Inspiration From Everywhere
One doesn't live life in an insulated bubble. From the moment we draw our first breaths, we touch, and are touched by, events of the world around us. That goes in particular for writers. Everything we experience becomes a part of the inspiration for our work. The people around us can't help but color the worlds we create in our books. And the art... Art might be the most magical source of inspiration there is. Books, paintings, music... Any form of creativity.
I find music to be one of my most powerful sources of ideas. One song might spur the writing of an entire scene or chapter. If I could bottle that feeling, I wouldn't hesitate.
The summer I wrote the majority of FREAK FRAT, music was the engine that kept me clicking away at the keyboard. Every time I turned on 95X, a local radio station, it seemed they were playing another song that rushed me back to my computer. Maybe it was the genre of the book (urban fantasy), the demeanor of the characters, or some combination thereof, but the music blended with my story and made magic.
This summer, I met Kara, who works at 93Q and 95X. Both of us were delighted to meet each other—me, a big fan of both radio stations, and she, an avid reader. Kara bought a copy of FREAK FRAT (and I fervently hope she loves it). She also forwarded the news that 95X was, in part, the soundtrack to my book to her station manager. As a result, I am beyond thrilled to be attending Amy's Slumber Party 2026. All this because of the magic spark that is inspiration.
I believe good things create good things. Because of music, I've been able write books that might never have happened. Because I've written and published books, I have made wonderful lifelong friends. I've had adventures I couldn't have imagined as a girl, scribbling in notebooks in my room. Not a bad life.
Moral of the story? Don't ignore that spark. It's the beginning of dreams.
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