A week from now, thousands of people will begin writing novels. Novels that will be written in one short month. It sounds impossible, but many will reach the 50,000 word finish line. And if this year goes as well as last, I'll be one of them.

Last year's novel still languishes unfinished, though I did indeed "win" by completing 50,000 words. The problem is that it's now longer than a Young Adult (YA) novel is supposed to be yet lacks an ending. That's a problem, especially since I still want to finish a publishable book by April 10th.

This year, however, I've got in mind a work of fiction meant for adults, which means I'm allowed a lot more words in the finished product. I like the idea so far, maybe this could be the one... or I'll be able to par down the other. Or I'll finish my choose your own adventure book.  It's not so bleak so far, ask me in January...

Anyway, I'm sort of excited about the plot I've got brewing in my brain, and it's hard to believe I can't even begin working on it until the first.  I'll confess, I actually own a few romance novels. I know, you're totally shocked. But one of my weaknesses is the idea of babies being switched at birth, then the mom and dad (since naturally their custodial parents are single parents) getting together for the sake of the kids so they can raise them together. Unfortunately, you pretty much have to read a romance novel to find this plot.

But I think it could work as part of a horror novel. So that's what I'm going to work on, a horror novel with a switched at birth (well, actually an IVF clinic mix up) subplot mixed in with some mythology involving the gods of nightmares and dreams, and a hapless couple who are thrown together once the mix up is discovered.

Wish me luck! And good luck to all of you out there embarking on this same craziness.