Brainwaves

Our human brains are receivers in some ways for the thoughts and words and sounds that fill our daily lives. Hence many writers don’t know where they get their story ideas from, but in truth they are getting messages from their subconscious and suggestions from people around them. If they listen to the radio or watch television, if they go to plays or movies, there’s a good chance some small combination of words has penetrated the cranium and become an idea.

Titles I’d Like to See

Frankly, titles that a funny or employ a play on words will get me to buy them in an instant. I could not resist Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. I had less fun with Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, but I get the concept. Still, a catchy title for an original story is appealing as well. Like Otterly Scorched.

Even More Characters I Wish I had Created

I still believe I could have created Elizabeth Bennet had I been alive during Jane Austen’s era. And all the other wonderful people with whom Ms. Austen populated her world. I don’t recall many villains in her stories, either, except that cousin who looked down on the family until he became certain he would inherit and then slimmed his way into their circle and acquaintances. Very interesting fellow who certainly thought the story was all about him. Let’s look at a few others.

Characters I Wish I’d Created

Not long ago, I finished the second Bobiverse book. The neat thing about Bob is that at the beginning of his story, he was an ordinary guy, a little geeky, and sadly a traffic accident statistic. Then magic happens with uploading “corpsicles” into computer hardware and a chance to live forever, unless someone kills him. Okay, kills him again.

Musical Questions

Do You Know the Way to San Jose? What’s Love Got to Do With It? Who Will Stop the Rain? Do You Believe in Magic? Was Dog A Doughnut? Was I Right or Was I Wrong? Do You Want to Know A Secret? What About Love? What About Me? What About Us? What About Now?

Introducing Ava S. Quill

You should know by now how much I love discovering new authors and people to follow. I’ve been fortunate to know Mika Jolie (The Scale), Anna Brooks (Not Your Hero), Brandy Ayers (The Arrangement), D. de Carvalho (Hot Pink Heels), Kishan Paul (The Second Wife), and Kathryn L. James (Crazy, Beautiful Lies) when they were working on their first publications. I have benefited so much from their struggles and their successes. Thank you, everyone.

Declutter Your World

Does your writing work area look like the picture on the right or the left? I’m certainly on the right, and it goes on under the desk, in the hutch on the back of the desk, on to the floor, over the dog, out to the kitchen, the bedroom, and the yard. I can’t do it all. But getting rid of clutter is a great place to start, especially for writers who aren’t pulling in $52K a year yet. I just pulled that number out of the pile of bills marked Urgent. Ha! It’s past due. Might as well throw it away. (Just kidding)

Care, Feeding, and Training of Your Muse

I Googled the above title and found out I am not the only one who wants more control over my writing instinct and inspiration. I go to my critique group and get the best advice for the story in its current shape. I want to write! I want to use what they told me and manage at least 10k words. But by the time I go home, after stopping at one or two stores along the way, I have to put groceries away and take care of birds and clean the kitchen and get the laundry moved along. When at last I sit down at my desk I have to get up again and find where I put my laptop bag, unpack it and connect it to everything. By then my muse is sitting in a corner playing with dust bunnies. Bad Muse! No biscuit for you.

Something May Appear Here

I’m writing this the night before my RWA meeting. I have spent most of the day taking care of birds, doing business for my bird club, getting things written for my weight loss support group, taking the dog to be groomed, and shopping. I’m getting my Facebook pages up to date and scheduling posts for the future. I was going to write about tweeting what I read, but I am so tired I just want to put something up and not worry about it. I also have a bird blog to write.

Honeyville

My husband and I call each other “Honey” whenever we want to catch the other’s attention. I have often addressed emails or cards to Honey from Honey. We’re also heavily into bees due to our happy glowy-box friends, some of whom we have actually met in person, from the You Suck at Craigslist blog, now on hiatus. May bees be upon you is a group blessing.