—unless, of course, the words don’t come and a brick wall looms.

A few…well let’s call them opportunities have arisen this week in regards to my writing. Not really problems, exactly, so that’s why they’re opportunities. If the worst happens, then it’s a great opportunity to try something else. Hopefully, I’ll know soon. Another stumbling block? Got a rejection letter for a book I submitted. Not even a personal one. Just a form letter. Sorry, you’re not what we’re looking for. Did it hurt? Not so much anymore. I’m like, okay, whatever, moving on. It’s more of an annoyance than anything. But you can’t let grass grow under your feet or else nothing will get done.

“The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.” -- James Whitcomb Riley

What’s my point on this Hump Day morning? Persistence. It’s a writer’s best friend. Despite writing like a madwoman this week, receiving a rejection, hitting the mud puddle, temporarily stalling on the WIP, preparing a couple of manuscripts for submission, writing out blogs and interview questions, then resuming work on the WIP, I had keep writing. It’s the common denominator that pulls everything in my life together and keeps me grounded. Oh sure, this week I mopped the kitchen floor, vacuumed, emptied the stupid dishwasher too many times and laundry looms, I still try to fit time in to write.

But at least I got a decent haircut this month. Score one for me!

“I suppose my formula might be: dream, diversify, and never miss an angle.” – Walt Disney

So, it’s time for a deep breath and time to buckle down and Get Stuff Done.

Closing statement? Don’t give up. Ever. No matter what.

Thanks for reading and I dare you to write today!

Why Can't I Use All 24 Hours In the Day?

Seriously, why not? There are 24 hours in the day, why can't I use them? And I'm not talking about this namby-pamby sleep business, I mean actual USE of the hours. More time to create, to work, even to clean. But no. We get bogged down in sleep and rest, and never fully realize our 24 hour potential.

I'll admit, I'm worst than most right now on the sleeping/resting front. I never realized how EXHAUSTED being pregnant made you!! (one of the many 'pregnant lady conspiracies' that no one tells you till you are already knocked up) Needless to say I haven't worked on word one since coming back from our vacation (and yes, sometimes what happens in Vegas, doesn't stay in Vegas).

That's not to say that I haven't thought about writing. I always do. I still cary my notebook with me everywhere in case a stray idea forms out of the ether. It's just that nothing has made it onto the page.

I think I'm one of the few mommy-to-be's that HOPES to get bedrest, so she can get something accomplished.