Unlikely muse -- Andy the greyhound
Last week, I talked about working on a plotline and getting stuck. One of my suggestions was to step away from the computer. Well, when I'm writing at the dining room table rather than my office, Andy the greyhound (the one with his head on my shoulder) will come up to me and lay his head on my forearm while I'm typing. I can tell you that the head of an 80-lb. greyhound gets heavy after a few seconds. And if I make the mistake of looking down into those huge caramel eyes, he starts wagging his tail and giving me the pleading "Mom, come sit down with me" look.
Most of the time I manage (though I don't know how) to tell Andy to go lay down, mommy's working. But this past Sunday, I had been at the computer fleshing out the action for the rest of The Trouble With Demons, and I was getting nowhere fast. So I gave in to Andy's big browns and went and sat on the couch with him. Soon the couch looked like Noah's ark. Natasha the fluffy kitty is the only one missing -- she was upstairs being aloof. There's Boris on the back of the sofa, Andy with his head on my shoulder, Lucy on my lap, and Gracie with her head on my lap. And I am wearing the "working uniform" of writers everywhere -- t-shirt, sweatpants, fluffy socks, all topped by a bathrobe that's seen better days. (You can click on the photo to see a larger version.)
So, how is Andy a muse? Within five minutes of sitting down with him (and then being drapped with animals), the writing dam broke, and the ideas started coming. So I got more done in 20 minutes of dog snuggling than I accomplished in 2 hours of sitting at my computer. Though next time I sit down with the dogs, I need to have a notepad and pen with me. I had so many ideas I couldn't remember them all. But I know they're in my head somewhere, so they'll come back. Hmmm, maybe I should go snuggle with Andy again. ; )
Coming up tommorow: I'll post the last of the "Recipes to feed your family while you're on deadline." And the Saturday Fun Pic for this week is just too cute.
Have a good one!
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
7:38 AM
8 Comments:
What a great photo. Dogs draped all over you! I love your floors. We're going to do our floors like that, room by room, hopefully starting this year.
Thanks, Tia! Yep, I love it when the dogs get snuggly. ; ) We love our hardwoods. The only rooms in the house that are carpeted are the bedrooms. With greyhounds, the floors take a beating; but hey, we've got happy hounds and that's all that matters. ; )
Yanno, I've been wondering if dogs worked as muses too. Seemed like cats had the market cornered.
Our cats just want food and the occasional scratching. They're strictly independent creatures. We tell them it's their fault that we got the dogs -- if they'd sat in our laps and let us pet them, we wouldn't have had to get the dogs.
LOL Lisa, I love the universal writer's wardrobe. Yup, that's mine to a T.
I find animals are fantastic muses (although, cats are marginal, at least in my universe). Dogs and horses do seem to tear down those idea logjams.
LOVE that pic. Your house looks like such a warm, cozy muse-inducing place.
Thank you, Laurie! Derek & I love our new house. And there is no better muse than a warm, snuggly dog.
OH! So cute! : ) My female, Snostorm, used to be snuggly like that. I miss that...and her!
Joe is a daddy's dog, so he prefers to follow Greg around. Walker is learning to be cuddly. Still has LOTS of energy. But he has discovered the joy of jumping up on the sofa, after I'm already stretched out, and curling up behind my legs.
Thank you for sharing such an adorable picture!
OH! So cute! : ) My female, Snostorm, used to be snuggly like that. I miss that...and her!
Joe is a daddy's dog, so he prefers to follow Greg around. Walker is learning to be cuddly. Still has LOTS of energy. But he has discovered the joy of jumping up on the sofa, after I'm already stretched out, and curling up behind my legs.
Thank you for sharing such an adorable picture!
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