the short leash

I sat and stared at the blinking cursor yesterday for several minutes before I stood up and walked away from my laptop. I had nothing. No characters bopping around in my head. No scenes unfolding like a movie on slow motion. No witty bits of dialogue knocking around inside my mind.

After I wandered through the kitchen for a bit, I poured myself a diet Lipton green tea. I eventually sat back down and opened up the Maddy Blue file. My intent yesterday was to write something new. I wanted to create and give life to something shiny and fresh. It wasn't to be. Instead I spent three hours editing the completed urban fantasy manuscript. Maddy was holding me back, I'm tethered to her story right now and on a very short leash.

For some weird reason, I just don't feel like I will have anything new to put down on pages until I finish Maddy's current story. The creative well is boarded up and a really pissed off demon slayer with three mortgages to pay, an undead husband and a cranky boss holds the key.

She scares me with that wild hair and loose cannon attitude. I guess I better do what she wants and finish polishing her story. She gave me a pass today as I'm on bookstore duty. But she was very clear that cleaning the house doesn't have to take all day and I better carve out some time for her or else handcuffing me to the laptop might become an option. :)