I think I can, I think I can....

My good friend Wendy Elliot asked me to review a project she's been working on. It's called "The Complete Novel Plotting Workbook".

I admittedly thought that there is not much reviewing I could do on something like this. I mean I'm used to reviewing stuff on the basis of literary achievement; plot and character development, interwoven story lines and grammar and syntax. But how does one go about reviewing something that is designed to help one do these things without caustically throwing it back into your face if you miserably fail???

I changed tack. I decided to 'play' with my new little workbook and attack a project that I never, ever thought I could do - a fantastical adventure novel. I mean since I am the furthest thing from a fantasy writer that there is, I figured if Wendy's little workbook could open that realm of my functional no nonsense brain, she'd have a winner.

A month later, I am practically running around my house in spandex somewhere in the future fighting evil and time traveling through my dreams. Using my little workbook, I have garnered an excitement for fantasy and other realms that I never thought possible. My characters have become a part of me (much to the angst of my two middle teenage sons who think mom has finally fallen off her rocker) and the plot twists hit me at the most unexpected times (usually when I'm jousting or playing with light sabers with my youngest who thinks mom is now pretty cool!

Good and evil have taken on personas that have made them into characters themselves. I have thoroughly enjoyed living through them and living the story I've created in my head using Wendy's little workbook which now has a permanent place in my purse in case a thought comes to me while I am living a more respectable life...

Now if I can only put my weaponry down long enough to format it and get back to writing, I might see the benefits of my daydreaming and middle aged identity crisis.

And for those who wonder, my sanity is not the important issue here. The issue is that I once again learned that with the right tools, anything is possible including creating alternative worlds where good does conquer evil after hard fought battles and happy endings do exist - even when paired with laser-eyed monsters and giant sized horny toads.

Check out Wendy's little workbook and have some fun yourself. You can get one HERE or you can get one through her Blogsite HERE

Happy writing everyone and may I see you in a book real soon!!