I wanna write like that ...

That question of why we do this crops up yet again. Billy is obviously enjoying his book. My goal is to write a book that a reader won't be able to put down. I've been told I can do that. I've also been told I can twist a plot like a pretzel. High accolades, and my head swells just thinking about praise like that.

But it's hard work. It takes time. Perseverance. Perhaps, at times, a little bit of psychotic frenzy (hence my quote from yesterday). I hear tell that one lovely writer I know locks herself in a room for six weeks and does nothing but write until the book is finished. I can lose track of time when I'm writing, but since I don't have the ... we'll call it luxury ... of not having other obligations pressing upon me, like the J-O-B that I actually get paid for, and a house full of people who like me to cook every so often, I've never had the glorious experience (and it most certainly must be glorious) of shutting out the world for extended stretches of time. The longest I think I've ever gone is a day (one of my "weekend" days off, of course). Hours, I can do. Weeks? Oh, if only ...

As we were settling in last night, the WGH was setting his alarm and asked me what time I needed to get up this morning. With a lovely feeling of total freedom I said, "I don't!" Actually, what I said was I'll let McCartney wake me up. Which he did, at six a.m. I'm starting to fudge with him a little - going downstairs and getting him calmed down before trudging back up to bed - because he's waking up before the sun, and I refuse to put him outside in the dark. The good thing about the dog waking up early is that I'm not so tempted to go back to bed and lose half my day. This morning I cheated a little. I've been feeling a bit run down the past couple days, and today seemed a good day to get in a bit of extra rest. Of course, I'm up and going and it's only 8:30. Little Bit just dragged herself upstairs, looked at me through sleepy, half-open eyes and said, "You've got to be a morning person."

Yes, baby, I am. The earlier I get started, the more I get done.

Off to revamp the to-do list yet again ...

Read a book. It's good for you.

=) JB