Characters, Stories, Lockets and Garden Hoses...Oh My!

How do I stop the endless flow of characters passing through my brain and dropping off story ideas? I'm sure you remember that rather than plotting my stories, I'm a pantser (write by the seat of my pants). Characters pop into my head at will, introduce themselves, a plot and expect me to start plunking their story out on the computer. Well, it worked well the first couple of times, because I typed until I finished. But now...? Oy Vey! I have too many stories rattling around in my head and I'm getting my characters confused with the journey they expect me to take.

I've spent the last two days working on "Hope Springs Eternal," and finally finished it. When I proofed it one last time before shipping it off, I was surprised to find Carrie, my character from "First Degree Innocence" had slipped into a scene.

Now that I'm finished with Hope, Carrie is screaming for my attention, but then I have Odessa tugging at me, too. My brain is wrapped around a non-fiction that I want to write, Souled Out, but while I was on vacation, my sister gave me fodder for a great story concerning a locket. Another romantic suspense, but lean on the romance because she's more into true crime than loving. *smile*

The good news is I'm making progress. Next month, Forever Faith will join my first release, Chastity's Charms, building toward a four novella anthology that will hopefully one day be offered in print, Stages of Love. Here's a little teaser from Forever Faith: CAUTION: IF MAY BE TOO SPICY FOR SOME... If you prefer, skip down to the next scene from Hope Springs Eternal.

Faith Oliver suffers from a weight problem and has no real beaus in her life. In fact, she’s never been with a man. Maybe that’s why she’s surprised when a delectably handsome male begins to invade her dreams and command her body. Driven to diet to find a boyfriend to replace her hunky dream lover, Faith undergoes hypnotherapy to determine the meaning of her night visions. Her sessions draw her back to another life, to an era far removed…and a strange name she’s heard before.

Excerpt:

Faith woke with lips feeling bruised from passionate kisses. Her breathing came in quick gasps as if she’d just finished a bout of voracious sex.
Until last night, her dream lover had only touched and kissed her. She hadn’t really gotten a good look at his penis before. She was still awed by the size of it. If that was a weapon, the man was heavily armed.
Faith pushed herself up into a sitting position and rested against the headboard until she composed herself. If she smoked, this would be the perfect time for a cigarette. This dream had been the most fantastic yet!
Her nameless beau had actually made love to her, really penetrated her this time, gone all the way! She had no idea what she’d been missing. She exhaled through pursed lips and reveled in the moment.
Her nipples were still pebbled beneath her nightshirt, and from something other than cold air for a change. Warm and moist, her nether regions still contracted from the thickness, while her whole body quivered in delight. She pinched herself to make sure she was awake.
Is this what the afterglow of intercourse feels like?
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Hope Springs Eternal, which I just submitted and has yet to be edited, is a medical romance. I offer this 'un-edited' scene for your reading enjoyment:

“What?” Jerrod jumped to his feet and glared down at her. “Not see each other anymore? Why on earth not.”
She peered up at him, her heart pounding. “I think it’s best.”
“That doesn’t tell me anything.” He ranted. “Best for whom?”
Her mind spun. How could she break it off without divulging the real reason? God, she adored him. He’d never said he loved her but clearly he felt something to be this indignant.
She stared into her lap. “I-I’ve given this a lot of thought and I don’t see a future for us. I think it would be easier if we called it off now before either of us gets too attached.” The lie clung to her tongue like peanut butter on a spoon. She glanced up.
He started to pace. “I can’t believe this. I’m already attached. I thought you felt the same.” He stopped and stared at her. “I love you, Hope. I don’t want this to end.”
Oh my God, he’d said the words she dreamed of hearing, but now it was too late. She steeled herself against his blue eyes, his trim frame, his good looks, but most of all his heartfelt words and stood. Though painful, she locked gazes with. “I’m sorry, but I’m not changing my mind. I need you to leave, please.”
If he didn’t, her resolve would crumble and she’d beg him to stay, to take her to bed and show her how much he loved her. She walked to the front door and opened it. “Goodbye, Jerrod.”
He passed by her without a word. Tears glistened in his eyes and his shoulders sagged, but he didn’t even glance at her. She quickly closed the door behind him, leaned against it and slid down into a tearful heap on the floor. He was gone and her heart felt as though someone punched her in the chest. She hugged herself and rocked back and forth. “Oh, Jerrod, I do love you. I do. I do.”
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So, now I've taken care of Chastity, Faith, Hope and Grace. Joy has yet to be fulfilled, but Carrie and Odessa take precedence...at least I think. Detective O'Conner has dumped the name of the first victim in the locket stories on my desk, and the lure of a contest entry has me working now on a historical short set during World War II. I completed three short stories and submitted them to a new magazine. One has been contracted and I'm waiting to hear on the others. I submitted a short Christmas story to another magazine, and am waiting on that as well, and I'm also anxious to see Roselle Fountain to make her debut in Sparta Rose...coming soon from Eternal Press. They say the third time is the charm, and if Ellie Fountain, as she's called, doesn't emerge from the ashes of two burned contracts, I'm giving up on this one. *lol*

Add in the task of two pending video trailers I need to complete, new characters trying to crowd their way into my head, and the constant stimming of my autistic grandson in the background, and you'll probably be able to figure out why I'm the nutcase that I appear to be. Oh, I forgot the most important distraction at the moment...Kelly in his new headgear for his sleep apnea. It's really fun trying to doze off when your mate is wrestling with a six foot hose attached to a little machine on the nightstand. I gave up the other night and moved to the couch. It's like sleeping with an animated garden hose. Please Lord, let the break in period be over soon.