When I wrote LEGACY, it was pretty much a solo project. I did a lot of mulling things over, typing, deleting, retyping... You get the drift. It was a long, and at times painful, process to go from the foggy idea stage to actually putting something down on paper. Or the screen as it were. This time is an entirely new ballgame, and it has been a blast.
I have partners in crime. No, not *literally*, but brainstorming buddies. Creative assistants. For instance, last night, after my 3 partners had read over yesterday's post, we all sat around and hashed out creative ideas. My two sons and husband are a riot to work with. Seriously. We have the Littlest Locust tossing out critter ideas, and cheering for Bill and Ted the gator brothers to have a more active role in the book disposing of bodies and scaring the crap out of tourists (he is on to something there,) to the Biggest Locust tossing out ideas for a bar and grill, and potential ideas to see who, how and why Julio was eliminated, and adding in a few extras to flesh out the entire story line. Now, add in the two Locusts together coming up with a character, her name, and the name for her business? Oh Lort y'all... those 2 had me in stitches. Seriously. Then toss in my husband, and .. well, let me just say this. IF I can keep this all straight and decipher my notes, this next project is going to be a great one.
So far, the names of the gators had them all giggling. One of them, and I don't remember which one, tossed out "Mom, it needs a big ass snake. Like a python or an anaconda." The other one poo-poo'd the idea, saying we need to focus on some grizzly death scenes. (While I sat there wondering just exactly what the hell this kid watches on his computer at times.)
All of us have had a giggle or ten sorting out characters, and building them from folks we have known over the years. When you toss in things like swamp tours, ghost activity, and eco tourists, along with a questionable campground, I can't see how it could be bad. As our resident ghost guru, Dear Husband had some great paranormal suggestions.
We all have our assignments now. All of us are going to capture some pictures to use in these posts, and we are all going to take notes through the day as inspiration strikes. My primary job? Hit the keyboard and let the story flow. Given the fact that I can smell the swamp, feel the humidity (no joke there, its almopst 10 at night and about 90% humidity out there right now,) hear the rumbles of the gators, the fish jumping, and faint conversations, I am hoping getting this project to flow will be much easier than LEGACY was. Having first rate helpers is making a tremendous difference. NOW the point of having a writing family/ community makes total sense to me. The great flow of ideas and energy last night left us all charged up, ready to do big things.
Since it IS so late at night (at least for me,) this is going to be a short post, wishing for good story lines to unfold in my head. I am just as excited to see who, why and how Julio was killed, if he was dumped out there to become gator food, who the crazy old lady is at the edge of the swamp who badgers tourists, who is Sam's buddy, and, well, ALL of it!
Hope you stick around for this ride.
Ever forward,
S~
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