The Creative Process Once Again

 

So, once again it has happened. I was innocently enjoying a performance of the Cirque Du Soleil's Alegria at the Huntington Arena and an idea popped into my head. So you have all of these performers in makeup and costume, including the band and the singers. And it occurred to me that these people have to tell people things like "I'm an accordian player in the circus. I had a great seat behind where the technical people had thier boards and I became fascinated watching the director and other people work during the show. So this guy popped into my head. A guy who might be the accordian player's understudy and also a technical guy that works on the show. And then there's my main protaganist a small town police chief named Andrea Taylor who runs over him in the course of a high speed chase. Leaving him unemployed and stuck in the small town. And as these things often do, within fifteen mintues, my mind knew who he was, why he was in that small town, why he would stay in that small town and the crimes that would drive this particular story along. I also knew why the police chief had shot her last boyfriend. By the time I was headed home from work the next day, I knew about a stunning surprise that would change that former accordian playing clown's life in the second book. It invovled a couple of red-headed twins I saw jumping rope a few blocks away from my house.   Oh dear. Another universe populating itself in my head. The accodian playing clown's name is Dash by the way. Short for Dashiell. I hope the limp isn't permanent.

I wrote the first paragraph 15 months ago and just finished the writing the story five days ago. I began the second book yesterday. I hope it goes a little smoother. Story to follow.