Now What?

Now that my latest WIP is finished and no longer IP, I find myself wondering what I should work on next. At this point in the process I usually go through my notebooks and plot lists or haul abandoned pages out of the closet to see if anything hits.

Or, when I have to post a blog, I run an opinion poll. Which of the following would entice you, as a reader skimming back-cover blurbs, to give the story a try?

• The sequel to the vampire story. Right now this is the front runner. I’ve been scribbling random scenes to satisfy my daily writing requirement. In this installment the vampire and his male human lover become involved with a woman who’s not as human as she thinks. A ménage ensues, along with fight scenes, evil vampires and a decades-old secret. Think “The Boys From Brazil” with fangs.

• A discussion of virginity over on another loop inspired me to create a virginal male. Werewolves lend themselves nicely to this concept, since only the alpha pair breeds and they’d discourage carnal relations among the lower ranks. What’s a horny gamma wolf to do? He goes to a been there, done it all pixie for advice on how to court the ladies. Of course they fall in love. It’s a romance.

• Remember that post about which actors could play what kind of shifter in a movie? I was playing that game with a TV show and came up with horses. This led to a vague idea about a woman torn between two werehorse half-brothers, one sired by a Thoroughbred, the other by a mustang. It was going to be a ménage until I remembered mares only follow one stallion at a time, and stallions don’t share. I already know which one she ends up with and why, so I’d have to do a follow-up and rustle up a filly for the other one. Sequelitis is a pain in the butt.

• Back before the vampires distracted me, I was fiddling around with a fairy tale-based Western, “Jack and Jill” as filtered through Louis L’Amour. Maybe I should go back to it. No shapeshifters, but a lot of bad puns. The opening scene is posted over on the Title Magic blog, www.titlemagic.blogspot.com. If you think it has merit, let me know.

• I have no plans to write about Gil the weresquirrel, unless there’s overwhelming public demand.

All of this is subject to change, of course. I could see a call for anthology stories and the theme could inspire me, or wake up tomorrow with a whole new idea in my head. Until then, I’ll see what I can do with any or all of the above. The race is on!

As a thank you for your opinions, here’s one for you guys. There’s an old historic tavern in Philadelphia called “A Man Full of Trouble.” Is that a neat title or what? First person to come up with a plot gets to keep it. Just keep me informed.