"What the hell am I doing?"

...is the rhetorical question I ask myself when I know exactly what I'm doing but also know it is crazy.

Maybe it is because I was looking at Dark Excursions on the library shelf and thinking how lonely it must feel.  Maybe it is because I am itching to create something new.  Maybe it is because I know I can, even though it might be a long and painful, but creatively fulfilling process.

Yes, I'm preparing to write another book.  Not a novel this time, but a collection of short stories.  While I could borrow a few stories from this blog, I don't want to do that.  As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I want to create something new.  Since I am the kind of writer that sometimes needs an outside spark to ignite my words, I did something I rarely do.  I asked for help.

I asked five writers and one librarian to suggest a couple of genres a piece. I explained that I would write down each genre, place them in a jar, draw one and write a short story centered around that genre.  The short stories will appear in the book in the order I draw and write the genres.  

Well, the writers and librarian came through for me with some very specific, mind-reeling genres!  Genres I'm not generally known for writing, as if I'm known for writing, but you know what I mean.  I will be writing outside of my comfort zone, and I am nervous and excited by this challenge!  

Yesterday I jotted down the genres on 13 pieces of paper (one person was allowed a third suggestion) and placed them in my Halloween jar, which I badly painted two years ago.  Within the week I will draw the first genre and see where it takes me.  

 

 

Thank you for your time and much thanks to the one librarian and five writers!

I just hope I don't flake out or lose interest.

Freak Out, 

JLH

 

 

 

 

 

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P.S.  I am also working on a separate old/new project that I hope to see completed before the end of October, but that is another post for another day.