UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
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Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

As an author, I get asked this often.

I’m lucky. Ideas come easily to me.

I’m the person to come to if you want to bounce ideas.

It is also a problem because it never fails when I’m knee-deep into the first draft of a new book. Something pops into my head. It’s hard not to pursue the new and shiny. However, I’ve learned over the years that the good ideas stick.

I’m nosey.

I’m an only child who grew up in a rural area, so when visiting bigger families, I tried to absorb everything that went on. People tend to tell a stranger their secrets. I use what I’ve overheard in my books, You Always and Greyson.

Placement

This past summer, I spent time in airports, and they are a treasure trove of information. I admit to listening to one-sided phone calls and changing seats to overhear a family tiff. My book, Kaydee, was based on a couple’s discussion during dinner at the next table.

TV

I also watch daytime talk shows and judge shows. I am amazed at what people will share with the world. I am an avid fan of The Housewives and other Bravo shows. I know that segments are scripted or exaggerated. The side-eye moments shared in the bottom corner of the frame, or an opinion muttered spark my creativity. My upcoming release, Nothing Permanent, was based on a Steve Wilkos episode.

Magnet

I also attract the crazy and weird. I will attract somebody if you leave me sitting on the sofa in a hotel lobby for five minutes. I’ve heard about cheating exes, an alien abduction, and roommates who haven’t showered for five days. A psychic told me it was because I’m an empath and a Leo—I attract people who need understanding and a protector.

Song lyrics or a line of dialogue

I wrote an entire book based on a song I heard while driving home from a nail appointment. I kept circling the block until I plotted the book You Only.

I’ve also heard a declaration and made up a story. Things click, and off I go. That is how my book- Best came to be.

Dreams

I don’t like being a cliché, but it is true. I have lifelike dreams. I dream in color, can feel textures, and smell scents. I’ll wake up and know that I have a book. Sometimes, I dream several nights about the same subject.

My books, See Me, Better, and the upcoming Me, You & the Moon, came from dreams.

Go With It

I think that you must be open to the new and different. Sticking with what you know and are comfortable with might not spark your creativity. I took the challenge of writing a book with no on-page sex or cussing. It was not easy, but I did it. Check out Cut to the Chase, Here’s the Rub, and the upcoming Nothing Permanent.

I trust that my brain will come up with new ideas or put things together differently. That makes every day a new adventure.

For a $10 Amazon Gift Card, share what sparks your creativity.
The winner will be picked at random and contacted via e-mail.

To learn more about me and my books, visit: http://www.readmelaniejayne.com or https://www.facebook.com/MelanieJayneAuthor/

Yaelle

I am on the verge of losing everything, with nothing left to do… but let go.

Moving to Wolfsbane was a mistake. Being here has opened the world to me and my daughter, Addie. Yet instead of being thrilled that we finally found peace, I expect the worst every day.

My mate is patient and loving. But I know he wants more than I can physically offer. The therapist assures me I am making headway. Still, I am painfully aware of my shortcomings. How strong can our mate bond be if we have never been able to consummate our union? Try as I might, I can’t escape the nightmare of my time in the lab.

On top of that, the Markov brothers want to involve the Witches Council with Addie’s plight. As much as this sets my nerves on edge, I’m overruled. Matters worsen when the arrival of a member of their coven awakens horrors from my past, I’ve spent years trying to bury.

Fearing my very existence is holding back everyone I hold dear; I make the choice to banish myself and give them a chance at true happiness. Heartbroken and alone, I learn the ghosts of my past are closing in fast. Will they finish what they started in the lab? Or will the family I pushed away save me from myself?

Get your copy here!