Story Inspiration–Week 14 #MFRW Blog Challenge
My series story inspiration started with a ring.
Several years ago, the summer of 2012 to be precise, while totally stymied in my efforts to find a home for my contemporary romances, I stumbled across a call for submissions from Avon Impulse. They wanted a holiday novella, no more than 20,000 words, any historical period, and it must contain a ring–any kind of ring.
Thus was born my Christmas novella, Rosalyn’s Ring. I gave it a Regency setting, mostly because I like to read Regency romances, and I’d absorbed a great deal of historical trivia about the period. I figured I could shortcut my research efforts. (Um, no, as I soon learned! But that’s another story.)
Avon said “no thanks” to Rosalyn, but Soul Mate Publishing introduced her to the world in July, 2013.
Spinning Off
My next book was a short novel, Bella’s Band, with a heroine who was an off-page secondary character in the first book.
Liliana’s Letter came next, but in story chronology, it’s a prequel, the love story of a secondary character in Bella’s Band.
And then came a new hero and heroine
My 2016 novella, The Marquess and the Midwife, grew out of research and reading on midwifery in the Regency era as well as my love for the secret baby trope. My muse found a completely new hero and heroine, but Lord and Lady Hackwell from Bella’s Band had to poke their way in again and play supporting roles.
The Hackwells will appear again in my next story, meddling in the hero’s and heroine’s business. This full-length novel, scheduled for release in May 2017, is the first in a new series. If you’ve read any of my earlier books, you’ll recognize the hero, Bink Gibson. I can’t wait to show you the awesome cover Cami Brite, of Brite Design, is conjuring up for Bink’s and Paulette’s love story!
And now, hop along with my fellow MFRW authors to see where they find their story inspiration.
Isn’t it amazing where our ideas come from? Congrats for not giving up!
I’m having too much fun to quit!
Love it! A simple thing can inspire a creative mind. You obviously have a vey creative mind! I have to add your books to my TOBEREAD list! I am thoroughly intrigued!
Thank you, Ellie! And thanks for taking the time to comment.
How cool you’ve put out 3 books born from a single theme requirement. And in doing so found a love of a different sort with writing the Regency Romance.
I think the success of soap operas and telenovelas proves that people love interrelated characters and spin-offs. Plus, they’re super fun to write!
I read Regency, too. But have never dared to write it. Good for you for taking the plunge.
I’ve learned so much about that historical period since I started writing in it!
Great story. My first published short was a response to a call for stories about witches, and then other ideas evolve from there.
It’s amazing how the muse works!
I liked hearing how you use characters from one book in stories of their own. It’s sort of like a family that starts with a wedding ring and creates all sorts of offspring.
And all those offspring have stories, right? Thanks for stopping by, Ed!