I'm busy. I have things going on in my life. I don't have time to write. My
inspiration is dried up, crushed by my day to day
responsibilities.
I have every excuse in the book; some of them are completely valid, some are just lame.

But it seems like every time I think I can't write, inspiration just throws itself in my way. It might be an overheard conversation or a picture in a magazine. I was running dry on my second book when I heard a song on the radio. It was my character's song. It was his voice singing out, and he was telling me how he didn't have any choice but to love the woman he was so dead set on resisting.  I had to finish telling his story.

This week it was a couple of random tv programs. They were both on channels I don't watch. One was on the Military Channel, a network I don't think I've ever seen before. Again, there was the character for the next book I was planning. I watched things he'd gone through, felt his fears, and was amazed by his strength. I immediately started making notes and sketching out a character profile. Another program gave me the perfect settingfor my WIP. Everything was exactly the way I wanted to describe it. I couldn't wait to write it down.

There are all kinds of little things that just seem to force themselves on my attention and say "write about me now." Then occasionally something big just comes out of nowhere and clobbers me over the head. When I least expected it, I was awarded a sabbatical that I'd given up hope of ever getting. A whole quarter off to travel to the places I'm writing about and experience them with all my senses. A quarter off to refresh and renew myself. A quarter to write and write and write.

Sometimes the universe is subtle and whispers to you, but at other times it screams until you listen.
I'm listening now.