Rewriting

My cheerleading team as I began tonight to rewrite my work-in-progress. Granted, I was only 10,000 words into it, but I knew it was all wrong. Reading a series of cozy mysteries that I really liked made me realize my characters were dull, so I've gone back to the beginning and started over again, completely transforming them into what, I hope, are more interesting--and bizarre people. I have felt uncertain, even guilty, about this aborted start for some time, and I've been good at filling my time with other things--lunches, errands, bits of work for TCU Press, whatever. But I guess lesson learned is that things simmer on the back burner in your brain and finally force you back to them. Besides which, I finished the books in the series I was reading and couldn't excuse myself by saying I just had to get back to the book I was reading. The one I'm on now is not nearly as compelling, though I'm not far into it. But I find getting involved in a good book can really distract me--but also inspire. How does one write without reading what others have written?

A friend sent me a message tonight about a new adopt-a-pet center that is having a grand opening soon, a cooperative effort between PetSmart and, I think, the local humane society. I replied that I refuse to go--I'd come home with a new dog or cat, neither of which I need. My current animals are very happy with their situation and they are enough for me to take care of. Susan, in the TCU Press office, took in a foster dog and soon decided she was a one-dog person. I think that's me too!