Locked in? Yes, please.

Finished "The Morrigan" two days ago. Already 6000 words into the next, "Ace." 

Did I have to research a plethora of things that will be more important in book 4 but I need in book 3? Of course I did. 😑

I use MS OneNote Notebook, and it's my jam. Online notebook with each having its own set of sections or tabs. The further I write into this series, the more tabs I'm collecting on the side. Then I can copy tabs to paste into new works on the same series. Luckily, of course, this notebook is online. My handwriting is...eh...illegible for the most part. I blame my thoughts being way quicker than my hands. But with OneNote, I can type nearly to thought. Nearly. 😂

This is uber handy when I'm writing. Scenes unfold. I jot.

Ah, but as I was saying...research. I need my construction sisters to build seven studio apartments connected. I G'd how long it would take. What size the apartments would be. Permits and planning. ADUs. Did I need them to build a parking lot? Contracts out for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. Access rights. Easements. And other wonderful information I'll need a bit later on. 

Back to "Ace." 

LA calls him "acehole" which pretty much sums it up. Excessive ego on this one. Takes no one at face value. And he can't be taken as such, either. Gives nothing to LA about himself. She has to unearth who this deity is and why he darkened her driveway. 

In the meantime, LA discovers more about her mother.

Good times.

Back at it today. Won't write much as the OKC Thunder play the Cavaliers at noon. Then we're off to celebrate my birthday with an early dinner. That will wear my little ass smooth out. 

Murphentology is killing his litter box, and the rest of us with it. Changing his food to see if that helps. Poops are solid, but sweet baby Jesus...they are life-threatening. 

He was tagged, vaccinated, and fixed when I adopted him. Was going to wait until around his birthday to take him to our vet, but maybe I won't wait.

  

The Morrigan

I've a thing for badass deities. I'm kind of off the Greek and Roman regulars, but I'm always open to find ones I've not discovered before.

Did my ancestry DNA thing. I'm 25% Scottish. That makes sense to me. I'm drawn to visit Scotland. The highlands. The remains of castles from long ago. *swoon*

And Celtic deities?

Oh, but they are fascinating and as badass as they come.

Book 2 of "Plot Twist" is about the Morrigan and LA. And the Morrigan? Let me enlighten you. 

The Morrigan:

The Morrígan is a powerful Celtic goddess of war, fate, and death, often appearing as a shapeshifting crow or raven to influence battles and foretell doom, but also connected to fertility, sovereignty, and the land. She embodies the wilder, darker aspects of nature and destiny, inspiring fear in enemies and courage in heroes, and her presence signals imminent death, famously seen washing bloody armor. 

Often called the Triple Goddess or Phantom Queen. The Morrigan is comprised of a trio of individuals, all sisters. They can, however, each assume the mantle of the Morrigan. 

I didn't necessarily know where I wanted to go in Book 2, after Plot Twist. I already knew the main characters in Book 4, because of course I did. But 2? I'd actually put a small epilogue in Book 1 which alluded to another deity completely.

But then, as I typed the ending, and left a trail of bread crumbs for Book 2, I literally bypassed my first option and boldly typed in "The Morrigan". This book, like book 1, basically wrote itself. I've finished the two books in two months. And I've researched who will be in book 3. 

It's easy to stick to Greek and Roman with mythological retellings, but it's not fair to the reader or other cultures. We are a world. We are not only a couple of pieces.

Having said that, I nearly put Anansi as the main character of Book 3. 

Now. I watched "American Gods" for the first two seasons maybe? I watched until they killed Mad Sweeney, and then I flipped off the television (in two different ways) and never watched another episode. (Do NOT kill animals or a main character I love.)

But I digress.

Orlando Jones played Anansi. He was completely magnetic. And his charm? Oh, but he oozed it. But Anansi is too big a character for my book. I like the minor deities, for the most part. While there is sometimes a bit of source material, I can give the character a backstory of my choosing.

OH! The POWAH!

So...I searched for a minor deity with the characteristics I needed. There will ALWAYS be one. Just means you may have to dive a bit deeper.

Because all of these characters bring something out in LA that she's pushed aside or purposely hidden. And she brings something out in them they need.

Literary symbiosis.

Whew. I went off, didn't I? 😁  

I have no "calm your shit down" button. I simply escalate and go forth until it wears me out. 

But I'll wind this down by saying there are perfect pieces to fit into your works. If one fits in three out of four needs, there will be another that hits the four out of four. Keep going. 

This is the Morrigan on top my desk because I love this bitch.

In a mood

Anyone want to start with a Gregorian chant this morning? Just me? Cool. 

Or...because I saw the iconic living room in a picture on FB...the "Three's Company" theme song?

There's always a soundtrack in my head. I have no "skip" option, which is complete bullshit. On loop?

Suuuuuuurrrrreeeee...these few lines in the Gracie Abrams song:

What'd she do to get you off? (Uh-huh)

Taking down her hair like, oh, my God

Taking off your shirt, I did that once

Or twice, uh

No, I know, I know I'll fuck off (uh-huh)

But I think I like her, she's so fun

Wait, I think I hate her, I'm not that evolved

I'm sorry she's missing it, sad, sad boy

Not my business, but I had to warn ya

*****************************

Maybe not as catchy as "Call Me, Maybe", but thank the Lordt for that.

Switching gears...it can be incredibly painful to be an author. 

I've queries out and about to agents for "Plot Twist." Though I'm thinking of changing the working title to "Broken Discus" for reasons.

I'm sticking to my guns about PT being a wider-published title. I'm nearly done with book 2, "The Morrigan."

And I'm completely in love with the characters.

I'd always wondered how Nora (J.D.) kept track of multi-characters and their respective quirks. The machinery in the squad office. Roarke's secret office. Peabody and her idiosyncrasies. 

Now?

I've a town full of characters I truly enjoy. Nax, the petite baker with a gift for baking and lending an ear. Rhapso, the town's clothier that is both bubbly and pushy. Jason, owns the hardware store and is my protagonist's archenemy. Spice seller sisters, Marta and Nona. Complete opposites. Marta is calm and collected. Nona could make a person want to separate their ears from their bodies. The Gordon sisters, owners of Ashlar Gallery, specializing in stone and masonry. Chloris runs the farmer's market. And Mayor Saint aka Mayor McFuckFace to most of his constituents, also for reasons.

But my heart stays with LA Bennett, my lead. Damaged. Determined. Driven. 

Finding her path amongst a traumatic childhood and an even worse adulthood after her mother passes when LA is nearly eighteen.

Did I mention deities galore?

😁

Radegast. Zephyr. The Morrigan. Brigid. Macaria. Tsukuomi. Seshat. Hedjhotep. Idunn. Annapurna. Budi. 

*sigh*

Man, I love this shit.

Now, an amusing story courtesy of my idiotic ginger child, Murphy.

I'm typing this at my desk, of course, in the Sanctuary. The Murphinator brings some of his toys in here to play. My walls are full from the floor up, but I've carved a large square in the middle.

I put down some Amazon stuffing paper (the brown thin business) because Sim loved the way it sounded. Murphy does, too. Then there's the skin of a furry hedgehog that our Chihuahua baby, Harley, disemboweled before he passed. Also, crinkles. Also, lamb chops. Also...I think there's a fucking wand in here somewhere.

Murphy? Not only does he like attention, he wants to be in the same apparel I've donned. I let him camp out with me in my rocker recliner when I've finished for the day. So, this little shit is batting around one of his crinkles (highly recommend) and bats it between my feet where I'm sitting. I kick it back beneath my chair to the carpet. Then Might Murphin Power Ranger bats it around again.

I hear him on the left side of my chair, under my desk. 

(I'm evil. You know that, right?)

So I raise my left foot up, bring it back down, and I hear a small feline cranium hit the bottom of my desk.

I lost capacity to see, hear, and breathe. I was wheezing like Po taking the stairs in Kung Fu Panda. 

Where did the little heathen land it?

By the front left wheel of my desk chair. 

*looks down and sees supine feline*

I love him so much.

Now that I've ironed my mood out a bit, think I'll bop back to "The Morrigan" and finish her up today.

Have a great Friday!

I'm 54

No big deal, except yesterday I was 53. 

🥳😁

Murphy is my Valentine's Day/Birthday present. The little ginger shit.

This morning, I drove over to 7/11 and grabbed a couple Pepsi. Bit of a line for gas and whatnot. Finally got to me, and I motion to the young man behind me and tell the cashier I'm paying for his, too.

He asks if I'm sure. I'm like...yeah. It's my birthday; I'm feeling generous.

So the cashier rings me up, and this lovely young man grabs his drink, gives me a hug, and wishes me a happy birthday.

Best morning evah.

Other than that? Not doing much over here. Had some sort of mental plans that simply overstep my energy level. So. Back in the Sanctuary and working on some written loveliness and watching Murphenstine tear up his crinkles and lamb chop. 

Hope your day is fantastic!

Search engines

I use the big G. I've only now noticed the first hit uses AI. Didn't pay much attention before. I don't have a problem, per se, with AI being used as such. Should be its only use, imo.

Yesterday, I only wrote a few thousand words. I needed to do research. Cool beans. The coolest beans.

I had two interesting searches. Allow me to share.

I am digging deep and finding names that are unusual. I need to know how to pronounce them. Because I don't want to get it wrong. That would be awful. It's important to me. Names...are important.

okay

I have a name with the "h" in an odd place. So I type in the word, and my page is filled with information about this fetish.

I beg your finest pardon. 

Fetish?

Turns out, the name I'm using means "muscle", and that led me to a literal "muscle fetish."

I'm jaded in some ways and so naive in others.

It was hilarious.

Then, I need to pronounce another name, an archaic one. I type in the name and "pron" because I've done this so many times, it usually auto fills "pronunciation". More frosty beans.

I thought it had until my searches came back with adult materials because stupid AI thought I spelled p*rn wrong. 🙄 

Now I'm enlightened about another aspect of other people's lives. 

mercy

I also am redecorating a kitchen in my book and was all over G with searches for everything from color of paint, matching tiles, wet saw, crown molding and its numerous types, and doors, amongst other things. Took far longer than I wished. But it gives me a great starting point for tomorrow.

Today is recovering from yesterday's searches 😂 , cleaning around the house, and having Valentine's Day dinner with the Honey this evening.

Tomorrow?

Back to inappropriate searches and at least 7000 words on my novel.

Write what you know vs write what you love vs surprise me

I have thoughts. When don't I?

For a long time, the old creed for authors was "write what you know." But that's limiting in its context. 

It could mean to write about your passions and interests. Leverage your identity and use universal human experiences. 

Which is cool.

Write what you love. This also includes passions and interests. But it may be a bit limiting if you're only true loves are of ballet and basketball. (Great crossover romance, huh?) I feel as though this gives you rules you never asked for.

But is also viable.

Now.

Some of us use a starting point and then go wickedly wherever. There's so much I don't know. And so much I WANT to know. Example: In "Over Her Head", one of my protagonist's neighbors keeps retired horses. And here goes me...looking up horse breeds and common early retirement issues. Treatments used on horses that shouldn't have been. What type of temperament for each breed. I do a deep dive, and I fucking love it.

Bring your emotional depth, of course, but authors can use so much information to enrich their stories. 

I've looked up types of flowers, knives, scorpions, medieval weapons, horses, furniture, houses, barns, ancient deities, book shelves, Christian Siriano Spring 2026 fashion for men, types of fabrics, expensive cars, and so much damn more I don't have the word space to continue.

And I take at least one piece with me as I go. 

It's euphoric. Quick kick of dopamine that feeds this sporadic ADHD brain with all the factoids I can fact.

I don't always know where I'm going (contrary to the "Whitesnake" song), but I sure know where I've been. And it's a gift to be able to utilize so many parts of the world in one book. And I believe it deepens the narrative. 

How exciting to be a connoisseur of some niche subject and find it in a book you're reading! You can always do the grass is green, the sun is yellow, and there will be a happily-ever-after. 

But if you say the grass is a dark evergreen that smelled of earth and hope, then you've pushed a bit farther past the general greetings. You feel me?

It's the little things that make a good book. All the dynamic elements of genres have been laid out in fine print. Authors know the expectations. It's up to us to go farther and push harder. 

Now.

Let me clarify. 

Let's not dive into the minutiae. I don't need to know there is a ladybug on grass blade number three with 62 dots and a bad attitude. Unless, of course, that ladybug is germane to the story.  

You need to use a Kukri, not a machete. But you also don't need a scalpel to scrape all the meat off the bone. 

Fiction requires our readers to use their imaginations. We don't want to force feed them everything. And as a reader, I hate it.

There's your recipe, authors.

Write what you know.

Write what you love.

Start and surprise yourself.

Kukri

No machete

No scalpel

Seems so simple, doesn't it?

Step in Time

Hellooooooooo...what do we have here? Oh. Just the chorus to "Step in Time" from Mary Poppins that has been randomly playing in my head for about five days. Why? You ask. If you told me, then we'd both know. 😶

Reading certain words, loosely connected to lyrics, always sets me off.

There is a "hellevator" in my "Canary" series. And, I swear to you, every time I typed it in the first book, I would sing "love in a hellevator" and cackle to the stars and back. The honey was not amused. I was, though. 😂

Then there are songs that fade into others with the same beat. Who needs a mixing table, when my ADHD brain does all that without prompting? 🤔

And, concerning my grey matter, there is always something in my internal monologue. Sometimes quite a few somethings. I don't understand how other people can't have this and how QUIET their brain must be. I don't even want to know what that's like. I'll take the chaos and chatter. 

Now.

To get THIS banger out of my head. 😒