Having just published my 25th book with Harlequin/Mills
& Boon, I suppose I can now call myself an "established" writer,
but the truth is that every book is a new challenge and I feel the same worries
and anxieties about my latest book as I felt with my very first. I am also very
pleased to say I feel the same excitement about planning each new story, when I
have just the germ of an idea and have to think of settings and characters etc.
So where does one start? It can be anywhere, from a visual
image that might eventually be a scene in the book (such as these Waterloo re-enactors,
inspiration for A Lady for Lord Randall)
... or a visit to an ice house, like this
one (below) at Stourhead, which inspired a scene from my Melinda Hammond Regency
adventure, Winter Inheritance.
Then there are the characters. Often, their appearance is
based on real people in the media, such as Rufus Sewell, or Vivien Leigh, but this
is just to help me visualise the characters while I write, and their
personalities can vary greatly – my heroes can be dark and moody or wickedly
sexy, while the heroines vary from head-strong and spirited to the quiet but
forceful type.
Places, too, are important. I set the opening scenes of The
Duke's Secret Heir in Harrogate, which made it necessary to take a few visits
there. Of course it is very different now from how it looked in the Regency,
but there is still some evidence of how it used to be, if one looks closely.
For
example, one of the old inns that was popular during the Regency was the Queen's
Head (above) although it has now become Cedar Court, and there is also the Crown, in
Low Harrogate (below), where my characters dance at the ball on a Wednesday evening.
Just now I am in the very pleasant position of planning my
new book, so what shall it be, a military setting, or perhaps a comedy of
manners set in Bath. What would you choose?
Melinda Hammond/Sarah Mallory
5 comments:
I usually find I've got the next book simmering in my head while I'm writing the current one. You're in a position of luxury I think, having the chance to decide just what you want to write next. Love your inspirations. Ideas do seem to float about in the ether and jump out at you, don't they?
Too many ideas and inspirations sometimes, Liz! I have to settle on one and then expand upon it. Like you I often have another book simmering as I finish the current one, this time I have several ideas, so sifting through them. Thanks for stopping by,
I love the way inspiration can be sparked off by almost anything. Your imagination is plainly in excellent working order, Melinda/Sarah, so I'm sure that what emerges will be a dracker of a story.
Sorry, I meant, of course, Cracker!
Thank you, Elizabeth, I hope it will be a good one. It is always a worry that it won't be as good as the last one, but I think a little anxiety is better than growing complacent.
And I find inspiration strikes when I am least expecting it. Recently I saw a van with the owner's name on the side, John Hawk. Now there's a good name for a hero.....
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