Retrograde!

So...there are currently five planets in retrograde, with a few more scheduled to join the party over the next few months. Basically, retrograde (when planets appear to be moving backwards in the sky) is considered a good time to revisit issues from the past--to review, rewrite, revise, revisit, rethink,  redo--all those fun "re" words. The positive effects of so-called benevolent planets are dampened, the negative effects of so-called malevolent planets are heightened. Fun times!

Speaking of which, I broke my foot recently, just after Neptune went retrograde in Pisces--my sun sign. Pisces rules the feet. And benevolent Jupiter (co-ruler of Pisces along with Neptune) was also in retrograde. So, yeah, I really should have seen that coming. (especially given the fact that when Neptune went retrograde--still in Pisces--in 2014, I broke a toe.)

Anyway, in an effort to take advantage of all that these many retrogrades have to offer (and due in no small part to the fact that sitting around with my foot elevated is all the exercise I'm getting these days) I've taken a look at my original plan for 2020. Not surprisingly, I've had to re-work that pretty significantly. I'm sure I'm not alone in that! I've also been taking another look at several story ideas that have been languishing on my Works in Progress page FOREVER. 

I've settled on three major revisions, all of which seem to fit the retrograde theme. I have one contemporary story that I've decided do better if it was set in the past. I'm thinking 1930s, perhaps? I have a couple of proposed series that I might switch from romantic suspense to mystery with a love story...maybe. See, when I first started writing I thought I  was going to be a mystery writer, but then it occurred to me that I  don't really know all that much about crime, and then my characters came out heavily in favor of my choosing sex over violence. So this would be totally a redo. And my characters are so fed up with the current dumpster fire that they are positively spoiling for a fight. 

Then there's my steampunk series...I'm thinking of re-writing that to add either suspense or paranormal elements...maybe both? I'm not sure yet. Oh, and then the book I'm currently working on: I'm retelling a first person, single viewpoint story from the point of view of the OTHER character. Wish me luck, because it turns out there's a reason we never heard from Hero B in the original story. He has NO motivation. That's going to have to change. 

So, what about you? What are you rethinking lately?

And, while I'm on the subject, I'd be delighted if anyone wants to weigh in either on the steampunk question (paranormal, yes or no?) or the appeal (or lack thereof) of the Dirty Thirties.