*SIGH* LOVE AT FIRST WRITE

 Writers are often asked what their favorite stage or thing about writing is. Is it the beginning, the end, the glory of a finished product, world-building?

My immediate response is always dialogue. Because I'm good at it and it comes easily for me. In fact, if I'm struggling with a scene, I will find some way to have a conversation. For me, dialogue might be considered a crutch--because I don't force myself to have those quiet, introspective moments the character might need to have.

But today I realized that my favorite part of writing is actually the birth and development of a new idea. 

The seed for my new idea came from a plaque I saw at work. What happens under the mistletoe stays under the mistletoe.

And I thought, "What if it didn't?"

So, I revised the saying to, "What happened under the mistletoe should've stayed under the mistletoe."

And every time I passed the plaque--I'd placed it on an end--I'd think of the story I wanted to write. Then I finally broke down and bought it, so that it didn't disappear. Now it's sitting on my desk as a constant reminder of the seedling in my head.

This morning, plot sprouts woke me up and demanded to be written down.  I had character names, a possible love triangle and jobs for the characters. And there's a cupid. And maybe the mistletoe doesn't play as big of role as I'd originally thought. But, then again, maybe it does.

I have another book to finish before I start tinkering with this one. 

But, my how I love that first blush of a new relationship.