I am going to work to write one or two blogs for my website and Substack account each week. It’s just that once I start writing a book, I get consumed by the story. This is probably a good break for me to focus on other things.

I wake up many days with story lines for my current book or ideas for a new book or even changes to an existing book. At first I thought I was strange but the more I meet with authors, at least online in classes, the more I find what I am experiencing is normal. I have heard many people talk about how they wake up each morning compelled to write what they dream about during their sleep.  It’s nice to know I am not the only one.

It’s hard to write about how I know what to write. Sometimes the dreams are very vivid and specific, sometimes it’s just a knowing.  I now have a dream journal for many of the ideas or changes but sometimes I just need to sit at the computer and let everything just flow out of my brain onto the screen. I have even woken up with whole new storylines for a book I thought was nearly done. It’s like nope, that isn’t what should be written, let’s try this story instead. I have to admit; I keep the original book but the new book is better always.

I am rewriting a book right now that I thought was done twice before. The first time it wasn’t working right, I just couldn’t end the book well. Now the new storyline is much better but this download in my brain has clarified things and made the story flow better. I am glad that I listen to those voices or guidance in my head instead of blocking them off for many years. Listening to your intuition is how you move your life forward and reach your full potential. Your spirit guides, angels or whatever you want to call them are here to help not hurt you.     

I started writing books in my head to sleep after bad accidents that I saw every week at work on the San Bernardino National Forest in the last 1980’s when I got hired by the US Forest Service permanently in fire. When I became a District Recreation Officer on the Angeles National Forest who still responded to accidents and worked in fire too, the accidents and incidents became daily occurrence. We would leave the office each day asking not to see a vehicle accident, find a person who committed suicide or a murder victim, it was that bad for over ten years.

I had a PTSD counselor that advised me to write or journal what I was seeing. I wrote so much for work that didn’t seem appealing to me. I then started writing books in my head. I rewrote the day to end nicely instead of like shit. It helped me sleep. Then writing books in my head became my go to for many issues I faced at work and in my personal life.

My husband was a Fire Battalion Chief. He would come home every day and talk about all he had seen or done. He didn’t ever want to hear about my day though. I had no outlet for what I had seen or done, my PTSD and trauma. I learned later that I now had his trauma and PTSD stacked on top of mine. Double the shit I could see in my head even when I hadn’t been there. PTSD doesn’t care, once you have been at lots of accidents, body recoveries and fires, it’s easy to know and see what my spouse has experienced. It just was never reciprocal. I kept stacking it in my head and heart while he off loaded his stuff on to me.

I got help from time to time especially after really bad shit. But writing books in my head was the best outlet. Finally, after I retired and my husband passed of cancer, I sought out counseling specifically to deal with the nightmares and trauma that still snuck up and bit me.  She asked me why I wasn’t writing books to deal with my PTSD and trauma (which are different by the way). I was at a place after working with her for three years to start writing. Once I started the first book just flowed on to the keypad. Then it became a whole series of books, Sisters in Smoke, where in each book I work through a bit of my PTSD or trauma or both. 

This is how Annie’s Story, Running Through the Fire happened. I have eight books conceptually in this Sister in Smoke series but each can stand alone on its own. It’s how my Veterans Firefighter series is now in progress along with a Paranormal First responder series and finally for fun I am inventing a whole new world for a fantasy series. I wake up each day with new thought for existing and in progress books. I wake up with whole new books flowing out of my mind for each of my potential series.  

I can’t explain it better than what I have just written. I literally wake up with okay Julie here is what you need to write for the book today. Or here is a new book to start at times. If I don’t write what I wake up with the dream or knowing, it will keep on happening until I write it out. The ideas will keep poking at me day after day until I just get them on written down or typed out.  I have several notebooks and file folders with books or book ideas in them. I know that for the rest of my life I am to write. I know that those who need to see my words will. I know that my books will help others know that they aren’t alone and there is help for them too. It is just a knowing. If you feel the urge to write, just write. That is the best advice I can give you.