There’s a nonfiction idea that came to me last fall that I dismissed as being too complicated and demanding for me to take on. Interesting? Yes, extremely so. But just too much for me to handle.

I responded the same way to that idea when it returned to my thoughts early this past spring. A great project, I thought — for somebody. Just not for me. Not right now.

Well, it came back to me again this week. In so many ways, it’s still not the right time. But today I sent my agent a proposal for it — a proposal that I loved writing more than anything else I’ve done lately. We’ll see if editors are any more successful at avoiding this idea than I’ve been.