Where do you get inspiration for your storylines?

When I started my first novel my head was brimming with ideas for future stories. I’m now a quarter of the way through a big project on one of those ideas which encompasses four novels. This is likely to take until the end of 2013 to finish. I still have the other ideas noted down but I have to admit to a bit of a niggle that I had exhausted all the ideas I was ever going to have.

I’m firmly in the camp that you can imagine anything from what is around you and what your experiencing at that time, but I was no longer snatching ideas from these experiences. That maybe because I have ideas that have yet to be turned into stories but nonetheless I still worried a little when I let myself think about it.

Imagine my delight then, when I’m on holiday, floating around in the pool because that was the only place where I could cope with being in the blazing hot sun, and I came up with an idea. The resort we stayed at in Spain, along with our visit to the Alhambra Palace has inspired a wonderful idea which is a romance story with intrigue. Each day I floated around on my son’s noodle, staring around at the apartments and the blue sky and added a little bit more detail to the idea. I’ve even designed the small, exclusive resort where much of the story takes place.

Now I’m home, I’ve written down all my thoughts so I don’t forget them. I’m excited about this new story and have a dilemma about whether I write it before I finish the series of four novels or whether I wait until the end of next year. Maybe I’ll just dabble with it as the mood takes me.

Here’s the pool where the story was born. It isn’t set in any special location with a stunning view, it just gave me the opportunity to relax in a large, warm bath and imagine.

Where does your inspiration come from?

[image error]