Voices of Fiction - Where do you get your ideas - Part Three

Welcome to another edition of Voices of Fiction.

We continue our discussion with our group of authors on where they get their ideas.

Please welcome our guests.


Jade Varden is the author of the Deck of Lies series, a collection of YA mystery books that show what happens when dark family secrets are exposed. Jade also provides professional writing tips to other indie authors on her blog. Blog, Twitter



Jared Gullage, an English Language Arts teacher in Alabama, is the author of Drinna, The Dustfinders, and The Afterknight. Through his father's introduction to books like The Hobbit, Great Expectations, and works by Ray Bradbury, Jared discovered a universe within his own imagination. Jared put his vision to work through role-play games and then storytelling. Following his father's words, "paint pictures with words", this compulsive writer plans to leave his mark upon the writing world, one dent at a time.



Joylene Butler is the author of Dead Witness and Broken But Not Dead. Links – Website, Blog





 Karina Kantas is the author of five titles, including Huntress which is published by MMP. She originates from the UK but now lives in Greece with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Website



 
Terry W. Ervin II is an English and Science teacher who enjoys writing. He’s an editor for the speculative fiction magazine MindFlights and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen anthologies, magazines and ezines. The genres range from science fiction and fantasy to horror and inspirational.
In 2009 Gryphonwood Press published Terry’s debut fantasy novel FLANK HAWK, and released BLOOD SWORD in 2011. He is busy working on the third novel in the First Civilization’s Legacy series. Website, Blog


Vicki Batman likes to kick back with a diet Coke and write crazy things for her characters. She has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories. She is a member of RWA, and the DARA, Elements, and RWA-WF chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010. Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??" Blog, Blog, Link



Welcome Authors! It's wonderful to have you back.

Now the question is: Where do you get your ideas?

Jade Varden: Everywhere. Sometimes I’ll see something on TV or hear something in a song or even play a game that suddenly inspires me. I’ll start thinking “what if…” and if I come up with a “what if” that I just can’t let go, I know I might have a book on my hands.

Jared Gullage: Many of my ideas for fantasy come from role playing and childhood fantasy my friends and I acted out. I invented a world and have been spending time attempting to people it and draw from it interesting stories. The world I invented is called Trithofar, and I have been working hard to solidify out the stories from there for a broader audience than just the people I know.

Joylene Butler: From everywhere. Conversations. Movies. Television. Books. I hear something and a question will pop into my head. What if…? What if my protagonist dies and there's no body, would her brother, a PI, have the resources to find the truth? If a Metis woman, an English professor, who had spent her life trying to better herself, was stalked by a deranged killer, could she commit the ultimate act and kill him?

Karina Kantas: My ideas mostly come from my warped dreams mixed with TV, films and books :)

T.W. Ervin: My ideas come from paying attention while reading or watching television or participating in discussions with family, friends and co-workers. I never know where an idea will come from, but normally it’s taking an event or situation, and combining it with another I’d encountered and stored away, and then asking, “What if?”

For example, one of my SF short stories, “Accelerated Justice” was sparked through a conversation about crime, punishment and recidivism combined with some research I’d done on chromosomes and telomeres, especially their influence on aging vs. longevity. I wondered: What if scientific knowledge along those lines was brought into the Criminal Justice System? How might it affect and benefit society—and how might it detrimentally affect someone wrongly convicted of a crime? Thus, the nucleus of the story was formed.

Vicki Batman: Authors will say ideas can be found anywhere. Honestly, my story ideas come from the oddest places. I wrote a Christmas story just from a passing glance at Handsome's ties. Or one based upon him saying "bug guts...everywhere." A young man once said, "I have a theory about love." I could hardly concentrate on what he said because my fingers itched to write. I've also put down topics and written stories. I participated in a short fiction class once, and we were given the assignment to write something based on a picture the teacher provided. I was clueless how to start. The teacher said write anything. So I studied the photo and began to let anything flow on the page. After the class, I cleaned it up and sold that story. Who knew!


Thank you all for joining us today and sharing where you find your ideas.

Readers feel free to ask questions concerning this topic in the comments. Also feel free to send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com Subject: Voices of Fiction Question, and have them answered by the participating authors in later editions.

There’s also room for more authors to participate. Drop me an email, Subject: Voices of Fiction.

(Disclaimer - Bios and answers have been posted as submitted by author) 

2012 Muse Online Writers Conference

There's still time, but not much, to be part of the 2012 FREE Muse Online Writers Conference.

Deadline to register has been extended to September 30. You better hurry!

Available workshops list is available.

Go Register. There's nothing to lose, and lots to gain. IT'S FREE.

Voices of Fiction - Where do you get your ideas - Part Two

Welcome to another edition of Voices of Fiction.

We continue our discussion with our group of authors on where they get their ideas.

Please welcome this week's guests.


Catrina Barton is a reader and writer of YA and Paranormal Romance, who enjoys being surrounded by the stark beauty of mother nature - whether it's a moon lit starry sky, or a picnic by a peaceful waterfall cascading from the mountain side. She is a proud member of Nano, RBRU, SheWrites and PNRWriters. She is an active participant at Critique Circle and several other crit groups. Blog, Facebook, Link




Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. She is a member of Valley Writers and the Virginia Writers Club. Links – Website, Blog, Facebook



Cindy Huefner Cromer, formally a New Jersey resident, now resides in Stuart, Florida, with her husband, son, and daughter. Cindy works as a laboratory scientist and executive. As the president of a laboratory network, she has written numerous laboratory procedures and research documents. Driven by a passion for suspense and mystery novels, she dreamed of becoming a writer. Her dream turned into reality with the release of her debut suspense novel, Desperate Measures. She is currently working on her second novel, Desperate Deceptions. Plans are in place for her third and fourth books.  Website, Link, Link



Children’s Picture Book author, Clara Bowman-Jahn, of “Annie’s Special Day” is living the life of her dreams an hour at a time. Link, Blog, Link




Ellen Spain is a retired Federal Investigator, now turned author, editor, and educator. She is active with EPIC, PennWriters, RWA, SCBWI, and the Pittsburgh East Writers. Ellen is also the Acquisitions Editor for eTreasures Publishing.
Website, Link, Link 


Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She recently signed her YA sci fi novel with Inkspell Publishing titled: Colonization: Paradise 21, which will release in October 2012. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras. She's a big Star Trek TNG fan, as well as Star Wars and Serenity. Blog, Twitter, Link

Welcome Authors! It's wonderful to have you back.

Now the question is: Where do you get your ideas?

Catrina Barton: Most times it's wondering about how differently situations can affect people and mold them into who they've become. Sometimes I'll be listening to a song {doesn't matter which one} and a small bit of a scene or a character will float through my mind. Other times I watch my kids, just experiencing life and try to see it through their eyes and ideas jump up and smack me upside the head. Inspiration can come from anywhere at any time {usually when I'm not near my PC. Thank goodness for note books and ink pens.} In fact, most ideas come when I'm out enjoying nature or watching the kids enjoy nature.

Cherie Reich: Ideas can come from anywhere, such as dreams, television, an overheard conversation.

Cindy Cromer: This is a very good question but hard to answer. I love to joke around and sometimes I find a story just waiting to unfold. For example, last month I attended Mystery Writers of America Sleuthfest and was selected for a panel. One morning, heading to the lobby, the elevator start to shake for some unknown reason. The gentleman and woman in the car said, “Is this thing going to crash or what?” They looked at my badge and commented, “That would make an interesting story for your next mystery book.” I laughed but a plot did begin to form in my mind within seconds- ‘Tragedy strikes at a conference with many well established and best-selling authors, elevator crash kills them. Was it an accident or was some sinister devious plot in place? Some one hit wonder author tries to make a come-back and decides to take out the competition in the very competitive world of writing and publishing.’ My companions in the elevator laughed and said, “Yup! You’re definitely an author.” So to answer this question, a scene may come from an innocent encounter or it might take me days or weeks to tie the beginning to the end in a fluid story.

Clara Bowman-Jahn: I get my ideas mostly from reading other books. And often I think creatively in the mornings early, when dawn is happening. Seems like ideas just burst forth with the rising of the sun. Other times they fester and live in my subconscious only to rise when waking up in the morning. However it has happened with my current WIP that I knew what I wanted to write about as soon as I heard about it. And I knew it was going to be in first person, too. Then the research starts and the reading of books.

Ellen Spain: My ideas come to me at anytime like the images in vivid dreams, but when I am awake, the idea looks like a very big outline notepad with sub plots jumping into proper place on the paper. I can see the image on an invisible wall about a foot in front of my eyes. I remember the outline's image when I jot down my initial notes.

Aubrie Dionne:  Sometimes I get my ideas from listening to music. As a kid, I would sit in orchestra and make up stories to go along with the music when I had a long rest. Other times, I'll be doing the most mundane task; like laundry, or driving, and the ideas pop into my head. I let them simmer for about a month or so before I start planning a cohesive storyline.

Thank you all for joining us today and sharing where you find your ideas.

Readers feel free to ask questions concerning this topic in the comments. Also feel free to send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com Subject: Voices of Fiction Question, and have them answered by the participating authors in later editions.

There’s also room for more authors to participate. Drop me an email, Subject: Voices of Fiction.

(Disclaimer - Bios and answers have been posted as submitted by author) 

HWA - Halloween Haunts

The Horror Writers Association celebrates its 2nd annual Halloween Haunts, and everyone is invited!

The event, a celebration of Halloween, horror writers, and horror writings, will run on the HWA Dark Whispers Blog from Oct 1st to 31st.

It's sure to be an eventful month with blog posts, book previews and promotions, and daily giveaways. Stop by and join the wonderful group of horror writers and grab a chance at some great reads.