The idea for Cecilia actually started as a ballet. My husband is a composer. After visiting a modern ballet in Bern, Switzerland, we tossed around ideas for writing our own ballet. Inspiration for many of the characters came from Leonardo da Vinci:
– Cecilia: Study Head of Leda
– Amalardh: Profile of Warrior in Helmet
– The Senators: Five Caricature Heads
– Siersha: The Annunciation
The ballet story was only supposed to be 4-8 pages long. The more I wrote, the more my husband wanted. Six weeks later, I had 90 pages. At the same time, his schedule exploded and he sidelined the ballet. When I asked him, “What am I supposed to do with this?” He replied, “Write a book.”
A book? You mean like, another 200+ pages?
I was initially resistant to the idea; however, stories tend to dictate their existence, not the author. We are mere vessels through which words find physical form.
Rather than worrying about how far away the end of the tunnel was, I went on Cecilia’s journey, staying in the moment with her. The end would come when it would come.
For all you aspiring writers who feel like they’re swimming in an endless black hole, with no end in sight—keep chipping away. You’ll get there.