An Old Man and a Cat

I mentioned yesterday that I was outlining for a new project. With major work on tSotD dying down, I've been itching for something new. I have other projects that I have in my "to go back to" file, but...eh. The Enigma, The Endless, Opal's Legacy, and Theories of the Eternal are all great and I love them all, but I've had them in my head for ages and I'm itching for something fresh.

The Enigma has so many plot problems. Ugh. If I want to go back to that one, it involves retooling EVERYTHING and completely changing it up. I don't feel like doing that at the moment. I just got off of a rewrite journey. The Endless? Revisions and rewrites. Opal's Legacy? Requires a better outline and...well, writing. But I've started that project many times before, and I still don't know if I have a destination. Theories of the Eternal is fun, but two of the major characters are characters that were recycled from an old project. They fit better here, but I really don't want to work with the old hats right now. I crave...newness.

And so I have my new project. I had no idea what I was going to do until yesterday afternoon, 'round about lunch. Where did I get my inspiration? From an old man and a cat.

A few weeks ago, Mutter and I were on our way back home from Hattiesburg. We were stopped at a red light and a man started to cross the street in front of us. He was older, wearing clothes that weren't quite tattered but most definitely well-worn, and lugging along a slightly battered, wheeled suitcase. He also had a cat on his shoulder.

It was the cat that caught my eye, honestly. It wore a collar and a leash, but the leash wasn't tied to anything. It just hung there, and the cat sat, perfectly content, on the man's shoulder. It was a pretty interesting sight, and yesterday I decided that I have to write about that man and his cat.

Being me, though, I of course have to get a little crazy with it. Supernatural fun and all that. I have a basic outline and the beginnings of chapter one, and I'm looking forward to writing the rest.

Happy Wednesday, all! :)

--Jenna.