"Phaedra"

I was so frustrated this morning. I had met my writing buddy and was going to start my new story. A real start, not just some brief notes jotted on a yellow legal pad.

But I couldn't get started. It wasn't coming together. I kept trying to force it but the story I was going to write entitled "Samsara" wouldn't come. I knew it was there. I knew it had to be told. But I couldn't make it surface. Couldn't make it gel.

I couldn't even write the first line.

I was very frustrated. My writing buddy tried to help with several good suggestions. Not her fault. Nothing was working for me. I drove home two hours later in a total funk. I ate lunch and then crawled into bed. To hell with the day. I give up.

An hour later I awoke and got my laptop back out. I started a brand new Haxan story entitled "Phaedra" and worked on it all day and into the night. A retelling of the mythical story Phaedra. Haxan is good for things like that. Twenty-seven pages, most of 5500 words but the story is finished. It's solid. I wrote it all in two sittings. It flowed. It just poured out of me. I swear the damn thing wrote itself, all twenty-seven pages.

I still want to write "Samsara" someday. I will. But today I guess I had to write "Phaedra" first. Well, sometimes the Muse is like that. Don't ever bet against her. You'll always lose.

I"m tired now. It's past midnight and I'm off to bed.

Today was a good writing day after all.