I recently flipped back through the notes I took during the “Killer Nashville” mystery writers’ conference in August, and the memories came flooding back. I had left the conference walking on the infamous “pink cloud” of inspiration.

Returning home, reality set in, and that same light and fluffy pink cloud turned dark, ominous, and foreboding.  In other words, I lost my writing mojo somewhere between the Veterans’ Hospital in Portland and the overflowing cat box in my utility room.

But reviewing my notes, I am struck by how Anne Perry, the award-winning, best-selling author of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England answered the question, “What’s it take to be a writer?”

“Bum glue,” said Perry, in her thick English accent. “Bum glue is the only thing you need to write—just glue your bum to the chair and write.”

And so I shall. I’ve taken just about enough time to process the odd and ugly twists and turns this entire year has thrown at me, and it’s about time for the next big project to start springing from my fingertips, through the keyboard, and onto the screen.

Anne Perry still writes all her books by hand. She then pays a typist to put it all into the computer, and does her edits on a printed hard copy. I honestly can’t imagine how she does that! I’m extremely grateful for the today’s technology, but it provides me no ready excuse for not doing what I know I can do.

I am a writer. That means, in plain old American English, that I doggedly park my butt firmly in my office chair, open a new WORD document, and write!