The In-Betweener Blues

I finished the first draft of Out Of The Ashes last week. It was a great moment, because it proved that I had more than one book in me. Not that I ever doubted that, I didn't. But so many people never even finish the first one.

So the polishing process has begun - I go through the chapters on my own, adding, correcting, layering, etc - then I turn them over to a crit group to be eviscerated and the polishing begins anew. So far, it's working like a charm. There's much polishing left to be done, too. At least a month's worth (maybe less).

Meanwhile, the next book waiting to be written is completely plotted out. An utter anomaly in the world of a pantser but thanks to Judi McCoy (chaptermate and diva in her own right) and her plotting workshop, it sits ready and eager on a stack of green post-its. Staring at me. Write me, it whispers...I'm going to be great...

I even had a flash of inspiration about this new story last night. Up until this point it was a traditional contemporary (which didn't truly blow my skirt up) but a way to throw in a paranormal element came to me in the drowsy twilight moments just before sleep takes over. Good stuff. Fun stuff. And completely different than anything I've written before.

So am I sitting down today to get that first chapter started? No. I'm not prepping to write any of the seven - wait, just thought of another, make that eight stories currently torturing my brain.

Why? Because like a bad breakup, I'm still in love with the characters of Ashes. I'm not ready to let them go and get into the heads of another hero and heroine. I'm not ready to fall in love again. It's too soon. What if the next hero isn't as studly as my last? What if this new heroine starts whining and I don't like her? What if, what if, what if.

I've got the in-betweener blues. I know it will pass. After all, I started Ashes when I was still editing Heart of Fire and that worked out just fine. I guess I'll know when I'm ready.

Do you get the in-betweener blues too?