Sunday, March 20, 2011

On Writing

In Mesopotamia, somewhere in the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, dating back to 3700 B.C., someone put stone to tablet and hammered out a message and we’ve been hammering out messages ever since.


What is the love affair with the written word? They have the power to move people and even nations; people steal them, go to war for them, suppress them, cry over them, and love them.


I love painting with them, finding just the ones that transport you to another place all in the comfort of my comfy overstuffed chair. The dappled sunlight in the forest, the clashing sound of swords striking steel, and the softness of the first kiss, *sigh* I love them all.


I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a story in my head, a damsel in distress and a knight in shining armor racing to save her, (I’ve always thought historical romance). There were times when I finished a book, I loved the characters so much I continued the story in my mind.


It may have been Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander that started me thinking how the accomplishments of today’s woman, the ones we take for granted, would play out in earlier times; accomplishments in music, sports, and medicine. No longer is she the damsel in distress but rather a full partner capable in the great hall, the theater, the surgery, and even the battle field. I found the idea intriguing and went off and spun my tale.


So, I started thinking. It’s the 21st century and time travel is still a Wellsian fantasy, but not for Rebeka Tyler. A small misstep at the standing stones at Avebury will transport her into the adventure of her life.  That’s how I started writing To Hearth and Home (working title), all hammered out from my computer.


Have you written a story? Even if it's a work still in progress, where did you get your idea? Please leave a comment and let me know.

No comments:

Post a Comment