Inspiration Is Everywhere

I'm a writer, but I'm also a reader. I love to read, I love books. I'm trying to instill the same love of reading into my young boys. So far it's working.

I find my inspiration everywhere.

Part of the reason I write is to emulate the writing or genres of my favourite authors. The first book I attempted to write was a sequel to Willliam Goldman's "The Princess Bride". I was about eleven years old and had watched the movie about a dozen times and read the book cover-to-cover, re-reading my favourite parts again and again. I decided the story wasn't over when the credits started rolling and thought I would try to capture the rest. Like most of my early works, it was never finished, but I did develop quite the complex plot complete with a drawing of a map for the new world I created. Inigo Montoya became the Dread Pirate Roberts, Wesley went on a quest to find his brother William, Williams's love interest was a princess named Opal. It was full-on adventure romance.

Books I've read inspire what I write, but have also helped form the person I am. As well, when you read the same book at different stages in your life, it means a different thing. The first time I read "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch to my oldest son, I cried the entire time. My mom had read the same book to me numerous times when I was a child, but when I became a parent it took on an entirely new meaning for me.

The genres I enjoy to read are the genres I enjoy to write. With the exception of historical... I love historical romances, especially from the Regency era. I recently read the Hellion's Den series by Alexandra Ivy which I throughly enjoyed. I've written historical short stories (the latest one was posted on The Nuthouse Scribblers blog this summer), but they require an intense amount of research to get the details just right so I am content to enjoy the works of others.

I mainly read romance these days (I love a happy ending) in the sub-genres of fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, and historical. I've been reading a lot of vampire books lately which have proven the inspiration for my latest WIP. I read quite a few Amanda Ashley books over the summer, including "The Children of the Night" series. There are so many versions of vampires. From Bram Stoker to Hollywood, the 'vampire' takes many forms. I decided to throw my creative two cents in the ring adopting my favourite traits.

Even though I read everything from the edgy romances put out by Tara Taylor Quinn to the fantasy thrillers by Karen Marie Moning, I enjoy the common theme of happily ever after... Or at least some semblance of closure for the characters. In the case of Karen Marie Moning's 'Fever' series, I waited on the edge of my seat until the next book came out and then I read it as fast as I could.

And there are some books that haunt you forever because their author saw the truth of their future which is now our present. George Orwell's "1984"was assigned to me for an university English course. I didn't fully realize it at the time and I'm no conspiracy theorist or anything, but there are many parallels to the events of that book and our reality. 'Big Brother' is watching... Does it make you feel safer or not?

Good fiction makes you believe. Like good science fiction is based on good science, a good book in general can stretch your imagination but, at the end of the day, must be believable. I remember walking out of the movie theatre after watching 'The Matrix' for the first time. Enough said.

I draw my inspiration from the world around me, from places I visit, from the books I read. I want to create my own  plausible new world and invite you to visit sometime. All you need to do is believe.