I wound up at the writing cabin not really knowing what I was going to do. Lisa was ready in her spacesuit, and Percy the Space Chimp seemed excited.
I opened the project, which still needs a name. A transition scene forced me to take things a little slower. We managed around 200 words.
Lisa pinched the bridge of her nose. “You’re about to have company.”
“How do you know?” Percy asked.
She pointed at herself. “Robot girl. I’m patched into the doorbell camera.” Lisa headed for the door before they could ring.
I hoped beyond reason that Lisa could get rid of them. Maybe buy me a box of Girl Scout Cookies. Didn’t work out that way.
Consultia and Libraria barged into the room. They were followed by Wiki, who peeked around her sisters and wriggled her fingers.
“Oh, no! I have a project in the works. I don’t need the Research Sirens right now.”
Consultia, a stunning black girl in a scoop-necked dress, said, “I disagree. You have two hat stories in the can, and you’re working on a space opera that could take a couple of years.”
Blonde bombshell Libraria peered over her glasses. “You need something else brewing. Your fans are going to want something unique before the space opera is ready.”
Wiki pulled out her iPad Mini, touched an app, then a huge beanbag chair in the shape of a panda head appeared. As she flopped in the seat, her red A-line bob danced seductively. “I’m ready. What are we researching?”
“That’s a cool app,” Percy said.
Wiki wrinkled her nose, then patted the chair beside her for him to sit down.
Consultia put an arm around me. Hair from her huge ’do tickled my ear. “We should talk about Detroit.” She steered me toward the couch.
“It’s just a loose idea. All the abandoned homes and businesses might be the site for an adventure.”
Libraria leaned back on the couch, then crossed her legs over my lap, leaving one stiletto heel dangling. “Characters?”
“Well, I thought I might use junior high aged kids. A boy, and a mixed race girl to explore all the buildings.”
Wiki wrinkled her nose. “It could be like Indiana Jones, and the abandoned parts are their temples.”
“I like that. I’ll need a McGuffin of some kind.”
Libraria pulled a gigantic book from thin air. “The complete history of Detroit. After you finish it, I can find you some others.”
Wiki held up her iPad. “How about this court case. This couple stole all kinds of things from the National Archives. Your kids might go looking for stuff that was never recovered.”
Percy leaned over her shoulder for a look. “That was fast.”
“Sirens are magical beings.” Wiki handed him one of her friendship bracelets.
Conversia ran a manicured nail down my chest. “We should go to Detroit to see this with our own eyes. You’ll need foils of some kind, and we can visit street gangs, druggies, and politicians. I can lead a dialog amongst you so you can get all the data you need.”
“We could explore the Detroit music scene while we’re there,” I suggested.
Libraria glared over her frames. “Wrong story.”
“Okay, but how will this be one of my stories? I don’t see science fiction, fantasy, or paranormal fitting in here.”
Consultia said, “Something will come to you. We can stay in Detroit for a few months if we need. Maybe I can get you an appointment with the Nain Rouge.”
“Who?”
Percy shot to his feet. “Wait, wait, wait! What about my story? You can’t just abandon me.”
Lisa brought in coffee and mugs for everyone. “That’s their trap. They crash an author’s career on the rocks. Craig knows this.”
Wiki frumped. “Sounds kind of mean when you say it like that.”
Lisa put a hand on her hip. “We aren’t going to Detroit, and he’s not reading that huge book. In fact, we’re going back to the space opera and letting all this stew for a few months. There’s probably a story here, but he can’t go away forever to research mindless things you might throw in his path.”
Conversia let my head bounce across her bosom, landing in her lap. “Killjoy.”
“I like you girls. I really do, but he has to stay on task. He’ll think about it. I promise.”
Libraria swiveled her legs back to the floor. “I’m sure there’s a nice champagne brunch somewhere near a quality shoe store. Are you coming?”
Lisa looked at me as she fidgeted.
“Go ahead. I’ll hang out with Percy and we’ll see what we come up with.”
“Squeee!” Lisa dashed from the room to change her clothes.