One of the most often asked questions of a writer is: “Where do you get your ideas?” If you write erotic romance this question is sometimes followed up with: “Do you interview people and use their experiences in your books?”
I can’t imagine doing that. My response to that one is usually: “No, that would be journalism, wouldn’t it?”
The truth for me is, the ideas come too fast to keep track of. I don’t know where they come from, I’m just glad they show up!
Maybe I saw too many ghost movies when I was growing up. “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” wasn’t only a movie…it was a short-lived television show, too. And Disney produced some good, fun ghost movies, with kindly, helpful ghosts. I seem to recall a few set in castles with the ghosts having strong British or Scottish accents.
And who could forget the all time most popular ghost story? Every Christmas season we’re hit with a varied selection of Scrooge movies. Those visitations may not have been fun, but they did serve to improve the old miser’s life in the end.
Maybe all of these things combined to help me create the ghostly madame and working girls of Perdition House in my Midnight Confessions stories. In every interview I’ve done about this series, the question of where I got the idea for the haunted bordello has come up. I haven’t yet answered that question satisfactorily. Instead I’ve recounted how it landed full blown in my head or where I was when it came to me.
But where it came from? Maybe I have a parade of ideas that pass by the screen in my mind and I pluck one or two out as they march by.
That’s it! Yeah, an idea parade…works as well as any other explanation I suppose.
If you have time today, please click over to the blog at naughty-and-spice.com where I’m asking the question “What is sexy?”
Thanks for stopping by!
Bonnie Edwards
I love the idea of “the idea parade.” I don’t know where they come from either, but like you, I’m glad they show up! When I’m sitting around the bar with my friends and they say, “You should put that in my book,” I just laugh. I’m too busy trying to keep track of the random ideas to keep track of reality!
by Lucinda Betts · July 6th, 2007 at 11:11 amAnd since you’re never quite sure what you’re going to see in a parade i.e. clowns, jugglers, marching bands or Santa….you can mix and match the ideas until you find your story.
I’ve had people *want* to be interviewed re: their sex lives, too.
TMI folks…really, TMI
LOL
Bonnie
by Bonnie Edwards · July 6th, 2007 at 11:37 amThe scary thing is WHEN those ideas come! I have a horrible fear of a highway patrolman pulling me over while I’m driving and thinking through a sex scene and saying, “Lady, what WERE you thinking?”
And I tell him and end up in jail…
by Kate Douglas · July 6th, 2007 at 1:14 pmI LOVE the concept of the haunted bordello!
LOL Kate! I’ve spent many a trip home from work composing dialogue, and laughing to myself over it
by Amie Stuart · July 6th, 2007 at 1:25 pmBonnie – I love your journalism answer, as well as the bordello ghosts in Midnight Confessions. Such a novel and entertaining idea! Wherever those ides are coming from, keep ‘em coming!
Kate – I think you should try that. I’d be willing to bet it will NOT land you in jail! LOL
by Rachelle Chase · July 8th, 2007 at 12:47 pm