It’s weird, isn’t it? You read something in the news, or see something on TV that makes that particular part of your brain light up in excitement and curiosity. Maybe you listen to a song that suddenly unlocks a brand new room in your imagination. Something that caught my eye recently: a heartbreaking illness that affects the children of asylum-seekers, known as resignation syndrome. It’s quite sad, but mysterious at the same time. However, I know enough about my own writing to know that I’m not ready to explore this in fiction just yet. But I’ve been saving links in my research folder for the day when the story is ready to come out of the oven. Right now, it’s still just mise en place, waiting for me to come into the kitchen and start turning it into something new.

Another recent inspiration? A certain music video from a certain band. I’m not going to call it fanfiction, because I’ve taken the thing that caught my eye and twisted it inside out, dyed it a new color, and added plenty of rhinestones. The finished product won’t have much, if anything, to do with the video that sparked that first bit of inspiration with me, but should this project ever see the light of day, I’ll be sure to acknowledge that I couldn’t have found my way without that first nudge.

Before you ask, no, I’m not going to name the artist or the song. The project has already gone far beyond what inspired it, and I’m not one to talk about ongoing projects in a public space (at least, not at this time). I’ve only recently worked up the courage to start discussing my fiction with my husband, and we’ve been together for over eleven years. He’s amazingly supportive, and I’m fortunate to have a captive audience sounding board to bounce ideas off of. It’s still tough for me. I’m trying to draw my terrified, shivering creative self out into the light, but it’s a process. I’m afraid to spook her back into hiding if I push too hard.

In the meantime, I’m just going to keep working on this new project as long as I’m still having fun. And reader, I am having SO MUCH FUN. I think I’d sort of lost the joy of creating for a while. I’m so glad to have it back, even as I’m worried that it’s can disappear again with no warning.