Update!

Thought I'd give you all a brief update on the status/progress of my latest Shiny New Idea:

I've been busily outlining via the Snowflake Method all week, and as of yesterday afternoon (exactly a week following the initial Niagara Falls gushing of inspiration, for those keeping track), I'm a couple of chapters into step eight, the invaluable List o' Scenes. Still going well, still totally in love with the idea, and already have almost a whole page of notes regarding the SEQUEL. 0_o I think my brain has gone into overdrive or something. Not that I'm complaining!

Let's see, stuff I can tell you...

• One of my MCs is blind
• The government is evil (though I guess that's redundant, isn't it. ;-))
• It's a mixture of science fiction and fantasy, a genre BFF and I have dubbed "sci-fantasy," though in future query letters I suppose I'll just have to label it sci-fi *grumble*
• I am already thinking about writing query letters. But not to worry, I adhere to the don't-even-think-about-querying-before-your-manuscript-is-completely-written-revised-and-polished rule.
• There are air-ships (well, at least one), glass and metal lifts (yes, "lifts." Sounds so much cooler than elevators, and hey, I'm an Anglophile from way back. BFF: Can everybody in this world be British? Me: I'll think about it.), and electricity that's not electricity but something rather more nefarious (duh duh DUHhhhhh).
• I feel like this is a weirdly convoluted (but awesome) cross between Hunger Games  and The Bartimaeus Trilogy

And I'll leave you with this brilliant little exchange from yesterday:

Me: So I guess what I want is six or so of these kids to one governess person who's teaching them, you know, basic, rudimentary stuff. Like shapes and numbers and language building and so on.

BFF: You mean like a preschool?

Me: Yes. That.