After last week’s post, I can’t stop thinking about inner worlds.

And I don’t mean to be dramatic, but . . . okay, well, who am I kidding?

Yes, I do.

I mean to be dramatic. I mean to get melancholy when I ponder Batman’s backstory. I mean to cry at Hallmark movies. I mean to use the word “mesmerizing” to describe a decent Super Bowl corn chip commercial.

It just feels right, because though I’m writing this in sweatpants and a “Talk to me, Goose!” Top Gun t-shirt, in my inner world, we wear ball gowns on Tuesdays, carnival garb on Thursdays, and some form of sequins every other day of the week (rhinestones are an acceptable substitute).

We’re always on our way to a party thrown in a creepy bookstore on the edge of town. The one we suspect is owned by a coven of beautiful witches. And we know one day, if we just keep looking, we’ll find their book of spells hidden somewhere between Grisham and King.

Oh, and we also think the town’s stoic sheriff is part of an alien invasion cover-up that only we can uncover.

When I wonder about the drama of other people’s inner worlds, I hunt for clues. After all, if you see me wearing rhinestone-encrusted scarves at the DMV, maybe you’ll catch a whisper of the witchy bookstore within.

I have an acquaintance—we’ll call him Larry—who loves vintage Arnold Schwarzenegger. We’re talking top-of-the-shelf, mid-to-late ’80s, early ’90s. Larry has a refined palate and is eager to share his knowledge. One day, when he gleefully showed me scenes from Commando and basked in their total ’80s-ness (picture Arnold in high-waisted pants with ice cream on his face and later hand-feeding a deer), it was just enough detail to afford a true peek into his inner world. It was a magnificent place.

Mesmerizing, even.

One of the best things about writing The Longblood was creating secret worlds for Daniel and Ainsley so I could give you glimpses into their deeper selves.

And maybe one day, I’ll catch a glimpse inside your inner world.

Please, oh please, let there be llamas.

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