Pleasant days…epiphanies…planning…

We went up to Oxnard yesterday for several reasons. The main one, which I’d scheduled weeks ago, was to meet with Albra this morning to discuss Black Oak Lodge 2005 details. Alas, when we got to Morgana & Brian’s, they informed us that Albra’s mother was in the hospital. I’m thinking lots and lots of positive thoughts for both Albra and her mother.

The other reason was, well, something I’m just not ready to talk about yet. A potentially amazingly wonderful thing, but it could also fall through. I don’t want to get my hopes up—I don’t want other people to ask questions—and I don’t want a painful-to-read written record if it doesn’t work out.

Just keep your fingers crossed for something really nifty to happen!

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In writing news, I’ve had several epiphanies about AETW. The first was that I really _could_ write books about the heroine’s three friends. Initially I was convinced that I wouldn’t; in fact, one of them, I was sure, was a lesbian.

Until a couple of nights ago when her backstory flooded into my mind, with the prologue perfectly mapped out. [blink, blink] I don’t know who her hero is, though.

I have two potential ideas for the next friend, and no idea for the final friend, but I suspect that’ll come to me (or maybe one of the two ideas for the other friend will fit).

I have no intention of writing these unless AETW sells, of course. What I’ll do is finish AETW (which I’ve been saying for far too long!) and then write proposals for the other three, so I’m ready in case there’s an interest.

The second epiphany was that I don’t have to set the books in Scotland—I had a reason to do so when I started AETW, but I’m not sure it’s still valid. St Andrews is very pretty and I’ve been there enough to pull it off, I think, but in some ways I’d much rather set these stories in Wales. I’m going to get some advice on the idea first, because Scotland is an extremely popular romance setting, and that may be better than what would be the unique setting of Wales. We shall see. I can keep writing AETW as is, and decide in the rewrite; not too many details would have to change.

I’ll be working on AETW during this trip, as being in Britain can only be inspiring for the book!

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Now I’m going to fold/spindle/mutilate the GP, and watch an ep of “Mystery”. Then it’s back to the database I’m building of things to see/do in Snowdonia, along with the map cross-referenced to show where things are and what is logical to see/do on the same day, and…