That is, my MC does. Finally. Thanks to my mom’s baby name book, which she still has from almost thirty years ago- copyright November 1979! It’s Callie in the real world, and when she is in the fairyland (which yes, still needs a name) it’s Calantha. According to the baby book it means “beautiful blossom” — and there are reasons this name fits but I won’t explain them right now. It just… it’s perfect in several ways and it was thrilling to realize that. I mean, it was on page six. And I kept going into the L’s before realizing that nothing was striking a chord with me, even a soft one, because I already had the name and there was no need to look further.

The other fun thing is that I keep having ideas about my novel the more I think about it. Even before typing a single word, I’m getting a feel for the story and characters that develops more every day. I was in the car with Mom on the way home from the store and was telling her some of the concepts and plans I have, and even as I spoke I was realizing things. Like why my MC becomes a fairy when she enters the painting (something that won’t be revealed until the end of the novel, and by the antagonist no less!), and that the painting coming to life has to be a surprise for the MC as well as the reader, and… I am so excited, I really am. I’m glad that NaNoWriMo starts in less than 24 hours because I will be up at midnight EST getting started. I don’t think I’ll be able to wait until after I wake up Thursday.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to copy these notes into my novel notebook.