I don’t know about you, but when I sleep I solve all of my problems and think of a few more that didn’t hold my interest in the day time.  All I need is to pull up the covers and close my eyes.  Sleep comes quickly, but uneasily.

I begin by thinking about the day just ended.  That done, I often slip and remember something in my past that didn’t go right.  Even though the incident is in the ancient past, I take it out and examine the incident, testing out theories of what I should have done, who was responsible for what, etc., etc.  It’s a total waste of time.  It’s much too late to do anything about it, but lay it to rest.

So, tonight when I turn out my light and my head hits the pillow, I’m going to make myself a dream.  A nice dream about something that never happened.  I’m not going to leave room to think of old mistakes and old hurts.  I’m going to have a new dream.

After all, what good is it to be a writer if you can’t do a little writing in your dreams?

And then there’s Maxie.  I have to be careful about writing a dream so I don’t start wondering what she’s up to this time.  Maxie is a character in a book I’m writing and she’s a bit independent about what she does and the trouble she gets into.

I really don’t want to dream about writing about Maxie.  Really I don’t.

Marilynne

These are my two favorite things (as opposed to family and friends who don’t even count as things). I love to do both.

Today was watercolor day. All day, I sat with my paints working on a little picture of a vase and some flowers. I finished the vase and flowers several weeks ago, but I lacked the courage to begin the background. Somehow I was sure I would mess up, so I left it on my desk.

Today I decided to do that background. I painted the background wet on wet, which means I wet the paper, waited until it soaked in, then carefully dropped paint onto the wet paper and watched it spread. I love doing that. The paint doesn’t go farther than the wet paper, so if you’re careful with the water, it only goes where you want it to be.

Wet on wet allows you to drop more than one color on the page and watch them compete for space. They don’t mix unless you brush them. So, one color flows along, and the other color competes for space. Today it was the lovely red/orange color of burnt sienna and the dark and stormy Payne’s gray. I painted with the burnt sienna first, then dipped the grey into the corners to form shadows and such. It’s fun to watch.

Then, just as the burnt sienna and Payne’s grey settled down, I dipped a pale bit of alizarin red into the mix. Yummy! To make it more fun, I lifted some of the paint with a Kleenex. This left a whitish spot on the paper, but it was still wet. Paint flowed into the white spot and made a paler mix of the colors.
So they’re all there in the background. You can see each color separately and the overall effect is a beautiful rusty orange darkened in places with the gray and sparked with the red.

The reason I was reluctant to start the background was because the foreground was a lovely pale vase with white roses in it. I was afraid that it would be overwhelmed by the bright background. Was it? No, it set it off and I have something pretty to hang on my wall.

The overall result of the day was not only the painting, not only lunch with my friend, but also a sense of relaxation, delight, and accomplishment. Why shouldn’t I pursue something that gives me such satisfaction?

No reason at all. Still, in the back on my mind Maxie is waiting. Maxie is a character in the murder mystery I’m writing. Last thing I wrote, she entered a strange house in the dark. She was at the top of the stairs when a big earthquake hit. Maxie was tossed back into the stairwell and fell down the stairs to a little landing. That’s where she waited out the earthquake in the dark. Afraid and alone.

So, after a day of painting, I’ve got to go and rescue Maxie. I need to know how she survived and what she decides to do about the house. It’s tough work, but someone’s got to do it.

Marilynne

I was so frustrated yesterday.  On YouTube I saw a video I wanted to share with you all.  The video featured eScala – four beautiful girls with electronic strings doing wonderful things with music.  I thought you would all like it too.

However, I couldn’t figure out how to get WordPress to let me do it.  I could insert the link, but then my theme went nuts.  My posts were at the top and my sidebars were at the bottom.  I even had to log in in a roundabout way.  If there’s a way to insert a YouTube video here, I certainly don’t know how.  I tried again and again.

So, instead of this marvelous video you get to hear me gripe.  I apologize.  I am so disappointed.

To see the videos, log on to YouTube and search videos for eScala or escala.  You’ll also pick up some videos of the Scala girls choir.  They’re great too, but as you know – I’m having troubles inserting videos.

Marilynne

I’m determined to write a post today, but at the moment my mind is blank.  Anyone who knows me will tell you I talk at 500 words per minute with gusts up to 750 WPM.  That’s my spouse’s saying, actually, but there’s truth to it.

Many people also know I blog here and on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/mysterymarilynne). Why would I do such a thing if words didn’t flow out of my fingers like rivers from mountains?  (Sorry about the bad analogy.)  The truth is, I’m never at a loss for words.  I can talk on any subject for five minutes, and you can name the subject.  Accuracy might be another thing, but I can talk.

What’s there about a blank page that causes the best of us to freeze up?

• Expectations.  Will what I write be wonderful enough?
• Reputation.  I’ve got a reputation to think of.
• Lack of Ideas.  Oh!  Come on.  I have lots of ideas.
• Laziness.  I can buy that one.  It takes a bit of effort to write on a blank page, even if it’s a simulated page on a computer.
• What?  I don’t think there is a good reason.

So, what’s so awful about entering words on a blank page?  Nothing.

Is it OK to waste someone’s time talking about this dread thing?  Probably not.  But I have and I apologize.  However, I did fill a page with words.

The next time you face a blank page and you know you have to write something, try just putting words on a page at random.  After a while you’ll find yourself ready and willing to do the job you meant to do.

Marilynne