The Birth of a Creative Idea

Welcome to one of the stops on our Valentine's Blog Tour. I'm so pleased to have the awesome Lilly Gayle as my guest, discussing the birth of creative ideas.

Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the prize contest. One winner each week plus a grand prize winner. The more blogs you leave comments on the better your chances of winning. Prizes begin at $20 value, increasing each week to a grand prize of over $50. At the end of this post, I'll list the other stops on the tour so you'll have even MORE chances to win. Now, here's Lilly!

Inspiration can strike at any time and from any direction. I know a writer who’s inspired by country music. She claims there’s a story in every song. I prefer top 40 and rock, but there are some country songs that you can’t help but love. So, I can understand exactly what she means.

I get ideas from movies, books, pictures, and surfing the net. I’ve also gotten ideas for stories while taking a bath or watching the news. Every news story that ends in tragedy has the potential for a happy ending. And I like happy endings.

The inspiration for Out of the Darkness came from reading Dean Koontz’s Moonlight Bay trilogy and from watching the movie Universal Soldier. And I got the idea to write Slightly Tarnished while researching information on nineteenth century plumbing!

Sometimes, all it takes is a single spark to ignite an idea for a book. I’m currently writing the sequel to Out of the Darkness, tentatively entitled Into the Light. The basic idea for the story picks up where Out of the Darkness left off. But I didn’t want this book to be one of those sequels where a reader had to read the first book to understand the second one. I want it to be a sequel, but I want it to stand alone

Check out this link from Abandoned NC and tell me if the video doesn’t give you cold chills…and ideas for a paranormal or horror story: http://anc.funkybuu.net/davisvideo.html  It gave me an idea on how to conclude Into the Light.

So, what ideas does this video give you? Any you’d like to share?

About Lilly:

Lilly Gayle lives in North Carolina with her husband of thirty years, her youngest daughter who's still in college, a dog, a cat, and various critters both dead and alive the cat occasionally drags through the doggie door. When not writing or working as a mammogapher, she spends time with her husband at the beach. Out of the Darkness, a paranormal romance is her first published novel.  A historical, Slightly Tarnished should be released sometime next year.

More places Lilly can be found:

Blog address: http://lillygayleromance.blogspot.com/
Buy link for Out of the Darkness: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/out-of-the-darkness-p-4039.html  

Blurb for Out of the Darkness:

Her research could cure his dark hunger if a covert government agent doesn't get to her first.

Vincent Maxwell is a vampire with a conscience seeking a cure to his dark hunger. But when a scientist looking to create vampire soldiers captures and kills a fellow vampire, Vincent seeks out Dr. Megan Harper, a research scientist who discovered a link between a genetic light sensitivity disorder and vampirism. Dr. Harper could hold a key to a cure and the answers to Gerard’s death. But getting close to the beautiful scientist could endanger both their lives.

When Megan meets Vincent she believes he suffers from xeroderma pigmentosum, the genetic disease that killed her sister. Sensing a deep loneliness within the handsome man, she offers friendship and access to her research files. But she and Vincent soon become more than friends and Megan learns the horrifying truth. She's entered the dark and unseen world of vampires and Vincent is her only hope of survival.

Excerpt:

Vincent didn’t spare her a second glance as he opened the basement door and stepped down. The sound of his boot heel striking wood echoed up the steps as he disappeared into the darkness.

“But—” Megan switched on the light and hurried after him.

“The first thing you need down here is a table and some chairs,” he said when he saw the stacks of unorganized data and reams of paper scattered across the floor. “Do you mind if I bring the ones down from the kitchen?”

“No.” She turned back toward the stairs. “I’ll help you bring them down.” It would give her something to do while she sorted through the confused thoughts and emotions tumbling around inside her head.

Vincent touched her arm and heat shot straight to her belly, turning her insides all warm and fuzzy.Warm and fuzzy was not good. Warm and fuzzy made her think of more than just heated sex. It made her think of cozy evenings snuggled up under a blanket and shared feelings. It made her long for an emotional connection she couldn’t risk. Not with Vincent. Not with a man who could potentially die a slow, lingering death.

“I’ll get it.” He let go of her arm and stepped back. “You start going through those papers and find that report you wrote comparing XP to vampire myths and legends. I’d be interested in seeing if you still have it.”

He turned to go back up the stairs and Megan shivered. Why had Steve mentioned the vampire report to Vincent? And why was Vincent so interested in seeing it?

Vincent the Vampire.

***
Wow! Doesn't THAT sound like a must read? I know I'm hooked. Now here's those other links I promised so you can leave comments and increase your chances of winning those lovely prizes:

Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/
Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/
Meet contemporary YA an adult romance author Linda Kage at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/
Meet paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/
Meet Amie Louellen, author of fun and whimsical contemporary romance at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/
Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at http://www.jilljameswrites.com/
Meet author AJ Nuest at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout
Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/
Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/
Meet author Amy Corwin at http://www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com/