what the author intends with their work is just a single azure twinkle in the manifold lite-brite of interpretation.

I found that quote and absolutely had to use it. It's totally amazing, in so many ways.

My story about Mabyn is not going well. I think I've probably said that to everyone at least twice, but it never hurts to drive the point home. Not going well. I'm not sure if it's because I lack writing motivation, lack affection for the characters, or just plain lack the skill to translate from my head to paper. I think I have all of three paragraphs so far, most of which I will probably end up discarding. I'm still fumbling for a starting place, for some grip on where the story is going and what's important.

The dragon lady isn't going well either. I seem to have hit an insurmountable obstacle in the way I planned to have the plot proceed. So now I'm going to have to change it, but I'm not sure how. I could just change the characters, but I like them. So the plot will have to be tweaked. I'm just not sure how to do that without a blatant deus ex machina. I suppose I could... maybe just take the investigations in a different direction. I could maybe work that in without more than three extra pages.

Also, the poems I'm working on are not going well either. The one I've got the right metaphors for - I think - all except for what I want to say at the very end. I'm so lousy at resolutions. And the other poem I know what I want to say, but I can't find the right image at all. For some reason, I ended up with too many to choose from. That never happens.

The Christmas present thing, however, is going surprisingly well. I got Meredith's today. = D