Wednesday 11 April 2012

The Zurian Child - Five Things That Inspire Story Ideas by Jessica Subject

Thank you so much, Pippa for hosting me on your blog today.Oh, thank you for taking the time to talk to us! :)

My latest release, The Zurian Child, was meant to be a story for my daughter about superheroes, but when I started writing, it quickly changed into something else. Many things helped to inspire this story as well as others I have written, and I’m going to share them.

  1. Night-time dreams – My story idea folder is filled with point form notes about dreams I’ve had, the ones I remember, of course. Much of the original Mark of the Stars story began as a dream, but it has changed a great deal since then.
  2. Daydreams – I’m not sure if all authors do this, but I daydream all the time. Whether I’m cleaning the house, or having a shower, my mind it always working, and I’ve come up with many new ideas and developed ideas and scenes further this way.
  3. Music – Not only does music help to portray the emotions I want to evoke in a story, but it can also be the basis of an entire story. Eighteen by The Lines Between helped to develop a story, and I have another story floating in my head based on a song by Bif Naked.
  4. Conversations (including overheard ones) – There are several pieces of conversation that have made it into my stories because they have suited the scene I was working on. I’ve also have brainstorming sessions with other authors that have spawned story ideas as well.
  5. Real-life experiences – Although the scene was later cut from The Zurian Child, there was a scene where Katrina is telling Lindsay about Bryce taking her out to the movies for her birthday. In it, Katrina mentions getting locked in the bathroom stall and Bryce had to crawl under to get her out. This actually did happen to my daughter when her uncle took her to see a movie.
So, those are just some of the places I draw story ideas from. The news is another big contributor. No matter which, my muse is always trying to turn everything into a story. Unfortunately, I can’t write as fast as my mind works.

Giveaway!
Leave a comment for your chance to WIN an ebook copy of The Zurian Child.


The Zurian Child Blurb

Lindsay Beckett longed to be reunited with her first love, Quinn Montgomery, until she learns the secret that sent him fleeing from her in the first place. He’s an alien, a Hemera, and she’s half-Hemera herself. As if that wasn’t enough to ruin her dreams of a perfect life, when their child is born, they discover she fulfills a prophesy told twenty light years away and many years ago. Lindsay wants to ignore it, until her husband is murdered and suddenly believing becomes a matter of survival.

Lindsay and her young daughter are forced to rely on another Hemera, her husband’s partner and best friend, Bryce Beuermann as more and more of the Hemera are slaughtered. Bryce will do anything to help his best friend’s widow—including suppressing his own deep feelings for her. But he must prove they can trust him, even pretending he doesn’t want her with all his heart.

Available from Silver Publishing (https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/the-zurian-child-ebook-p-786) and other ebook retailers.
Book Trailer: 




Bio:
Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.

7 comments:

  1. Thanks again for having me on your blog! :)

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  2. I love that so many different things inspire you as you're writing. Clearly it works because your writing is outstanding!

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  3. Thanks so much, Heather! Yes, I only wish I could write as fast as the ideas pop into my head. :)

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  4. The day dream comment made me laugh! I do that all the time -- when working, when driving, and when I am supposed to be doing other things. Good to know it isn't just me! ;-p
    Great interview, Jessica!

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  5. Thanks, Lauri! I really try not to do that when I drive, as I usually have kids in the vehicle, but other times are fair game. LOL :)

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  6. Thanks again for having me, Pippa!

    The winner of an ecopy of The Zurian Child is Heather McCorkle. Congratulations!

    And thanks to everyone who stopped by to read my post!

    ~Jessica

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  7. Thanks for visiting, Jessica - sorry I wasn't around to shout out more - dodgy internet! :(

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I always love to hear your thoughts.