For those writers and readers who are lucky enough to have succeeded with their Plan A and have their fictional and/or reality plots all figured out, I salute you. How does it feel? I’ve lived my life satisfied with Plans B through Z - although, I did marry my Plan A crush, whoa. That in itself was a surprise, as I had already figured out I would be a happy spinster living in my cottage by the sea, surrounded by good books to read, looking forward to frightening children on Halloween. Yup, that was my Plan A.

Leaving school, I had no writing aspirations. I had an imagination full of stories but never imagined I would write books. Each time we moved, a new plan formed. It wasn’t until I was sitting in a townhouse in Rockford, Illinois did Plan B form. I wrote a science fiction novel called Harvest Eve. I typed it out on an electric typewriter. I let a few folks read it, and it wasn’t received well so I set it aside. I still have it in a box somewhere.

Plan C has always been survival. I took whatever job I was qualified for, and a few that I was not, wink wink. We traveled frequently, so I have been fortunate to have logged most of the North American continent in my memory palace. I went with my daughter to Cornwall, England. There I sat on a rock formation and really thought about what I wanted to do with my life. It was to write, to take the time and build my storytelling skills. There would be a lot of heartbreak and close calls with publishers and agents, but I learned a lot. So I returned to Plan B, and I learned Plan A’s don’t happen without luck, but Plan B’s are obtainable with hard work.

I’m really enjoying plan B; it seems to be working out. I get up before dawn each day energized and excited to continue on with the Haunted Series.

Tell me, what worked for you, Plan A or B?