on the trail of a plot

Well, I’m excited. In about 21 hours, I’ll be at the Boise airport, awaiting the arrival of a couple of writer friends. We are headed into the mountains of Idaho where we are going to brainstorm several books, one for each of us. We will also eat, laugh, eat, talk, eat, explore the countryside, and eat. Did I mention food plays a large part of the brainstorming process?

I had a nice chat with one of my editors this morning, discussing tentative ideas for a two-book series. Just in the nick of time, too, since one of those books is what I’ll want to brainstorm at this little retreat.

Brainstorming is one of my favorite parts of writing a book. Usually I have to brainstorm with myself in a notebook. It’s so much better when it can be done with another writer or two. I love bouncing around ideas. Try this. No, then try this. What about…. Of course, it is really the most fun to brainstorm another person’s book because I don’t have the responsibility of making any of those ideas work.

Forgot to mention in the blog that the line editor for Loving Libby loved the work I did on the manuscript and it has moved into the next stage of the publishing process.

Oh, here’s a funny in relation to that book. I was checking out Amazon to see if the book was listed yet. It was, but get this. It was listed as a book for infants/toddlers. Huh? Gosh, I didn’t know my writing was that elementary. I emailed the publisher and the marketing gal and I had a good laugh. She said they were just trying to expand my market. Well, great. But how many one-year-olds shop for books on Amazon?

Ah, this business is so full of ups and downs, wonderful highs and deep lows, and both can happen at the same time. It’s enough to drive a writer nuts.

-rlh-