No writing today. I work too early and haven't been able to get into the mood. Amazingly enough, I feel pretty confident that I can make up the wordcount without a problem. Hope it's not over confidence!

Thanks to feath for that wonderful script! Now all I have to do is program in my quotes instead of the ones already there. It's made my life a hel of a lot easier!

And, I've finally figured out where to change the title page on the frames. I downloaded a handful of templates that I'm adapting for my new, professional image. The problem is that I've never worked with frames before. Spent a disgusted two hours last night trying to locate where to change the title but couldn't do it. I thought I'd have to reprogram each and every frame by hand. Started doing that this morning; opened each frame separately, code view only, and scoured the thing for information. Finally located the one in the index that I hadn't gotten to. Voila! Instant 'Redhawk's Realm' in the title bar! YAY!

Came across another story idea over the last couple of days. A friend of mine has made mention of a New Zealand kids' program called 'The Tribe' that seemed pretty interesting. I checked it out on satellite. It's alright. Nothing I'd watch. But the premise is damned cool! Similar in tone to the original Star Trek episode, 'Miri' – all the adults die of a plague, leaving the kids just below the threshold of puberty and younger to grow up on their own. The difference between that and the Trek ep, of course, is that it's a fresh occurence and as the child matures, he or she does NOT contract the disease that killed the adults. Of course, 'The Tribe' has taken these kids and given them mass weapons of destruction, enough brains to keep the electricity running, and computers. Not too realistic to me (at least not from MY childhood.)

So, I've been playing around with that idea. Already have a couple of main characters and three supporting. I'll probably have another handful of supporting characters by the time I'm finished dallying around with the concept.

Okay. Off to work.

. . . Nico for sending me her muse. Little brat didn't stay too long but I've got an idea for another story. After some development, it can go either way – short story or novel.

I was working in one of the function rooms in the Lobby last night and passed by the shoe shine stand. BAM There it was! This scene took place in me 'ead and wouldn't let go!

A dapper young butch, top o' the world, in 1920's Chicago (or thereabouts, timewise.) She (He?) wanders up to a shoeshine stand where a sweet young thang is working with her father.

I've passed this stand hundreds of times over the years. It had to be Nico's muse! So I spent the rest of the night ruminating on whether or not to do it entirely from the shoeshine's POV as she watches the butch get into a huge mess with the Mob. And what exactly would be the crisis of the piece? What kind of trouble can they get into? Would they fall for each other or would it be unrequited on the shoeshine's part? Ah, questions, questions.

.

Found it on Stardoc's site; here's my results:

I am the Charmer Charm is seduction without sex. Charmers are consummate manipulators, masking their cleverness by creating a mood of pleasure and comfort. Their method is simple; they deflect attention from themselves and focus it on their target. They understand your spirit, feel your pain, adapt to your moods. In the presence of a Charmer you feel better about yourself. Learn to cast the Charmer’s spell by aiming at people’s primary weaknesses: vanity and self-esteem. Symbol: The Mirror. Your spirit holds a mirror up to others. When they see you they see themselves: their values, their tastes, even their flaws. Their lifelong love affair with their own image is comfortable and hypnotic; so feed it. No one ever sees what is behind the mirror.

What Type of Seducer are You?
created by polite_society

So I've spent the entire day pondering this anthology thing. And did I mention, getting nowhere? sigh

I've flipped through short stories with no success, wandered through the novels I've completed as I searched for a likely couple to begin questioning their relationship, even dug through the notes I have of upcoming stories to look for something.

Nada. Nichts. Nein.

As I bemoaned my situation to my best buddy, Shawn, she brought up an idea. What better way to have one of a couple seriously reconsider their relationship if they're old and decrepit and one is about to die? What do you do? Stay with your mate until the bitter end? Or run shrieking in the opposite direction?

Whoa!

Then I put my spin on it – what if one is able to take care of herself and the other has Alzheimers to such a degree that she can no longer recognize her partner? Now that would be a story!

Sat down to write and in less than two hours I have made my goal for the day – 1033 words. Yeah, baby!

Off to celebrate, cruise the web, maybe write a bit more for the night. Who knows?