Tuesday, December 27, 2005

My Pet Cactus Loves Me

When I got home yesterday after spending the holiday weekend with the parents, my pet Christmas cactus greeted me by being in full bloom. When I left, it had just started blooming, but when I got home it was a riot of color. This one has pinkish/coral blooms, and it's gorgeous. I'd take a picture, but I don't have a digital camera, and I'd have to start with a new roll of film, which means that unless I travel, it could be months or even a year before I get the pictures back. I may have an old picture of the cactus in bloom somewhere. I've had this cactus since 1992, so we've been through a few blooming seasons together.

Now that I've taken some time off, I really have to get to work. I'd told my agent that I'd have a draft of this book to her right after the holidays, and I don't think that's going to happen unless I have a burst of inspiration and creativity and write like a madwoman for the next week. I don't have to have the final draft to the publisher until April, so I have some breathing room, assuming I'm more punctual about revisions than I was on the last book. I think I'm past the worst of the emotional upheaval, except for the random things that will bring on tears. I should be able to write without getting too messy. I have to remind myself that I don't do drama.

It would help if the weather would cooperate. I work best in cool, grey conditions, when I can make a pot of tea and lose myself in the cocoon of my imaginary world. Instead, it's sunny and about 80 degrees. It's also very, very dry and quite windy, yet idiots are still throwing cigarette butts out car windows and setting off grass fires. We need the rain, and not just for my creativity (though my creativity would appreciate it).

So now I'd better get to work, a full hour ahead of schedule (go, me!). I think I'm going to have to re-read the last few chapters to warm up and get back into the world. And then let's hope for a burst of inspiration and creativity that will get me some momentum.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hasn't the weather been freaky? Not that I'm complaining, but it is strange. :)

Shanna Swendson said...

I don't necessarily want the seasonal cold and ice, but something short of summer would be good. We don't want the trees budding when they've only just lost their leaves, and we really don't want the wildfires that we have in the outskirts of the metropolitan area around here.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's even warmer where you are. It's only in the 60s here. :)