Mom, Where Do Stories Come From?

I don't know where other writers get the most of their ideas, but I find that I get some of my best ideas from dreams. Just the other day I was listening to people discuss their fever dreams and they were simple, such as having something heavy on top of you, or being too large for a room that you're in. I don't think I get fever dreams, but my husband can attest that my dreams are not so black and white. Guys, I once had a dream that my mother won a contest to have lunch with Jesus and I remember it clear as day and that was years ago. I guess it's good that I love writing, because otherwise people would probably be worried for me.

Sometimes people ask me, "I want to write a book but I have no ideas. What do you recommend?" Use your dreams. If you can't remember them, write them down in a journal by your bed or on your phone. I did that for Enshrine and look at where that strange dream of being chased by a bad guy took me? I'm working on a Science Fiction story that I've been playing around with since my sophomore year of high school and you want to know how that started? I had a dream that wouldn't leave me after I woke up. I'm writing this post because I had an amazing dream last night that I have to write down and revisit because I think it could be a really neat New Adult Science Fiction Romance someday (Is there such thing as Science Fiction Romance...because I'm going to make it a thing if it's not.) Bottom line, I hope your dreams inspire you like mine do. I'm actually having the problem where I have too many ideas vying for space at the moment but I guess I'd rather have too many manuscripts going than none. I had someone tell me once that I get the "plot bunnies" where I can't commit to one idea because I want to write them all and lately I totally agree with them. Not counting possible Enshrine spin offs, the current number is four. Maybe I'll have a whole repertoire of books for BookCon next year!

In regards to the book that is actually getting published, I finally have a release date! Enshrine is coming out June 5th and I'm so excited! I've been reading the final PDF and as I said in a previous entry, I can't believe how far it's come since the rough draft I read to my class last year. Now it's time to up the ante with my promotional stuff. I'm going to start reaching out to libraries, do some blog interviews, maybe even call newspapers. So much of this is out of my comfort zone, but if I want to show the world what I can do and this world I've created, I've got to try. I'm also planning on having a release party so if you are local and want to come, stay tuned. I'm probably getting a head of myself, but I'm already looking at "sage" colored dresses. I doubt most people will get the reference but hey, I'll be happy. :)

Till next time,

Kay