Caterwauling

And all through Chez Dawn
The Apple G4 hummed expectantly
Yet the author’s mental state was gone.

As she updated her profile
Panic set in
Because she has no fucking idea
How her novel will begin.

Bestow unto me, my beloved Muse, the opening line that will incite a torrent of brilliant (and even not-so-clever) literature.

The pressure’s on — the clock starts ticking tomorrow. I’ve been thinking about my characters for days. Hell, I’ve been thinking about them for years. I’ve fallen in love with a secondary character and damn near lost interest in a primary one.

I know in two weeks, I will hate them all. But right now, they are my babies, the many facets of my personality, my lovers and friends and enemies, all rolled into words.

And that’s what this is all about — words. Thoughts. Sentiments. Longing. Desire. Vitriol. Love. Passion. Anything but indifference. Losing myself in my fantasies and nightmares and the things I never daresay aloud.

Writing to process the past, ponder the present, plan the potential occurrences that I’d love to happen in my very own life. Allowing them to happen to my heroine. Letting her ache and triumph and live in ways I wish I could. Transferring my myriad fears and my strength into a character the pages can barely contain. Becoming her, living as her for 30 whole days.

Should be easy — I’ve done it for 30 whole years. This month, I get to be who I was meant to be.

Muse, give me strength.

More crap about me. Oh the joy you must be experiencing. 😉

1. What’s for breakfast today?
A cup of coffee and a cookie.

2. When is the last time you left your state/country?
I leave the state every day to go to work. Sounds more glamorous than it really is. lol. I’m actually going to traverse a few states this weekend. It’s weird — when you live in the metro D.C. area, you’re crossing state lines several times a day (*yawn*). But when I lived outside of this area, it was such a wondrous odyssey (i.e., a PRODUCTION) to leave your little hole in the world.

3. When is the last time you lied to someone?
I always lie and say I’m fine when I’m not. I squelch my emotions to the point of implosion. No wonder my blood pressure is a million over a thousand.

I don’t lie about anything else — I’m more than happy to share my verbal dysentery with anyone who will listen.

4. If you celebrate Christmas, what is the day typically like for you?
Cats ripping around the house, barfing up ribbons and shitting out bows.

5. Describe the last time you felt truly content.
I was watching some display of cinematic wonder with someone, with his arm around me and my head on his shoulder. I can’t even tell you what the movie was about. 😉

6. Would you rather stand upright for 7 days straight or lie flat on your back for 7 days?
Stand. Even at bars and restaurants and such, I prefer to stand than to sit. I’ve lain on my back for days at a time (after surgery) and it sucked.

7. What is your favorite fruit?
White peaches. They grill up beautifully on skewers full of chicken and peppers. 🙂

8. How many keys are on your keychain?
Six — two mailbox keys, two house keys, a car key and a key to the Club that I never use.

9. Brag about something.
I’m going to participate in NaNoWriMo tomorrow!

10. Ask me something.
What random act of beauty have you witnessed recently?