Is it assault to smack your imaginary muse..?

I had sent my third novel, Casting Shadows, to my beta readers and I was just about to celebrate when she whispered in my ear, “I was just thinking that you could have them do -”

So I smacked her.

Not hard. After all, she was responsible for setting me off on my novel and had helped me through the months of writing.

But now, I’m wondering whether imaginary jail would have pen and paper…

Because I already miss the characters. In some shape or form, good or evil, characters have been whispering words into my mind for what seems like forever. Well, a year and a half. And while I am grateful for the (relative) peace and quiet in my brain at the moment, I miss them. Their problems, fears, hopes, dreams, messes..

So I wrote a short story. And plan to add it to three more short stories to make a little collection. Thankfully, I only managed to write one. I’m realising my brain really does need a break.

But that dratted muse did actually plant the seed of a good idea for a fourth book. Maybe if I ignore it for a while, it will take root unseen and unnoticed and when I’m ready, the little sprouting will push its way back into the front of my mind.

I know it is probably considered kidnapping to bind and gag a muse and put it in a cupboard and I really don’t want to get into any (more) trouble with the mind police so I have restrained myself from doing that to her. But I can see her eyeing me warily as she sulks on the couch. She’s just got to learn that you can only push a writer so far before they write you into an unpleasant situation.

So, tread carefully my imaginary muse, I may not be writing just now but I can still plot…..