“Where do you get your ideas?” It’s a question that writers often encounter. I’ve heard some interesting answers: “The idea fairy.” “The people in my head.” “The dog.” My DH on the other hand, often gets the reverse question: “Your wife writes romance? Do you give her lots of ideas? Do you help her with the love scenes? Heh heh.” Or his favorite: “Is that you on her cover?” Luckily he’s a great sport and quick with a come-back.
But when someone asks me that question, I always want to ask it right back. Where do you get your ideas? Writers are just like everyone else. They pull little pieces of their world apart and fit them back together to come up with something entirely new. It can happen with an idea for a book, for the latest and greatest techno-gadget, for a fundraiser, for a fabulous scrapbook page. We all get inspiration sometime.
The idea for my latest book, An Improper Aristocrat, came from several puzzle pieces in my head. I’d just seen the movie National Treasure. The family enjoyed it. I loved the history and the race from clue to clue, but I did wish the romance had been a little more central! And I thought “Why not?” Why couldn’t a romance be based around a face-paced adventure? I knew I wanted to stick with the period around the Regency. I knew that there was a fascination for the Egyptian culture in the period, and how it had begun. I loved the Indiana Jones and Mummy movies, too. I thought it would be fascinating to have a Regency version of an antiquity hunter. Et voila! The first germ of the Earl of Treyford was born! I started researching Egypt in the period and discovered that the English and the French were involved in a race to obtain Egyptian antiquities. What could be better? I discovered Giovanni Battista Belzoni–and I think that the Riskies are familiar with my fascination with him! I thought I wanted to have some fun making up an ancient legend or two, and gradually the characters became real and the story unfolded in the way these things happen. I had the grandest time with Trey and his half-Egyptian novelist heroine, Chione, and I hope that readers will, too. Here’s a quick blurb:
“Navigating the Nile to uncover the antiquities of Upper Egypt might sound perilous, but Niall Stafford, the Earl of Treyford finds it infinitely safer than sailing the fickle waters of the Beau Monde. He is back in England and on dangerous ground when a deathbed pledge has him delivering an ancient artifact to a colleague’s sister.
Desert bandits are more easily managed than Miss Chione Latimer, but her fascinating mix of knowledge and innocence arouse far more than his protective instincts. Can such an improper aristocrat learn to be the true gentleman that Miss Latimer deserves?”
So, that’s where the idea came from! Now won’t you share some of yours? Have you come up with a better mousetrap, a great recipe, an idea for the perfect TV show? We want to hear! And I’ll send a copy of The Improper Aristocrat to one commenter…
Hi Amanda!
Your new story sounds fun and fascinating. You have a good point. Everyday all of us come up with ideas and I have to say raising my children forced me to come up with ideas every day.
Hi, Deb. Love your story premise. I used to be a real fan of Egyptian history and still have half a bookshelf of resources.
My stories are usually sparked by an historical nugget. My last book, INNOCENCE UNVEILED, was inspired by an incident reported by the chroniclers. In 1337, as King Edward III was trying to gain support for his claim to the throne of France, he sent an “embassy,” or diplomatic mission, to the Continent to recruit allies. Along with the diplomats traveled a number of “bachelor” knights, each wearing an eye patch and swearing not to speak until he had performed some deed of arms in France.
I flashed on a hero who was one of those knights, but instead of staying with the group, I imagined him riding off alone. Of course, I had to follow him.
Hi Maureen! You are so right about children inspiring ideas! We have to work double time just to keep up with them, don’t we?
Mine are particularly inventive in the mischief category, so when they were deep in their Harry Potter fascination, we borrowed a little technique from Hogwarts–housepoints. We gave them each a jar and awarded a housepoint–a marble–for deeds of generosity or kindness, etc, and took one away for disrespect, etc. When they filled their jar they got a really special treat!
Hi Blythe!
What a great story idea! Don’t you just love those moments of instant inspiration? They are heady stuff in every area of life!
As I’ve said before many times, I am not a fountain of ideas so when they come I almost shed grateful tears! Scandalizing the Ton came from the paparazzi-hounding of celebrities especially Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, who were, admittedly, giving the paparazzi a lot to look for those days.
Sometimes it takes just a very little thing to spark the idea for a book. I just wish more of those little things would come my way more easily!
Deb, I own my very own copy of An Improper Aristocrat, bought BEFORE Thanksgiving and already the last copy in the store.
Deb, this book sounds completely up my reading alley. I read a fascinating non-fiction book about Napoleon’s scientists in Egypt (whose name completely escapes me because it’s still early and Sunday to boot), which helped me with a book of my own. I have no idea where most of my ideas come from—frankly they scare me sometimes. 🙂
Diane, you don’t need to be a fountain when the drip, drop of ideas are all as good as yours! Every single one of your books starts with a great concept!
Thank you for picking up AIA–I hope you enjoy it!
Now tell me, does your dh get teased like mine? I’m just so happy mine is a good sport about it.
Maggie, Wasn’t Napoleon’s delegation to Egypt the most interesting thing ever? All of those scholars and architects and linguists and engineers there to learn–talk about inspiration!
Deb,
Yours is a very, very interesting and unique premise. I’m glad to hear that you’re writing about Napoleon. My next novel, tentatively titled “The Wax Apprentice,” will have an apprentice to Madame Tussaud creating secret wax effigies to trick Napoleon into thinking members of the English government are places that they in fact are not.
Too bad we can’t be on the shelf together! 🙂
As for how I get my ideas: I think I simply have a formula. Heroine enters unusual but plausible historical profession and gets caught up with famous people of the time while managing to find love along the way.
Hm, doesn’t sound very creative put like that, does it? LOL
Christine
“Diane, you don’t need to be a fountain when the drip, drop of ideas are all as good as yours!”
I totally agree! It’s the quality, not the quantity, that matters. 🙂
And I love hearing how other people’s story ideas came about! Mine come from everywhere–travel, movies (even non-period movies), non-fiction books (like Blythe, I find a lot with real historical events that I could plop my characters into), overheard conversations, paintings, whatever. Sometimes it’s developing those ideas that’s the challenge. 🙂
I also read that book about Napoleon’s scholars in Egypt! It was fascinating. I wonder what would happen with one of those scholars who was left behind…
Deb–I bought your book the other day and can’t wait to start it! Wish it had been in Wal-Mart the day we were there. 🙂
Sometimes a particular place inspires me. I loved the round towers of Ireland.
Hi Christine,
Unfortunately Napoleon doesn’t make an entrance in AIA, but his delegation to Egypt plays a part in the plot. I did make Giovanni Battista Belzoni a minor character, though! I think the Riskies are tired of hearing about my fascination with him!
I’m sorry we aren’t out there together, too, but before long we’ll see your books out there–is it next year? In the meantime, I remember how awesome your website is! That’ll have to keep us satisfied in the meanwhile. 🙂
Ammanda, sounds like you’ve got a new idea. Now you just have to find time to write it! You’ve got a full plate!
Lucky us!
Thanks Michelle!
I think a whole lot of us are inspired by your hunky warriors. 🙂
Deb, I just loved An Improper Aristocrat! I love antiquities and ancient history from just about any continent–the South Pole may be the exception. *g*
I get my ideas the same way you do: a little bit of this and a little bit of that, though mostly from research books. I am awash in research books! I honestly don’t know how anyone can say they find non-fiction boring. Boring! I’m always swept up, ideas battering me like hammers.
Hi, Deb. I read An Improper Aristocrat earlier in the year, and Her Cinderella Season just last week (I’m in the UK), and really enjoyed them both.
Hello again, Yankee Lady! Deb you are just everywhere today. You already know I LOVED An Improper Aristocrat. I am a big fan of Egyptology too, always have been. And your book was just so much fun to read!
Lost in Love came from a writing exercise my buddy, Sherry Leddington, sent me when I was completely blocked on the first book I tried to write. The assignment was to write a story using the words – glittering, cave, soldier and journal. That was it. I started writing about a gentleman taking a lady for a drive that ends with them falling into an underground cave – curricle and all. (No horses were harmed in the telling of this story!) The little writing exercise ended up being a Golden Heart finalist!
The Raven’s Heart was inspired by a picture taken in the town of Dunwich England (of Lovecraft’s Dunwich Horror fame)The entire town has gradually fallen off into the sea. They say you can hear the church bells ringing underwater some nights. The picture was of a long tree lined drive in the mists of dusk. The drive goes on to the horizon because the house to which it lead has fallen into the sea. I wanted to write a story about what might have happened in that house.
And I have a book outlined from an entry I read in one of my research books about a famous stately home. It is a little bit of information about the house and its occupant that was not commonly known.
So the stories can come from anywhere.
And I have to agree with you Deb, when a writer has the kind of fabulous ideas the Divine One has, they don’t have to come in floods!
This sounds like a combination I will LOVE- Regency Romance and Egyptology!
I use up all my intellectual creativity these days thinking up off-the-wall but instructive analogies and demonstrations for my students. My tangible creativity finds its outlet in those scrapbook pages you mentioned as well as making cards and doing embroidery.
I’m looking forward to reading this book!
Deb Marlowe,
That story sounds very fantastic!
Being that I love Egypt and it’s history. And very educated in it. I really love stories set there, both in books and the movies.
On story ideas for me. The problem is I get too many ideas from everywhere!
Diane, your so lucky to get An Improper Aristocrat back in November! I couldn’t find it in stores here. I’ll have to just order it online! I’m also new to Deb Marlowe and found out about her recently here on Risky Regencies and looking forward to reading hers very much.
(Blogger keeps eating my comments today…and giving me sign in trouble.)
Your book sounds fantastic. You are right we come up with ideas just about daily and really don’t think much about it. Things just pop into our heads and we try it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. We do it with out children, cooking, housework and everything in day to day life. We just don’t realize that we are doing it at the time. I quilt a lot and sometimes I come up with earier ways of doing things all the time.
I’ve come up with ways to rid my house of unwanted items— I donate to the Salvation Army, MCC Closet and give to friends. It’s a win-win situation.
Hi, Ms Marlowe!
As a reader, I don’t have ideas to share, but I have to say that I like the premise for the book a lot (I really liked the first National Treasure).
How accurate would you say the blurb is? Not so much in facts as regarding the tone of the novel, I mean. (I have a mostly-hate affair with blurbs, I’m afraid)
Best of luck with the book.
Thanks Claudia!
Someday I hope to have a research library as big as yours. When time, money and space issues allow!
Hi Caty!
Wow, I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed both AIA and Her Cinderella Season. You’ve got the full scope of the story! It was a balancing act, connecting those books, but I really loved writing them both.
Hi Louisa!
Yes, I’m doing double duty today! I loved calling you about your final, but not nearly as much as calling you about your win!
I cannot wait until I can buy your books. It won’t be long–I know it!
Yes, LadyDoc, that’s exactly what I meant. So many people around us are so creative.
I scrapbook too, but I’m so far behind. Just not enough hours in a day or week!
Hey there Mallory!
Thank you so much for trying to track down AIA. I really appreciate it!
And if you don’t win a copy here today, you can also go to my website and enter the contest I’m running there–I’m giving away a UK hardcover edition of AIA.
http://www.DebMarlowe.com
Oh, Virginia, I’d love to have time to quilt. I took a lap quilting class a long time ago and the small quilt that I finished is one of my prized possessions!
Hi again, robynl!
I love your idea. I’m a big declutterer. I’m constantly donating stuff. Here we also have a Vietnam Vets charity who will come to your house with a truck to pick up unwanted stuff.
Note to self…call the Vets!
Hi azteclady!
Blurbs are hard. I’m afraid my characters are often a bit smart-alecky, so I’d say the blurb is fairly representative. But they are often using their rapier wit to hide some ugly stuff underneath and that’s where the real meat of the story is for me!
Hi, Deb, and congrats on the new release!
Some of my ideas come from areas of history that interest me (military history and ballooning are some examples), some come from locations within England, some from situations that make me think what if…
Deb, An Improper Aristocrat was such a wonderful book! You know how much I loved it, and I’m sure others are going to love it just as much.
I get ideas from everywhere, but I think that’s pretty usual for an author. My main problem is that not all the ideas are workable. Sometime something sparks an idea and I get all excited–then when I try to make it a plot, I realize it’s stupid. I hate that!
Does that ever happen to you?
Thanks Elena! “What if” are two of the greatest words in the English language!
Thank you Sabrina! Most of the time when I get stuck it’s in the midst of the book. I think I know what’s going to happen, but when I write it, it doesn’t feel right. Then I have to stop and think and think!
My kids have gotten used to me staring out of the window and into space. They’ll say, “Mom’s thinking again!”
Deb, the time issue is a huge deal, isn’t it? So many books, so little time! I feel about research books the way most women feel about chocolate. I can’t resist! I don’t even want to! More, more, more…and then some more. Some people might call it a sickness, but no one here would, right?
Claudia, you sound like a kindred spirit! I can’t resist a research book either and I read more of them than I do fiction now.
But I’m going to read Deb’s book!
Hi Deb, An Improper Aristocrat sounds like a lot of fun! Perhaps someone will get me a copy for Christmas. (Anyone listening?)
But I feel a bit hurt. No one has ever asked me if I’m the model on the cover of my wife’s book! What can that mean?
Todd-who-probably-needs-to-work-out-more
Hi, Deb!
I’m not sure where my ideas come from…I guess it just comes from thinking “what if” a lot (as has already been mentioned!) Everything from “what if there was a stubborn human woman whom the movie Legolas fell in love with but in another world with lots of wolves and chocolate” to “what if someone walked in here with a gun. In Regency clothing. And what if it was a gun from 1810….and he claimed to be a Regency time-traveler…” 🙂
Cara
Yeah, but Todd are they asking you the other snarky questions? I’ll bet you could come up with some zingers to shoot back!
Cara, I think we are all completely enamored of your ‘What would’s ..
What would Jane Austen sound like on board the Enterprise?
What would a Regency buck do in today’s society?
Keep those ‘What would’s coming!
Thanks for a great day, Riskies! I love to visit here!
I love your story premise and I can’t wait to read the book. Happy Holidays!!!!
Hi Deb! Your book sounds fascinating! I loved National Treasure, Indiana Jones and the Mummy movies. You are right —- we all come up with ideas through everyday life. Many different situations keep us on our toes! I’m looking forward to reading your book!
Hi Deb! Your book sounds wonderful! I love history!
Teaching children makes you come up with ideas all the time.
I seem to get ideas all the time. I recently saw CNN’s Heroes special and jotted down a story idea I’ll jump on once I’ve finished my current manuscript. I got the idea for this one while chatting with some restaurant owners and what they’d do if they got a horrible reviews.
I have a file chock full of ideas.
Sorry I missed you last night, Kimmie, Deborah, Margie and Santa! Thanks so much for chiming in! I knew we’d hear from a bunch of creative people with good ideas!
Oh, Deb. I have no clever ideas to offer, but I LOVED reading how you built your book. How fantastic!! I’m dying to get back home and read your story. I’m sure Amazon delivered the book, and its waiting for me at the post office.
Ooh, I love the idea of housepoints. I’m going to steal it. I especially like the demerit version. So far, I was using only positive stickers, no detractions. But ahaha. I think negative points for disrepect is going to be character-building. 🙂
I also read that book about Napoleon’s scholars in Egypt! It was fascinating. I wonder what would happen with one of those scholars who was left behind…
There goes, Ammanda, with another fantastic story in the making.
Diane, you need zero help in finding ideas. Love ’em all.
But I feel a bit hurt. No one has ever asked me if I’m the model on the cover of my wife’s book! What can that mean?
Todd, no one ever asked you, because they already assumed that was the case. You mean, it’s not true??? Then, whoever could that be???
Thanks Keira!
I hope the housepoints work for you. You’ll have to let me know.
I hope you are having an amazing trip!
Deb wrote:
Yeah, but Todd are they asking you the other snarky questions? I’ll bet you could come up with some zingers to shoot back!
I don’t get too much teasing. Probably they all realize that I would skewer them with my rapier wit. Something like: “Huh? What? Me, love scenes? What?”
Truthfully, I suspect Cara uses me more as a model for her villains. Cunning, ruthless, and utterly without pity or remorse. Bwahahaha!
Keira wrote:
Todd, no one ever asked you [if I was the model for the hero on the cover], because they already assumed that was the case.
Oh, no! Cara used to go on and on about how she hated the hair of the guy on her cover! Quick, somebody get me the number of a good stylist!
Todd-who-is-rapidly-developing-a-complex