I mentioned last week that I would probably write about relationships on Monday. This post is late because of the relationship I'm involved in right now – my Mom is visiting me in Sydney from Michigan. Tomorrow is her last day so we're trying to spend as much time as we can hanging out and getting the last few things checked off our lists.

I haven't been thinking much of my imaginary relationships this past month. John and I agreed that my career could wait another month, but I'd never have this time with my mom again. (The last time we spent four weeks together 24 hours a day, I was a high school senior!) But I'm sure when I get going again next week, all kinds of things will start creeping into my mother/daughter relationships in my stories. I'm as curious as you are to find out what happens!

The most important relationship in my life is the multi-faceted relationship I have with God. My husband comes next, with friends and family coming much farther down the line. I don't know why that is, but I wonder about it. Does every married person feel that relationship is so far ahead of all the others that it's worth mentioning? Probably parents feel that way about their children?

My musings make their way into my writing as I make up characters and imagine how they get along with family and friends. I think it's the most interesting thing about reading other people's stories, too. I was just reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman last week. I love the sound of his writing, the rhythm and flow and wordchoice. But I have to admit, I was so swept away by the film – the particular actors they chose, their chemistry, the way they looked at each other and talked to each other – that it's one of the few films that I enjoy more than the book. (Shocking, I know.) Nothing against Neil's writing or story choices – his episode of Doctor Who this year was my favorite one of the year! I just happened to enjoy the story choices in the movie even more. (Robert DeNiro as the airship captain was brilliant!)

I hope this month-long visit with Mom is everything she hoped it would be. And I look forward to seeing how it affects my writing.