Internet Neighborhoods

I've been thinking about this some for a couple of weeks. The internet is a fascinating place and one of its best qualities, as far as I'm concerned, is its ability to make a community out of people who live all around the world. Somehow Australia and Canada and Great Britain and the Bahamas aren't all the far away these days.

In fact, I must confess that I've come to think of some people I've met as neighbors. Not the annoying kind who play their music too loud at all hours and complain because my dogs bark, but the kind I'd exchange small talk with over the back fence or wave to on the street. Maybe even invite over for dinner once in a while.

Can you tell I'm between books? Earlier to day I told my husband that for the first time in a long time, I'm in creative pause. I have no idea what to write next. No, that's not true, I've been thinking about a series of sci-fi short stories (Kind of Ray Bradburyish) all about Mars--all inspired by a piece of flash fiction I wrote about three years ago. But I don't want to write them right now. I mean I don't have an idea for a book (though if Troubled Waters is successful, I might tackle a sequel). For now, I want to . . . rest and wax sentimental. Maybe order some books about writing queries and synopsis and read blogs by agents and pick a few I'd like to do business with while I'm waiting for beta readers to get back to me. Maybe I'll learn to sleep in.