25
Apr
When people find out I’m a writer, one of the first questions that inevitably comes up is where I get all of the ideas for my stories.
Well, the truth is, I get inspiration from pretty much anywhere and everywhere–a news story, the lyrics of a song, a dream, a photograph, a snippet of dialogue between two people in front of me in line at the coffee shop, and–every now and then–from nowhere at all. I honestly don’t remember what was behind every single thing I’ve ever written, but there are a few AH-HA! moments that stand out in my memory for whatever reason, so I thought I’d share those with all of you.
1) My very first novel, way back when I was 14-years-old, was inspired by a series of dreams I had. And, as I recall, I was reading a lot of fantasy novels around then, which probably played a large part in what was on my mind. In particular, I remember two novels/series that were absolutely fabulous and had me hooked on the genre – The Oval Amulet by Lucy Cullyford Babbit and The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce. I’m generally not all that into YA novels, but I would definitely read these again.
2) A short story I wrote in high school called “The Weed,” which won something-or-other in my creative writing class, came about because of a particularly awful dandelion infestation in our yard that was choking out all the little violet wildflowers I liked to pick and put in a tiny vase on my desk. I remember sitting at my desk looking out the window (instead of doing homework) and fuming about the dandelions, and the idea for the story hit me. When all was said and done, I ended up writing a very dark short story about a precocious little boy battling to save his mother from nefarious forces. The weed was a metaphor. I came across the story again recently and was more than a little shocked by how much the main character I created twenty years ago resembles my eldest son. Adding to the weirdness–they share the same first name. (For the record, that’s where the similarities end. 
)
3) A contemporary romance I’ve been working on on-and-off for several years now was inspired by a single line from a song that I really loved in college. I’ve written loads of scenes for this story, but it keeps wanting to morph into a romantic suspense. I’ve set it aside to return to at some later date when I figure out which way I want it to go.
4) My vampire-like-creature project — Well, I honestly don’t recall where this one came from. I’ve loved vampire movies and books and have since I was a kid, so this was probably just a culmination of decades of watching horror movies that frustrated me because they weren’t love stories. I was also reading a lot by Lara Adrian, J.R. Ward, Lynn Viehl, and Alexandra Ivy, which I’m sure played a role in what I ultimately decided to write. Once again, what I started out writing and what I ended up writing are vastly different.
5) My angels and demons project came about after I watched a documentary on the Black Death. Incidentally, the story has absolutely nothing to do with the plague (although it is mentioned).
6) Red is the result of my eldest son asking, “Hey, Mom, what if….?”
7) A ghost story I’ve been planning draws upon personal experiences. The plot is fictional; some of the incidents depicted are not.
8) The idea for a paranormal romantic comedy that was this close to being my next project back in February came to me while reading Greek mythology with Professor. In keeping with my pattern, by the time I actually sat down and plotted out the story and did all my preliminary character sketches, Greek mythology didn’t play into it at all.
9) An epic fantasy novel that I’ve been writing in fits and starts since my late teens was inspired by Orson Scott Card’s novel, Ender’s Game. My story has absolutely nothing in common with Ender’s Game except that the main character starts out as a little boy who ends up being part of something much bigger than he’d ever anticipated.
10) My current project, which happens to be a futuristic fantasy romance, came about when I read a scientific article about the future of space exploration. I briefly toyed with the idea of writing this one as a sci-fi (a genre I really enjoy), but I quickly realized I needed to stick with planet Earth, and (of course) ended up going in a totally different direction.
Well, there you have it–a little glimpse inside my head. The thing is, what inspires me might not inspire you, and vice versa. The most important thing to remember is that inspiration is all around you. You just have to be open to it.
All that being said, there are going to be times when it seems like the Inspiration Fairy has gone AWOL and is nowhere to be found. In my next couple of posts I’ll share some of my favorite exercises for dragging that good-for-nothing beyotch back kicking and screaming. Stay tuned!
31
Oct
One of my favorite things about Halloween is the plethora of horror movies on TV. Unfortunately, this year’s offerings have been a bit of a disappointment, in my opinion (no matter what a certain network’s promos would lead you to believe).
I’m not into the slasher films like Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street or the other iconic horror flicks of their ilk, so there’ll be no marathons involving Jason or Freddie at my house. But give me a movie featuring vampires, ghosts, or werewolves, and I’m good to go! And if you can throw in a creepy kid as the villain–even better!
Now, if (like me) you’re looking for something fun to watch after the trick-or-treaters have packed it in for the night but just can’t find anything while flipping through the channels, don’t be afraid to go digging back through the decades for some oldies but goodies. Or even go out on a limb and try a foreign horror film (with subtitles, natch).
If you need some ideas, here are a few of my faves:
1) The Changeling starring George C. Scott
2) Silver Bullet starring Corey Haim
3) Bram Stoker’s Dracula starring Gary Oldman
4) House of Wax starring Vincent Price
5) The Bad Seed starring Patty McCormack
6) The Omen (1976 version) starring Gregory Peck
7) Gin gwai (The Eye) starring Angelica Lee
8) House on Haunted Hill (1959 version) starring Vincent Price
9) John Carpenter’s Vampires starring James Woods
10) The Fall of the House of Usher starring Vincent Price
Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive. I’m also a fan of some of the more mainstream movies like Underworld (the Director’s Cut), the Blade series, the various zombie movies (even though they seriously freak me out), and all the campy, low-budget movies that show up on cable every weekend. But if you want to watch a quality film that will give you the chills this Halloween, give one from my list a try.
And, most importantly, have a safe and happy Halloween!!
2
Mar
I’m a “Ghost Hunters” junkie.
Believe it or not, I’m actually taking a break from writing and editing tonight so I can get caught up on last season’s episodes before the new season begins on March 3rd. Now, granted, part of the show’s appeal might have something to do with TAPS Tech Manager, Steve Gonsalves (two words: Cutie. Pie.), but mainly I’m drawn to “Ghost Hunters” because, like so many others in the viewing audience, I just love a good ghost story.
In fact, I’m on a bit of a ghost hunt of my own.
I’m not hunting for ghosts in the literal sense — trust me, I’ve had enough of my own personal experiences to last a lifetime. At present, I’m looking for phantasms of the (intentionally) fictional variety. In my writing queue is an open spot for a paranormal romance featuring ghosts in some yet-to-be-determined capacity, but before I really dig in and give it a go, I’d like to read what others have done and get a feel for what’s already out there.
Visit your average library or bookstore and you’ll find no shortage of horror novels dealing with our corporeally-challenged friends and other entities of their ilk, but I have yet to find a romance/romantic suspense novel in which spirits play a major role. Well, perhaps I should qualify that: I’ve yet to find one in which the plot doesn’t ooze melodrama. Now, don’t get me wrong, these might be perfectly sweet, romantic stories, but I’m looking for something dark and edgy that will keep me awake at night.
However, looking at the other end of the spectrum, nothing annoys me more than slashers and splatters masquerading as ghost stories. Plot and character development are two must-haves in what I read, and books of this sort tend to sacrifice plot in favor of gratuitous gore and violence. And character development? Skipped entirely, as most of the characters won’t be sticking around long enough to make it worthwhile. Within the first few pages, you pretty much know how the story’s going to end — it’s just a matter of determining in which order the characters are going to be decapitated, eviscerated, or otherwise heinously mutilated before the protagonist (and possibly a token love interest) finally escape.
What I’m dying to read (no pun intended) is something gritty and scary and sexy, a story that will give me the chills and make my spine tingle for more reasons than one. Give me just the right combination of psychological suspense, fast-paced action, and engaging love story, and I’ll be completely hooked.
I have to believe there are paranormal romances out there that successfully unite my love of the romantic and the spooky, so I’m open to suggestions. If you have any recommendations, feel free to post them here or email me.
Let the ghost hunting begin!
30
Nov
What kind of a paranormal romance writer would I be if I didn’t take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Halloween? This is one of my favorite holidays — just ask my day-job colleagues who are baffled by the fact that I leave my pumpkin lights up in my office all year!
I think part of the fun for me is that my youngest sister’s birthday is on October 31st, so it was always a huge party! Another aspect of Halloween that appeals to me is the fact that it’s the last hoorah before the craziness of Thanksgiving and Christmas begins. (Just thinking about the next two months makes me tense.)
But, of course, my favorite part of Halloween is the fabulous smorgasbord of monster/horror movies that inundate the airwaves today! I would do nothing but chill in front of the TV with popcorn and a Diet Coke if I could, but, alas, there’s far too much partying and trick-or-treating to be had! Thank God for DVR, that’s all I’m saying. My scary movie marathon will have to wait until tonight after the rest of the festivities and after the kiddies come crashing down from their sugar highs and eventually fall into bed. Then my big decision will be if I should numb out my brain on vampires or ghosts or werewolves or zombies… Oh, the choices!
So, here’s wishing you and all your little goblins and ghosties a wonderfully ghoulish and delightfully creepy Halloween!
Maura
(Originally posted – you guessed it! – Oct 31)
