New Ideas Have No Manners

Recently the idea for a new series has invaded my mind. It's there when I wake up in the morning with scenes and dialog trampling through every thought I have. It's there in the evening when I'm trying to settle in for a good night's sleep. The ideas are even there when I'm trying to have a conversation with those around me. While this is wonderfully exciting, it is also most inconvenient.

Right now I'm in the middle of writing two books: the 4th book of the PRINCESS KANDAKE series and a new contemporary science fiction piece. How can I possibly start something else? There are only so many hours in a day and only so much space in my brain.

Nevertheless, this new idea comes barging right in and taking over. I see the main character in every daydream. I hear snippets of conversation between the characters and I don't even know their names, yet. Today the entire beginning of the story unfolded while I was in the middle of my morning ablutions. The dang thing is relentless!

Because I have no choice I cry, 'uncle.' I surrender! I must begin to write some of it down before it all disappears into the ethers. So, when I should be working on the other two pieces, here I sit at my computer banging out the first few pages. Sheesh! Such rude behavior.

Sorting Through Ideas

Most of the time I'm trying to figure out which story line to work on next. Lately, though, my mind has been circling around some unique things to do with my books. I have this crazy idea that blends audio books with ebooks. I really think it could work.

These are the days I wish I had majored in information technology in college instead of psychology. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed my career working with and treating children and teens. They are the ones who helped me understand the importance of story and how it plays an integral part of our everyday lives. So I guess I should give them credit for my becoming a writer.

But today, understanding and knowing how to write computer code to create the different applications that I have floating around in my head would really be helpful. And if I can't write the code, it would be helpful if I had tons of money to hire someone else to do it for me.

So here I am without skill or funds. I know I can't be the only one in this position. I'm sure there are others with the same lack who figure out how to get it done. So I will keep sorting through how to accomplish what I want until I get to my goal.

By the way...are there any application builders willing to work for royalties? Just thought I'd ask.

The List Grows

Saturday I was blessed by the company of two young ladies from the small group I led last year. Together we reorganized my office. They did most of the work and you should see it. Gorgeous! They are working machines. You should have seen them, shredding old manuscript copies, organizing shelves, sorting, and filing.

They came across several stacks of research or pages of story notes. With each collections of pages they'd ask me what it was. I'd say, "That's for a series I want to write." Then I'd tell them a little about it, to which they'd promptly reply, "That sounds cool." Or, "Write that one, soon." After having gone through quite a few of these collections one finally asked, "Do you plan to be writing books forever?"

My answer is, "Absolutely, positively, without a doubt, YES!" I plan to be late to my own funeral because I'm trying to finish that last manuscript. I was born a storyteller and I'll die a storyteller. I plan to spend all of the years in between writing and telling stories. And yes everyone of them will be for the 'Tween audience.

I guess you could say that story is my passion...only because I don't know a stronger word.

Inspiration!

As an author, I am often asked, "What inspires you to write?" The answer to that is both simple and complex. I am motivated by many things. It could be something as small as an insect crawling on the ground, a cloud formation, or an emotion that was aroused within me.

As many of you may know, the PRINCESS KANDAKE series was inspired by my granddaughter. She wanted to be a princess and because I really have no tolerance for the messages of the typical princess stories, I felt compelled to create a a totally different kind of princess. A story where the people are not surprised by the strength of her character or her determination and independence. But this is a post about inspiration, let me get back to that.

I recently watched a movie on television called The Magic of Belle Isle. I highly recommend it. The plot was fairly straightforward and well-acted about a struggling author and recently divorced mom. It was beautiful! It called to the story within me! It begged for me to write.

There have been many movies, books, or situations that have had this effect upon me. I am not sure how to explain it other than to say that something awakens within me and a story is born. It's like a feeling of the fantastic, a yearning that must be expressed, the groaning of something yet to be given birth. In simpler terms, my creativity has been quickened and I must write, yet again.

The story I develop must be one that has appeal for my audience: action, struggles, light romance. This is not an easy thing to do. In everything I write, I must consider the age of my audience, being careful not to take them any farther than they are truly ready to go. And because my readers are savvy, intelligent beings, I include a tiny bit of life's wisdom for them to chew on. I add something they can take away from the story that they can apply to their lives. This is regardless of whether the tale takes place in modern day, the ancient past, or far in the future. Honestly, sometimes that bit of wisdom is what can inspire a story.

So now I am writing a story about one of the characters in my PRINCESS KANDAKE series. I am not quite sure where it is leading, but I will follow wherever the character takes me and tell the story he lays before me. But I will tell you a tiny secret...the inspiration for this story is supporting others while building a life of your own and what that looks like when romance enters the picture.

Time to Celebrate!

I am super jazzed. I just finished book #2 in the Nubian Princess series. Yay for me. Now it’s time to give it a bit of a rest in a drawer, out of site for a while, before I begin the revision process. What will I do in the meantime?

I plan to read!!! I’ve got a few books that I need to get through, two fiction and two non-fiction, before I write another word. What’s next on the writing agenda?

Even though I have an idea for the next NP book, I think I want to leave the ancient world for a while. I’m feeling like some science fiction. I’ve got something in the future I want to get to before I return to the ancient past.

But the biggest thing is that I finished it. Yay For Me!