Musing on Muses

I think my Muse hates me.

Seriously. Hates. Me.

Here I was, for three glorious weeks, child free. The kids were camping with my parentals and I had the entire house to myself¦ oh, and my husband. There was no arguing over bath time or bedtime or inappropriate cartoons or “he touched me!”. Nothing but blissful sibling free silence.

So you’d think that I would have capitalized on that quiet time and done a ton of writing and editing, right? I could sit in front of the computer after the SU (that’s Spousal Unit) goes to bed and just¦ write. And considering my husband has to get up at 4:30am and goes to bed early¦ that’s a lot of time to write.

Yet, for the entire three weeks¦ my muse deserted me. Left me high and dry, without a creative thought to find its way from my cerebellum to my fingers and onto the word document. I kept opening up the next manuscript, and I have a good idea of what needs to be done on it, but¦ my muse was on a vacation. Probably sunning herself on a beach in Mexico sipping a cocktail with a pink umbrella in it, served to her by a tanned Adonis.

It’s not like I sat like a bump on a log, mind you. I read some great books and had actual conversations with my husband. Leakycon Registration went live during this period of time, so I was busy right before that with all the communications stuff that goes along with such an event. I started my Quest Scrapbook and it’s AWESOME. I did the page for Oracle, Relic and Barrier Quest. I also did one on how Quest came about. Fun stuff, and I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. Oh, and I got the mumps. Yeah, go figure. Mumps at forty +. I do take being a kid at heart seriously, I guess. So I was busy.

But¦ no writing! None! Nada! Zilch!

Then last week, my kids come back, and it’s down to the same grind again. Drama camp every day (Hairspray, and my son is THRILLED to have several solos as Corny Collins, and my daughter is the first solo in “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” Go us!), work, and getting ready for school to start. Oh, and LeakyCon is moving along at a brisk pace (*Makes note to self: Post the deets on where Leaky Folks will be during the conference tomorrow!*). And I just got back the proof of Wizard Quest, Book 6 of the Quest Series, so I have to read it over for any last minute typos. Of which, I am sure, there will be legions. Then there’s the little matter of Terminus in, oh, 10 days. ACK!

And wouldn’t you know it? My Muse has picked today to say “Hey, Lisa, I think we should do this and that and how about a whatsit for Seer Quest. Oh, and let’s not forget we need to add in that dream sequence. Oh, and make a note to ask Alex Carpenter if it’s ok if the main character likes his band. And¦ yeah, we need to be writing, sister. Like, NOW!”

ARGH. I’m sure she’s laughing at me somewhere in the depths of my brain. Wallowing in my dilemma as I fight to figure out how to mush this creative burst into the next few days in a way that won’t burn me out or make me nutters. She knows me well, and knows that I thrive on the pressure. Balance be hanged, I can hear her saying as she dances over the gray matter, her diaphanous gown billowing behind her. Balance be hanged, let’s write!

Sigh.

So, I guess, after I answer the questions in the LeakyCon forum, and after I tuck in the kids, and after I force myself to read at least four chapters of the proof¦. I guess¦ I’ll be letting my Muse out to play. It’s time to crank up the Enya and Sara Barielles (totally different styles of music, but they speak to the work that is Seer Quest. You’ll understand once you read it) and boogie down with Lizzie Keeper, Librarian for the New York State Public Library System¦ and reluctant Seer. Who, apparently, is getting a dream sequence, if my Muse is to be believed. And I have learned one thing in my writing career¦ trust your Muse.

Even if she does have inconvenient timing.

My next blog is gonna be about my Vlogging Buddies from Room 3428. I want to intro you to them, through my eyes. I think you’ll like what you see.

Much love…. Lisa