Story Ideas From Real Life
Hello all you fabulous Delilah Devlin fans. I’m so excited to be here. Many thanks to Delilah for sharing the mike.
Have you ever wondered where an author got the idea for her book? It’s a common question.
Not such an easy answer, at least for me. Ideas come to me in the shower, while driving (especially while driving on the highway), when I read something and sometimes just by wondering “what if.”
But in the case of my latest release (ASK FOR IT) real life inspired the original idea. Actually, I should say real life inspired two ideas.
First, if you read my free read (INSTRUCTING ADAM) you’ll remember that Cindy is an author who has trouble keeping her website online and she’s at her wit’s end. And let’s just say that the tech support guy is less than helpful…until she shows up on his doorstep demanding he make good on his hosting companies promises.
At one point I was having dreadful issues keeping my website “up and online” and the tech support guy was pretty snarky. He even pointed me to a clause in their terms of use about “porn.” Because, you know, I write erotic romance and that’s practically porn! (Hope you detected the sarcasm dripping from my fingertips.) That’s as far as the real life goes, I’m afraid. I decided to write out my frustrations and punish the unhelpful tech support guy. But I’m too big of a love bug evidently. Cindy shows up with a whip, bondage tape and a few demands but I don’t think Adam would consider her form of “discipline” as punishment, especially when he turns the tables on her. I would never have the guts to do what she does, which makes for perfect fiction!
ASK FOR IT follows Cindy’s best friend JJ as she also takes things into her own hands… sorta.
Again, real life inspired the idea for this book. My bank card number was stolen and used to buy shoes at a Footlocker six states away. Luckily my bank was on top of it and it was a painless problem for me. They called me immediately, verified I hadn’t dropped serious change on sneakers, and put the money back.
But I didn’t want things to be quite that easy for my heroine so her bank isn’t as wonderful as mine was. Add to that the fact that she’s a little extra protective over her cash flow due to early childhood homelessness and you get an interesting beginning of a story.
Whereas Cindy sought out a solution to her problem, serendipity drops JJ in New York city a week after her money was stolen and she decides to drop by the scene of the crime. She never expected to come face to face with the one man she’s lusted after for years and fears she’ll forever compare all men to.
And no, I didn’t go to the shoe store where my money was used. But I did utter a line that I let JJ borrow in my book. “Who the hell buys nine hundred dollars’ worth of sneakers? I mean, if you’re going to steal my money, at least buy something awesome…like Prada. Or Minolos. Or Jimmy Choos.”
If $900 dropped into your lap, what would you buy? Me? Two words. Christian Louboutins!
ABOUT SELENA BLAKE
Selena Blake writes erotic paranormal and contemporary romance. First published in 2008, her series Stormy Weather has been on bestseller lists and nominated for awards. She’s a fan of action movies, Diet Coke, Milky Way bars and thunderstorms, not necessarily in that order. Learn more about her online at http://www.selena-blake.com or catch her at facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorSelenaBlake
