So this morning I'm being good - I'm taking a Pump class. That's one of those classes where a perfectly toned (much younger) woman takes you through a set of weight training exercises and says encouraging things like "I know you can do this..." and "come on, tighten your abs and lift that leg higher." Part of me is with the program - I'm old - I have to stay on top of the muscle thing. Left to it's own devices muscle tone simply fades away. But part of me is thinking about a work out pal named Marie who is also there for our little torture session. I owe Marie. When no one else was interested she read a draft of "Witch" and told me to keep on keeping on.
There we are, Marie and me, trying to keep our spirits and our triceps up and suddenly my mind leaves the room. I' m elsewhere and elsewhere is the second book, "The Hounds of God." Why am I there and - more to the point why is Marie there - Marie at age 17. In the book she's not (of course) from Pittsburgh. This Marie is French. She's like my friend Marie but young, Parisian, and falling for one of my characters - the one who I thought might become a priest. A whole plot point unfolds in about 6 minutes and I am doing none of the work (well, I am lifting the damn weights) but it's Edric and Marie who are telling me the story. They are suddenly alive and insistent and actually - they're right. She belongs in the book.
Where does this stuff come from? I thought I had all the characters worked out - and certainly most of the twists and turns the story needs. But Marie and the tale itself are hard to ignore - so once again it's going to be different that I had planned.
Does this happen to you?
There we are, Marie and me, trying to keep our spirits and our triceps up and suddenly my mind leaves the room. I' m elsewhere and elsewhere is the second book, "The Hounds of God." Why am I there and - more to the point why is Marie there - Marie at age 17. In the book she's not (of course) from Pittsburgh. This Marie is French. She's like my friend Marie but young, Parisian, and falling for one of my characters - the one who I thought might become a priest. A whole plot point unfolds in about 6 minutes and I am doing none of the work (well, I am lifting the damn weights) but it's Edric and Marie who are telling me the story. They are suddenly alive and insistent and actually - they're right. She belongs in the book.
Where does this stuff come from? I thought I had all the characters worked out - and certainly most of the twists and turns the story needs. But Marie and the tale itself are hard to ignore - so once again it's going to be different that I had planned.
Does this happen to you?