My muse asks: Shall we dance?

I'll be honest, friends. Last week's muse avatar sucked. My BF thinks I might not have used the right picture of Kellan Lutz, thus throwing off the writing mojo. I actually think it had more to do with the whole Eclipse launch thing. Just saying.

So who's the hottie to your left and what's she doing on muse avatar Monday?

Meet Jessica. She's a long-time friend, former co-worker, and owner of J'Adore Dance. Beautiful, no? This is after two kids. Two stunning little girls, by the way.

Still wondering why her gorgeous face is taking up muse avatar Monday space?

A little back story.

I've been in a literary funk for several weeks. Maybe it's lack of confidence but whatever the reason, I've spent more time staring at a blank screen than producing anything of worth. Oh, I've had eureka moments - many of them documented on this very blog. But for some reason, the "aha!" hasn't transferred onto the fiction page.

I'd been struggling for answers - and making excuses - for several days.

And then I met up with Jessica, after FAR TOO LONG, and things kind of clicked into place. Five minutes into our conversation and I had the cure for my writing blues. Well, actually, SHE had the cure, I just didn't realize it.

You see, I'm the queen of the yo-yo dieter (no really, I have the crown to prove it). And since my wedding almost a year ago (love you, Jeffrey xo), I've put back on the weight I'd lost. Because my handsome husband would love me at 300 pounds, I've let it slide - to the point where I'm scrounging in my closet looking for something - anything - that fits.

I hate that feeling.

Of course, weight gain impacts my confidence. It also affects my ability to write.

I should know this. After all, I polish my crown every couple of years when I've dropped 40 or found someone else's 20. It's in these times that my writing suffers.

But I've been down every diet road and at each turn come up to a dead end. I've trained with She-Ra unti l I couldn't afford her anymore (she rocked my world). I've been to Weight Watchers, suffered through the Berstein program, and followed the Curves diet to a point of obsession. I'm a runner. A cyclist. And I took a few years of boxing. Loved that (but that's a whole other blog post.)

Jessica suggested I try dance.

Dance? Me of the two left feet? I laughed. She didn't.

Ever since I can remember, I've loved dance. My cousin Larissa is stunning - tap, hip hop, contemporary...the girl is truly a beautiful dancer. My uncle Rick, my cousin Kile -- awesome moves. But I have always shied away from dance - even while coveting my So You Think You Can Dance? TV time and watching (much to hubby's dismay) all kinds of dance movies.

Truth be told, dancers intimidate me.

Jessica says that's part of what the dance community has cultivated (albeit somewhat inadvertently) - and it's an image she'd like to alter. J'Adore Dance aims to make dancing accessible - even for people with two left feet. It's clear Jess is passionate about her business, but more than that, she positively glows when she talks about dance.

It's infectious. Jessica is infectious.

And now, I'm signed up. For not one dance class, but several. Like Hip Hop. And Salsa. And, er, Naughty Hotties.

I know myself well enough to know that this new challenge, this commitment to wellness and health (more in another blog post), will inspire confidence. Even if I fall flat on my two left feet, I'll have broken out of my comfort zone - which always inspires me to write.

So, miss muse avatar, shall we dance?

Gulp.

The Book In My Bag Today: Haunted, Kelley Armstrong