Friday, June 10, 2011

inspiration





I have been reading for a long time. I have read all sorts of fiction, non-fiction and academic books.
I have also been writing for years but for me the real fiction writing started in 2005 with the first pages of what now is a paranormal romance series. I am not published yet but I’m working on it
In the last few years I have been more selective in my reading, opting for urban fantasy, paranormal romance, vampire novels and more recently futuristic romantic suspense.
As a reader, I have many favourite authors and it would be difficult to pick just one.
But as a writer I have recently found out that only several writers have truly inspired my writing in their own way.
Caitlin Murphy (C.E.Murphy) through her storytelling. When I finished reading “Hands of Flame” the third and final book of her Negotiator trilogy, I was floored. I kept saying to myself. “This was such a great story! I don’t know what I can read after that? Never mind, write anything!” For several days, I was not reading or writing, just recording my impressions in my journal. I eventually moved beyond that.
The books of Sherrilyn Kenyon (The Dark-Hunter series) and Rachel Caine (the Weather Wardens) have inspired me through the world-building and research found in those books. Again, I found myself being “thought” and enlightened about good fiction writing and amazing storytelling.
I have also found in the books of Diana Rowland the kind of storytelling that I aspire to, When I read her Kara Gillian books, I did so in awe but also found myself inspired and pushed to better my own writing.
Yet, I now have started reading J.D. Robb “In Death” books and it feels like I am being thought elements of good story writing. Every book I’ve read so far, I’ve done so as a reader and a writer, a double-reading where every time I stumble upon a good scene or character, I take a step back from my initial reaction as a reader and ask myself, “Why did this scene/character make you gasp, want to cry or laugh?”.
Now, in the middle of some rewrites and new writings, I am fuelled and energized by what I have learned so far from those five authors to whom I already owe a lot as a writer and a reader.
No doubt I’m bound to uncover more through future books but I felt the need to share this with you today.