When the Idea Comes Alive by @MeganSlayer #ideas #writers #PNR

Sometimes I wonder what the next story will be. I know that sounds crazy. Aren't authors supposed to have characters talking all of the time? Usually, that's correct. Most often, I can't keep a notebook close enough of a pen full because I'm scrawling information down. I can see a music video or a sequence at the store and an idea shows up. It's fun. 

But every so often, I'm in a lull. No one's talking and nothing's happening. I call it my time to recharge my brain. Hey, sometimes I need to. 

So while I was sitting here trying to decide what to write about and being mildly puzzled... I had an idea. Actually, I'd been thinking about my local library. I was given the opportunity to write a short piece about why I love my library. Now you're probably wondering why I mentioned the library. Simple. The library and this post (Yep, this one) inspired me. 

I used to love going to my local library (a bigger one than the one where I live now) and wondered what would happen if the furniture came to life. What if the paintings could talk or the books could, too? What would it be like to be in that world. Kind of a cross between Beauty and the Beast and Alice in Wonderland. When you walk in, you don't know who the librarians will be that day or what the books will tell you. It's a mystery! Could be Alexander the Great talking about his conquests while the statue of birds flies around the rafters.  I don't know about you, but I'm certainly putting this idea on the back burner and letting it simmer a while. 

What about you? Have you ever had a whiz-banger of an idea? Or one that won't leave you alone? I'd love to know. You don't have to disclose the idea, but maybe the how and why. :-)

Want to know more about Never Give You Up or the other Battle Scarred books? Here you go!

Never Give You Up by Megan Slayer  Battle Scarred, Book 5
Loose Id
Contemporary, Paranormal
Novella
M/M, Anal Sex, Masturbation
Cover art by Mina Carter

 Through time, distance and confusion, we will always find each other.

Galen Collins knows who he loves, but the vampire of his dreams, Anders Von, isn’t interested. What’s a vampire to do when he’s been rejected? Go to the clubs for sex. He’ll get Anders out of his mind one way or another. But there’s something wicked on the horizon in the form of a virus meant to wipe out supernatural beings. Forces who hardly know Galen are out to keep him and Anders apart. Will he allow the demons to win, or will he chase Anders to the ends of the earth?

Anders has always had a crush on Galen, but things never worked out right time-wise. Galen is the one vampire to make his emotional heart race. He wants to strip Galen to his core and explore every inch of him. Will Anders take the chance to be with Galen and discover how well they fit together or will the virus take Galen before Anders makes his move?

Available from Loose Id: http://www.loose-id.com/battle-scarred-5-never-give-you-up.html

http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm

Megan Slayer - It's Always Fun to Squirm

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Five Wonderful Insights You Need to Know About Writers

The moment I sat my butt in the chair and my fingers to the keyboard, intent on writing a novel—I knew I had a lot to learn.

Okay, honestly, I had no idea what was involved in writing a novel. You just sit down and write, right? Preferably in long stretches in a secluded cabin. 

Well, over the last ten years I’ve learned a lot about writing, but the most surprising thing I discovered was about the elusive introverts tapping away on the keyboards—the writers. (The uninterrupted time and secluded cabin continue to elude me.)

1.    Writers might horde sticky notes, pens, and chocolate (or is that just me?) but there’s no hoarding of information

·      If I ask a question on a writer’s loop- multiple answers & suggestions appear like magic

·      I’ve gained critique partners, beta readers, new ideas, email addresses-I can’t even list how much I’ve benefited from making writer friends.

2.     Writers make sacrifices for their love of the written word. Things like sleeping, a social life and occasionally…their sanity.

·      Turns out, I’m not completely insane for getting up at the crack of dawn to write- so do a ton of other writers.

·      Writers are the only people who don’t raise a brow when I confess to not watching most of the popular television shows (or much TV at all without my laptop)

3.     Writers embrace the odd and unusual- I’ve found my peeps! I’m not alone!

·      A secret obsession of office products is expected. Yes!

·      They utilize a clandestine language in their writerly discussions — WIP, PR, dayjob, TBR, RWA, TSTL…

4.     Writers can become fast friends even if they’ve never met or spoke in person

·      Some of my writer friends know me better than the people I see everyday

·      Could be because the people I see everyday get a little nervous when I share too much of what’s going on in my mind when a story is percolating.

5.     Writer’s boost each other up – sure there might be a little of the green eyed monster now and then, but for the most part there are never too many stories.

·      I’ve never heard anyone say, “I just can’t read another book. Or I have no room for another author in my TBR pile.”

Writers- what insights would you like to add?

 Non-writers (i.e.: normal folk)- How do you envision your favorite authors?  (I was pretty sure 'my authors' lived in that cabin...still waiting on the invite...)

Reader fatigue

My husband and I took a trip to Borders on Monday night because he had a coupon which essentially boiled down to buy one book, get one free.

A free book! Imagine the possibilities! Would I pick out a historical, a mystery, a paranormal romance? Well, at that moment the world was my oyster. He went to the sci-fi section while I browsed the shelves of romance offerings.

And I promptly became bored, screeching to a halt, I've so already read that bored.

All the rows of compellingly beautiful cover art on the paranormals, while some reeled me in, as soon as I read the blurbs I realized I’d read all those twists and turns before and oh lord do I have the stomach for yet another vampire book? Same thing with the historical romances. Gorgeous, half-dressed men, but every guy is titled, there’s an issue with the girl and oh look they get together and live happily ever after. Blah, blah, blah. Forlorn, I headed over to my beloved mystery section, hoping against hope there was something different.

There wasn’t.

All the heroes are cops or former cops, all the heroines are nosy busy bodies who don’t really want to get involved but solve the cozy mystery anyway.

Sigh.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure all of these books are perfectly lovely and some writer took the time to finish the book and had the guts to send it out to agents and editors. We know the drill. However, this is my complaint: for the love of God, do something different!

I’ll be the first to admit, coming up with original takes on plots is tough. It’s hard work and sometimes a writer will fall back on the tried and true because it’s easy and familiar. Who hasn’t done this a time or two? But as a reader—heck as a writer—I’m getting real tired of seeing twenty books that are essentially the same.

Maybe it’s a fatal flaw in the New York model. They scream they want different—yet not that different because they might not be able to market it. They yell they want to take chance on new talent—yet not someone real new because they might have out-of-the-box ideas they might not know what to do with. They clamor for new plots—yet not too “out there” because the reader might have to think too much.

I don’t know about you but I’ve never followed the herd or have done what everyone else is doing because it’s comfortable or cozy. I don’t intend to start now.

I want NEW. I want DIFFERENT. I want to finish a book and say wow, that was great or you just don’t see that anymore.

As a reader, I want to be engaged, so wrapped up in a fresh new plot twist or new take on the norm that as a writer, I’ll be jealous I didn’t think of it first. Dazzle me. Dangle that proverbial carrot in front of me that will make me absolutely need to buy your next book.

As a writer, I’m constantly striving to write original things and put such a different spin on things that a reader will say it’s a unique and welcome take. The result? Sometimes I’m a difficult-to-place author LOL The payoff? Huge because the content isn’t the same as a lot of writers. Readers say hmm, I wonder what else she can do.

What did I end up getting at Borders as my free book? A historical romance featuring pirates (I already have 3 just like it in paperback form and 4 more on my e-reader) Yup, I know but I’m hoping from the blurb it’ll be different… If not chances are this book will end up on Paperback Swap.

Pretty bad, huh?

So, the question of the day is this: what plot line/character mixes are you tired of seeing out there? What is something you’d be interested in reading about in future books?