New Ideas?

Hi everyone, Janet Lee Barton here. My last post was about how my Boardinghouse Betrothal series came to be and how the ideas took a while to simmer before coming to a full boil where I had to begin writing. Well, I think something like that MIGHT be happening again.

When we downsized, I didn't think I had room for the Christmas village I'd put up for years, so I had it put in the attic for my daughter to use when she has grandchildren. But not long ago I found out that my husband and daughter and her family missed it.

Still I wasn't sure where to put it and wanted a 'place holder' for it. And then I wondered if I could find a year around village and began to search for what could become just that. I was so thrilled to find just want I wanted. It's mostly spring and summery, but I've ordered some fall trees to add to it and we're going to put tiny pumpkins out come October or so.  Then for Christmas, I'll pull out my Christmas village and change it out for the season. I love having a year round village! For now, it looks like this:

This is a day shot with the lights on, but it's truly beautiful at night! 

So what does this have with ideas? Well, as I sit in my chair across the room and study it, I find myself imagining people living in each house, going to church, or out and about. I can almost see them going from room to room--although I think I might have to draw floor plans for each one. But I think before long, I'll have a few new stories to tell. I've found that ideas can come to us anywhere and at anytime, but it pays to let them bubble up and then simmer for a while. I can't wait until these fully take shape.

For you writers out there--what pulls things all together for you?

Blessings and Book Ideas

Rhonda Gibson here:

You know that moment when you know you are truly blessed? Well, today I feel that way. I love that Love Inspired publishes historical romances. The month of June is when Pony Express Hero comes out. And, I'm blessed to share the bookshelves with these other three books.





I've had the pleasure of reading other books by Janet, Karen and Lily and know their books are great! So I'll be buying all three when they show up at my Walmart. It is a blessing to be in such great company.

I'm also blessed that I come across such interesting things that bring about the ideas for my books. The idea for Pony Express Hero came when I read an article about a hugh Texas ranch and how the owner died leaving his daughter in charge of the ranch. The author of the article jokingly wrote, "I wonder if she had a hard time finding an honest husband?" That question got my brain to thinking and soon Pony Express Hero was born.

If you are a writer/author, how did you come up with the basic idea for your current book?
If you are a reader, have you come across any ideas that you'd like to see as the basic idea in one of our books? Inquiring minds want to know.

Planting, Writing, and Proposal ideas.

I can't believe it's actually summertime! This spring flew by with much rain in Oklahoma and many of my plants look a little worse for it. But they are trying their best to make it. Except for these. The petunia and marigolds I wanted to plant disappeared in one afternoon. I'd put them out on the patio to water them and the next thing I knew--this little critter was having them for lunch! Ate all of them and let me take pictures too! So tiny and cute!

 

At least she didn't seem to like the Dahlia's,  Hydrangea or Clematis! 

But now the planting is done, it's time to get back to work on the next  Boardinghouse Betrothal story.

Oh and I did get a glimpse of the one coming out in November-The Mistletoe Kiss! I can't show it yet, but it is beautiful and Christmasy! I love it and I'll show it soon as I can.

Once I finish the story I'm working on now, it will be proposal time. Any suggestions for new careers for my heroines? What do you think you would have wanted to do in New York City in 1898-99? What about the hero? The book I'm writing now has a widowed Englishman needing help with his two young daughters. Can you guess which Heaton House lady is the heroine in this story?

I'm ready to get back to it! Happy Summer all!

Janet Lee Barton 

How do I come up with book ideas?

One Ranch, Two Sons and a Contest, what could be more fun?

 

That was the question a friend of mine asked me one night when I was trying to come up with a new historical book idea.  I popped back, two mail-order brides who want their men to fall in love with them and not because of some silly contest their mother cooked up. And so Taming the Texas Rancher was born. 

 

I'm often asked how I come up with book ideas. My answer is always the same, ideas are everywhere.

 

But, I'll be honest my best idea generator is my husband. He starts the ideas rolling and I find myself scooping them up. Often they don't look anything like what he had planned, I keep telling him he needs to write his own books, but I love that he's willing to put the ideas out there.

 

That's just one example of how I come up with ideas.

 

What inspires ideas in you?

 



Ask Elnora--About New Ideas--Third Friday Writing

Yes, it's that time of the month. Third Friday Writing Day. What shall we discuss today? How about new ideas for plots? Where do they come from? How do we get them? Are there really only so many plots in the world or is everything old new again? How do we make our plots seem new and fresh???

First, Elnora hasn't a clue. I usually look out the window for a few hours then get a scene in my head then someone in that scene starts talking in my head and then I decided "Hey, I'd better write this stuff down or I'll forget it." Then I play with that idea, eat a lot of chocolate, shop online for inspiration and maybe, just maybe come up with a plot.

But my favorite way to figure out a plot (besides the Seven Deadly Sins thing I mentioned a few weeks ago) is to read a newspaper article, then find another article to match to it. By taking these two different subjects and using some of the aspects from them, I can usually come up with a plot. For example, I have a book out in September that is about art theft. I saw an article about this in the Sunday paper. Then I wanted to set this story in New Orleans. I had an American princess in mind to be the heroine. She had been mentioned in The Diamond Secret (which was out in 2012). Then I found an article about a photojournalist and how he combined pictures with essays to write stories. I wanted to have someone such as that for my hero. So "In Pursuit of a  Princess" was born in Elnora's tiny mind. And now, it will be a real book--out later this year! No cover yet, but I hope to have one to show off soon.

But I did find this picture to use as a writing prompt. Sunset on a beach? What could happen there? What could go wrong? Are we drifting at sea? What about those two tall buildings?

Let's discuss how we come up with new twists for old plots. What would you do? How do you decide what stories to write?