It all started with a song.
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men did a duet, “One Sweet Day”. The lyrics were beautiful: “And I know you’re shining down on me from heaven/Like so many friends we’ve lost along the way/And I know eventually we’ll be together/One sweet day.” The song got me thinking about my mom (who was still with me at the time) and I knew that one day she’d be gone. That got me thinking about a character who had lost the people most precious to her and how she’d react. I couldn’t get the story out of my head. So I went to Borders, bought a journal and started writing down the stuff in my head.
Thus, “One Sweet Day” was born. At least the first 3 chapters.
At the time (2000), I had no idea how to write a novel or even if I could. I wrote down plot points and where I thought the story was going. And I wrote down the scenes as they came.
Then – nothing.
I put it aside and forgot about it. Or tried to.
Later that year, I started writing fanfic based on The West Wing. I asked a couple of my friends what they thought about my stories. Their response? “What happened to the other story – the novel? Finish that!”
But I couldn’t. So I concentrated on creating fanfic. But little by little, “One Sweet Day” kept creeping back into my consciousness. So I worked on it. And worked on it some more. And I kept dropping it and picking it back up. The whole time, my long-time friend and (soon-to-be) editor, Michelle, kept after me to finish.
And I did.
Or so I thought.
To be continued…
donnad69
