Wednesday, July 31, 2019

A Story is Born and Other Interesting Things by Liz Flaherty #RomanceGems

Me in front of that blank screen.
One of the very best things about life is how interesting it all is. Even if you get bored you can always go somewhere else, do something else, or if you're a writer, you can look at the same old things in brand new ways and, voila!, a story is born.

Now that I've made that landmark statement, I'm trying to think of a way to illustrate it. While I sat here staring at the screen (it stares back; have you noticed?), my phone clanged a message received and Facebook dinged in a notification on the computer.

I know very well the phone message is from the pastor and the Facebook notification is a new comment on a post I'm following. But if I were sitting here unable to think of anything to write--and the screen was staring back blankly--that clanging message could be from "the guy who got away" years ago or a doctor's office with a scary "call me Monday" message or even an "I was born on this date. Were you there?" warning. The notification could be from someone from school. Who died junior year. Didn't she?

I'm not one of those who have so many ideas teeming in their writers' minds that they won't have time to get all their stories written, so it's important that I find things interesting. In 2012, Carina Press published One More Summer. It's the only book I ever wrote that "wrote itself." Its first draft was 83 days of getting up at 3:00 to write before work. It took more than 10 years and I have no idea how many submissions to sell it. Its publication is still one of my favorite parts of my writing career.

I never intended to write a sequel.

But a few years after One More Summer, I saw a tall guy
walk across a hospital parking lot. He was moving quickly, impatiently. He got in his car and just sat there. In retrospect, I'm not sure if I actually saw this scene or dreamed it, because I can't tell you what hospital it was, but it gave birth to the sequel I never intended to write. Both my Carina editor and I were shocked when it didn't sell there, and for a long time, I let it lie under my virtual bed while I sulked. And then I started it on the rounds, and like the book that came before it, it's been through more submissions than I can remember.

Like the book before it, it still holds more of my heart than any one book should hold. It's all well and good to say I don't have a favorite, and I don't, but there are some that still make my heart ache for the people within them. Still have protagonists who, even in their happily-ever-afters, come back to visit and remind me that the happily-ever-after road has potholes in it.

Should I interject here that, even though I have a few indie projects, I am for the most part a trad author and like being one? If you know that, you know how happy I am that the sequel, The Healing Summer, will be released by The Wild Rose Press sometime soon. I am living on edge from day to day, waiting for the cover and the release date.

I can't begin to say how much this means to me. My husband laughs because of my goals over the years. You know how they went: If I could just sell a story. If I could just sell a book. If I could just sell another book. A series. Make one of the lists. With The Healing Summer, I feel as if the last goal has been reached.

So I guess I better make another one. Goal, that is. Because writing, like life, is much too interesting to stop now.





23 comments:

  1. Great post, Liz. I am one of the authors who has too many ideas to ever write them--that is, unless I live to be 200. I'm so impressed that you rose at three o'clock to write before work. You deserve a medal just for that!

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    1. Not really--I had to get up at 3:30 anyway to get to work at 5:00, but I was definitely sleep-deprived in those days!

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  2. I love that a man walking across a parking lot sparked your next book. Sometimes the most mundane happening creates a beautiful book! Writers' days are filled with excitement even when you're sleeping.

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  3. Isn't it funny how we writers see everything as potential story fodder? So often people ask me, how do you come up with story ideas? The answer is they're all around me--everything, everyone every place, every situation is a story... great post, Liz! Can't wait to order The Healing Summer!

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  4. The idea for my first book came from a dream. So many others have arrived from other sources. I will admit I have a muse who is on steroids, so no lack of plots and characters for me. Now to stop the world so I can get them all on the page! Good luck with your new book. The man who rushes across the parking lot only to sit in his car intrigues me.

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  5. I have a hard dive bursting with ideas, half-written books, partials and full manuscripts. And two Christmas stories to write that I haven’t started yet. But as I look at them, I want a fresh idea that I’m dying to sink into...something fun and challenging...that may take a while to find

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    1. I'm looking for one of those right now, too. I want something I feel whole-hearted about. Still looking.

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  6. Those story germs can be found everywhere, but not everyone can find the right ingredients to create magic with them. Good for you. A fantastic feeling!

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  7. After a few years of critique groups and honing my skills, learning about transitions, plot, and everything that goes into creating a story, I finally said to heck with it. I was going to go back to writing for the fun of it. When the book was ready, I mailed it from the post office (gotta love having to mail all those early manuscripts). I got 'the call' 3 days later from Hilary Sares at Kensington. Bachelor Party will always be the book of my heart. Sometimes I still have to remind myself to just have fun with the writing.

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    1. I have to remind myself of that, too, and honesty compels me to admit it's not as much fun as it used to be. Occasionally, though, there'll be one of those diamond kind of writing days, and then it's still as wonderful as it always was.

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  8. I love this. Sometimes stories pop into my head like that. It's really cool how you found your next one. Such a mysterious walk to the car. Kinda great! Loved the post!

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    1. I love the "seeds." Not just mine, but other people's, too.

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  9. Hurray for you, Liz. I'll be waiting for that release date. Great post. I love knowing how ideas come to life for other authors.

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  10. Great post, Liz! I love learning how authors find their way to this crazy passion. Congratulations on your upcoming release. Looking forward to it!

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    1. Thank you, Kathryn. I'm always amazed at how exciting each release is.

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  11. I am jealous of those of you with brains brimming with ideas for stories. My mind doesn't work that way. I think historical is in many ways tougher. But congratulations, Liz. You've piqued my interest!

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    1. I'm jealous of that, too, Cheryl. I love historical, even though I've only ever written one. My problem was having so much fun with the research.

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