Ideas, Lightbulb Moments & Cuteness!

For some odd reason, I get a lot of my ideas or plot bunnies when I am unable to get to a computer or ever write the ideas down in a notepad.  In sometimes happens when I'm driving my car.  Red lights are for jotting down notes!  But most of the time, I get ideas while I'm in the shower.  This happened to me the other day.  I was stuck on a certain part of my work in progress, and I was frustrated.  Out of the blue, a past event in one of my character's life came to me, which makes their behavior very logical.  I thought I had motivation for the character before, but this little piece of history was the very thing I was missing.  \0/

Sometimes, I get ideas while I'm blow drying my hair.  I mentioned this once on Romance Divas and the naming fairies got me.  I'm the Blowing Ideas Into My Hair Diva.  LOL!  I once came up with a complete poem while drying my hair.  I had to run over to my desk and write it all out.

I shall leave you all with a cute cat video:

Mentor Program

I am going to participate in the Romance Divas mentor program this year!  The mentor/mentee pairs will be posted in a couple of days, and I am looking forward to finding out who my mentor will be.  One of the moderators is giving out hints.  It's fun and a welcome distraction to flex my research muscles while I try to decipher the clue she gave me about my mentor. 

I will be concentrating on my Paranormal Romance during the program.  I am approaching the novel as the start of a series, so I'm very excited to pick it back up again and start work on it.  Here's hoping my mentor can help me see where my weaknesses are and give me some assignments to help me improve.

It feels as if I've been on this journey for a long time, but that I have a very long road still ahead.  There are so many issues with my writing that I need to work on.  I hope it won't overwhelm my mentor.  I am determined to improve, so at least I have that.

I like that the mentor program is not about trying to finish a work in progress.  It's about improving writing skills and getting help, advice and feedback from someone who is more experienced than the mentees.  It's a three month commitment, and I'm ready to get started! 

Must Write . . . Right Now!

It's that feeling I get.  A tightening of the chest.  A sort of rush, like a drug humming in my veins.  I wish I could get this feeling every time I sit down at my desk to write.  I have it now, at almost 2:00 am.  Normally, I'd be dashing off to open one of my works in progress, but not this morning. 

I want to figure out what sparks this feeling so that I can try to recreate it when I need to be creative.  Things that might have factored in to this: 

1.  Beautiful blue sky this morning.  Crisp and clear day, yet cool.  I love California weather and the scenery. 

2.  I went shopping for new expensive toys today.  We bought a 40" Plasma TV.  My husband loves the whole shopping experience where he gets to badger multiple sales people and shop as many stores as he can possibly go to before he finally makes a purchase.  I love getting the new toy home and figuring out how it all works.  Gadgets are so much fun!

3.  I watched a lot of TV today.  And I actually think this might be the key.  I watched some amazing television where the actors were good looking, the writers were spot on and the whole atmosphere of the show was just perfection.  I also watched a few blah shows that I am still keeping up with even though I'm finding that they've gone ridiculous and are just a waste of time.  Bones, Supernatural:  I'm talking to you.  The Mentalist:  You are so right there, on the edge.  Then there was the horribly stupid reality shows that are like watching a train wreck.  But I think all of these varied shows help me to be more creative.  I see what not to do, I see possibilities in reality TV and I see what really, really works for me.  Damon Salvatore, you work it, man!

Well, whatever it is that gets this feeling deep in the heart of me, that feeling like I have to move my characters forward, I have to make scenes come alive in a .doc file, the feeling that I'll burst if I don't start typing, I feel so blessed/lucky to get that feeling. 

It would be nice if the feeling happened at 9:00 am or 10:00 pm, when I have set aside time to write.  Not 2:00 am when I should be asleep and I've going to regret staying up, in the morning when my six year old is jumping on me like joyful bit of sunshine, asking for breakfast. 

I'm going to write in a few minutes, but just like this post, I'm sure what I write won't make much sense in the morning.  I'll have to edit later.  At least the story will get edited.  Somehow, I think it's a good thing to babble incoherently on my blog once in a while, just to remind myself why I should go to sleep before 2:00 am in the future.

Write on, creative people!  Write on!

Real Men and Their Flaws

My eldest son, who recently turned fourteen, reminded me the other day that men have flaws that often times do not end up in romance novels.  But maybe some of the flaws should find their way onto our pages.  Can’t our heroes be more realistic and still charm the socks off us?

My house was a bustle of crazy insanity early one morning, as all five of my kids ran around trying to gather their things for school at the last minute.  My oldest son complained that he couldn’t find his jacket.  As I rushed through the house helping the younger kids gather backpacks, I gave him ideas of places where it might be, but he insisted that he’d looked in all of those places.  He stood in the middle of the living room looking lost.

Once I had everyone together at the door, I opened the entry closet to get my youngest son’s jacket and stopped short.  There, hanging on a hanger, plain as day, was my oldest son’s jacket.  I took it out and waved it in front of him.  

“What!  That wasn’t there a minute ago.  I just looked in there,” he said to me with a slack jaw.

I could only shake my head and do my best to stifle a giggle.  I told him, “You have now officially entered manhood.”

And that got me thinking about romantic heroes.  Color-blind ones who need help making sure they don’t wear one blue and one black sock.  Ones who continually misplaces their car keys.  Or one who is a neat freak that gets bothered when the heroine drops things on the floor.  Flaws that can be annoying, but really, they make the man real.  He can still save the day, team up with the heroine to get things done, make decisions, fight for the girl and all the other wonderful things heroes do.  

Just something to think about.

What I Like

I just got done reading a book that reminded of me all the things I love to see in a book.  Strong characters, great supporting characters, and the author kept me strung along.  It was a long single title about two families.  The writing was sharp and I knew it was going to be good, when in the early part of the story, the writer was able to put that ache in my chest, that longing for the couple to find happiness.  There were peaks and valleys, but always, that ache was there.  

I want my stories to have that.  To give the reader the slightest bit of hope and put them on a roller coaster ride of emotions, with a satisfying HEA. I want the reader to burn dinner (like I did) because they can't stand to put the book down. 

One of these days...

The story was not perfect, by any means, but it was a great read.  Deborah Smith's Blue Willow.

Writing Inspiration ~ Where Do You Get Yours?

It’s difficult for me to explain inspiration or what prods me to write, but I do know my writing is richer and more layered when I am inspired to write as opposed to when I force myself to write.  With the start of this new story, I have been attempting to push myself to write.  I somehow manage during NaNoWriMo to push myself and write a set amount of words everyday and I’m doing okay with this new story.  The one thing I have been doing is taking mini breaks to grasp for more inspiration.

I find inspiration in many places.

Movies.  There are a few movies I have set aside to watch because they churn up inspiration in my gut.  Some of these movies I know by heart now, and I can just watch a particular scene to get that feeling.  I’ve noticed that most of these movies have a similar plot.  The number one movie that I watch for inspiration is The Cutting Edge.  There are so many scenes in it that move me.  Others on my list are:  The Proposal, Love Actually, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Step Up, Real Genius, Drop Dead Fred.

Buy It at Amazon!

What I’ve noticed about my list is that it says something about me.  I’m not much of an intellectual.  My list does not include smart movies with complex plots and there isn’t a sober, depressing one in the bunch.  There might be a bit of drama, but the emphasis is on the relationships or the fun.

Where do you get your inspiration from?