Close Thematic Similarities -- question for writers in particular

There are very few new ideas around, and it's quite possible to write a whole new perspective on a timeworn tale. That said ... what do you do if you discover that a published novel reflects a concept you've been maturing for some years?

[A little context: this is the Difficult But Worthwhile novel concept that I don't yet feel ready to start writing. The other day I read a synopsis of a fairly recent novel and realised that the author is writing in the same genre, and likely exploring at least some of the same themes. The author is someone whose writing I enjoy; I simply hadn't registered anything about this novel except its existence.]

writing, hallucinating, aching, imagining.

Which is grand, as I'm slightly ahead of target (from being nearly 4K behind on Wednesday) and it's only lunchtime.

I have a peculiar sort of earache, which I can best describe as the migrainey headache transplanted about 5cm left. It's hard to locate -- certainly not old-fashioned ache of inner ear, which I suffered from very badly as a child -- but very firmly in one place: problem is, the place where it feels as though it is, is outside my skull. Perhaps I have an invisible antenna or other sense organ protruding from my left temple, and it's an ache in that?

On the subject of invisible things, I realised yesterday that I was still suffering the hallucinations (or visualisations) that came with the migraine-or-whatever. Trust me, the middle lane of the M25, about to enter the Dartford Tunnel, is not a good time for this realisation. Very entertaining it was, though. Shiny and weird.

this next bit may sound slightly weird.
Given that many of my hallucinations are of people, I was vaguely hoping that a visit to St Peter's Chapel would produce ghosts themed hallucinations. It didn't. Though that in turn produced a story-germ, which I have dutifully scribbled.

Right: must be time to get up and go out for some fresh air, though possibly not as fresh as yesterday. Also to get ache out of bones. I'm still aching quite a lot from the tense muscles that so often accompany migraine attack. (And still feeling nauseous and randomly sleepy. This is a week after initial attack. Stop now kthx.)

Fun 'n' Games with Serious Academic Texts

I'm reading for research, and it's a laugh a minute.

( quotation in image form, and one interpretation )

Cat Torture

I have just been torturing Sam; at least, that's what all the neighbours must think, because he complained very loudly. Actually it was just a bit of brushing, and snipping out some intractable knots, and general cat-wrangling.

And then, to relax, I read a little LJ and found a picture of a large pile of fluff, removed without the cat-wrangler requiring surgery.

So -- have any of you, dear Friends, used a Furminator? Pros and cons? Spare one I can try? Personal testimonials?

more words: exceeding expectations

(since the official Nano progress meter hasn't yet picked up latest wordcount update).

I do have another scene, or even two, ready to write, and it's funny how not writing them feels like not trying hard enough. But I take my inner swot rather less seriously than I did at 20, and it's not as though I have spent my day slacking: a walk, a swim, some housework, 4806 words and multiple LJ posts. Oh, and cat-wrangling.

I have caught up with myself.

I am going to have a glass of wine and go to bed, with pusscats, Dead Serious Academic Text and the knowledge that the next 2K should be pretty easy going, even on a Monday.