this and that

I have been immersed in one of the stories I am writng and thought I would blog about my odd process for this one.

The working title of this is named for the famous song. Sexual Healing. Great song.

It is a contemporary gothic erotic romance set in the mountains of Colorado.

I first had the idea as a result of a nightmare. I dreamed I was in a house that was part of a mountain, and I couldn't get out. It was one of those dreams where you are sure you have been there before and think you know where you are going but never get there, and stairways and elevators and all kinds of strange pathways are endless.

So, I awakened from this dream and got a glass of water to ground me in reality and thought that it would make an interesting movie of only there was a plot and a very rich mysterious guy in it.

I was reading a book and my thoughts kept drifting away from the story in front of me and suddenly I knew this entire story and all of its twists and turns.
Just like that. No outline, no plotting nothing. There it was.

I wanted to start writing it immediately but I had a couple requested stories I was working on and tried to push it to the back of my mind. I didn't even do computer notes on it as I usually do when an idea grabs me.

I knew it was going to be very hot and I didn't have a clue who might want to publish it.
Time passes. A lot of time. Several years.
I was at a mini conference near me last fall, and low and behold there was an editor there taking pitches for erotic romance. I told her I had no business pitching because it might be a year or two before I had time to write it, but she wanted it. the whole thing, not just a few chapters and outline and I could take my time and do it right.

Of course I returned to working on the very good stories already in the works, but kept thinking about S.H.

One day a few weeks ago I decided I had to let myself jot down some impressions or something so I could let go of it until its turn came. Instead I wrote the first 9000 words in one evening. Good words.

Now it is about 20% or more finished. I find I am editing as I go; another thing I seldom do.

So if you are a reader, what do you think? and if you are a writer, does this happen to you?

regards
kathi