I dreamt last night that I was the skipper of a boat (this was my job). I had no training but I was doing OK, sailing along, with a full load of passengers. Until I went over a small waterfall and wondered, as the boat fell, if we would sink. We didn't. Then I was sailing around trying to find a pier or jetty, but it had been replaced by a dump, so I couldn't dock. The passengers were annoyed and I felt terrible. It was made clear to me that I would shortly be fired.
I dream vividly, every night, usually such nonsensical stuff that it can't have been inspired by anything real, anything I have seen or heard. So, mostly I would see my dreams as being unanalysable. But this one - The Boat - well, it strikes me that this is me writing my NIP (Novel #3).
I am in charge of a boat/novel but I don't feel like I'm in charge. The boat/plot regularly takes unexpected nosedives but it recovers. The passengers/characters are disgruntled; I am not doing right by them. I am two thirds of the way into the journey, so I am now searching for a dock/ending. Luckily, the only person who can fire me is me, so that part won't be happening, but, I guess, the threat of it is always there. Because even when the novel is finished, who is to say it will float at all?
In less unsettling news I signed the contract for Novel #2 yesterday and it will be out spring 2014. Title TBC as neither I nor my editor at New Island are particulalry attached to Highland. Watch this space :)
And, now, I must get back to my little boat and hope that all goes well on today's sail.
