Return Of The Muse

A month ago I wrote a blog called Muse On Vacation, lamenting the absense of my muse. Well, last week she returned with a vengeance, and none too soon, since I had a story that needed work. I'm happy to report that on Thursday I finished my current WIP and got it off to my editor.

It still set me to wondering why my muse is so fickle when other authors' muses seem to be much more reliable, constantly sitting on their shoulders, whispering words and story ideas in their ears. Caitlyn, Adrianna and Lacey all have muses they can count on. So what's the difference?

Maybe it's a personality thing. I'm not a Type-A personality. In fact, I have a lazy streak. It's not that I'm not goal-oriented, I am, when there's something I want to accomplish. But I want to have fun along the way.

I think it goes back to my teenage years. I did well in school and knew I wanted to go on to college. But I also knew my parents really couldn't afford to send me unless I got a scholarship. So I worked very hard to get good grades and had no social life to speak of. Then came college, living off campus (at home) and working to pay for my books and gas. I enjoyed it, but didn't have much time for a social life.

My first chance to play a little came in graduate library school, of all places. (Trust me, librarians aren't nearly as stuffy as they're portrayed in the media.) We had some great parties that year, LOL. Anyway, by the time I got my master's degree, I'd had my nose to the academic grindstone for a long time. I decided two things when I left school. One, no more degree programs. I'd had enough. And two, it was time to enjoy life.

I guess that was when I gave my subconscious permission to goof off. I went to work, of course. Hey, a girl's gotta eat. But in my spare time I went dancing and took evening classes in fun stuff like yoga, astrology, and learning to play the guitar (badly). No MBA for me, thank you very much.

When I decided I wanted to write romance, my muse came out of somewhere, but I think now she'd been forged in those carefree days of my twenties. And since it was the 1970's, she's more free-spirited hippie than domineering taskmaster.

I do hope she sticks around for a while. I've got another story to write, then another one after that, and then that other one in the back of my mind.

Wish me luck!

Lyndi