Odd Inspiration Moment

I love love LOVE when something about a WIP finally clicks. I was struggling a bit figuring out the backstory of my book, and since the backstory is a HUGE part of this particular book, this was kind of a problem. There were several things I was struggling with:

• why my MC had ended up where she had
• why her love interest was also there
• how he got there, and how he came to be her love interest in the first place (I needed their families to be against their being together, but I didn't want it to be too Romeo and Juliet with all the hate and family feud issues going on)
• and there were several other issues about my MC and her family/background/personality/character, etc that I just was having a really hard time figuring out.

So, needless to say, work on this WIP has been pretty slow because I needed this stuff worked out before I could really dive in. Oh, and add to all that the fact that I've been toying with making this book a partial verse novel (and hence needed to decide when and where to use poetry...and what type of poetic form(s) I wanted to use) and yeah...issues LOL

And then last night, I was sitting there watching Drop Dead Diva (awesome finale, can't wait for next season!!) and all the answers just fell into place. And I'm not really sure why. There was a murderer on death row on the show. He'd killed somebody = he was bad. But he loved his sister, wanted her to have his heart after he was executed, and he seemed genuinely sorry for what he'd done = maybe he wasn't so bad. 

And something about his character sparked an idea and everything about my story that I was struggling with just fell into place. I'm not even sure what it was because I'm not going to make my MC (or her love interest) a murderer or anything like that. It wasn't in any way a literal "ooo I'll do the same thing." 

But something about that character's story, the conflict in him, tweaked the right creative thread and the issues I was having in my manuscript were suddenly clear...as were their solutions. 

I grabbed a notebook and wrote out 2 pages of notes. And for the first time in a long time I am excited to start writing :D

Have you ever had a weird inspiration moment? Where something totally unexpected inspired an idea or made that problem area you'd been working on suddenly fall into place?

Monday's Muse

Okay, in an effort to yank myself out of my comfort zone (and to appease my mother who wants to see all these hidden little things I have been hoarding to myself), Monday's are going to be my Muse Day. More specifically, it's poetry day. I will force...nope, torture...no, I mean delight you with various tidbits from my twisted mind and I want to see the same from you.

I know there are a bunch of closet poets out there - I want to see what you've got! So every Monday, post whatever catches your whimsy in the comments section (but keep it clean...well, cleanish) ;-D and I'll try to be less timid when it comes to sharing poetry and post my own stuff :) Sometimes it'll be goofy (see below) and sometimes a little more serious (also see below).

For today, as we are starting things off, I've got one of each for you :) Don't make be post alone!!! Even if it's something like "Roses are red, violets are blue, poetry sucks and so do you" I want to read it! :D

Here are my offerings for the day :)

The Doritos Sonnet

Oh orange chip, divinely made of cheese,
You make that awesome crunching noise when chewed.
No other chip could be as good as these.
There’s nothing like those cheesy fingers, dude!
They are the stuff from which much good is made.
They bring much joy to hungry bellies, yes!
I bet with chips alone you would not fade,
For their cheese essence is just awesomeness.
Though gone, we won’t forget our bag of chips.
It will live on inside for hours to come.
The taste will be remembered on our lips.
The pantry always stocked with bags, oh yum!
As long as the upholstery bears the stain,
The cheesy chips of awesome will remain.


Untitled

You are my muse, my melody,
The inspiration that I fear.
For when you’re near
I can do naught else
But obey your heart’s command.

I neither eat, nor sleep;
I disappear
Under the force of your desire.
Release me, I beg
From the spell of your soul -
Or let me just expire.

My Music Muse

Quote of the Day:

Music is what feelings sound like. ~Anonymous

Music has always inspired me, always brought incredible scenes to my mind, kicked my creative muse into gear. I'm one of those people that will sit and listen to a beautiful song with tears running down my face (while non-musical hubby looks on in confusion and disdain), or will listen to a song over and over and over just because I don't want to stop feeling the way it's making me feel.

I suppose it makes sense then that I'd be the type of writer that makes playlists for my projects. And it got me curious as to how many other writers do this. So this is what I want to know - do you listen to music while you write? Before you write? Do you have actual playlists or just a specific song on repeat?

For my current book, I've been listening to a lot of E.S. Posthumus, specifically the songs Nala and Nineveh (which I liked so much, I'm naming a character after the title of the song) - and a song called River Flows in You by Yiruma that is so beautiful I bought the piano music (though my sorry version doesn't sound anything as wonderful as the original) :)

Apocalyptica (especially their songs, Bittersweet and Romance) and Evanescence are always major players on my soundtracks. And the Twilight soundtrack is almost on constant repeat - it's just got some great songs! Rob Dougan is another favorite of mine (wow, that man's voice makes my toes curl!) And for the more upbeat, funny scenes, I listen to just about anything...well, upbeat :) Lady Gaga is a current favorite (fun to dance to), Sweet Home Alabama is a favorite song, as well as Everybody Got Their Something by Nikka Costa.

How about you? What songs are on your lists?