Jane Beckenham

Sometimes as a writer I have this little bird on my shoulder, it’s scathing voice taunting me. “You’ll never find another story, you’ll never do it again.”
Do I listen? Sort of.

For me ideas for a story come in odd moments, mostly when I’m in that half wake/sleep stage. It might be a name, a title for a book, or at times it’s been a full bodied story, the names, situation, who the characters and what there journey will be. With one manuscript, I was virtually silent all weekend as the story unfolded, voices, whole dialogues coming at me 24/7. It was exciting, and scary at the same time. Would I remember it? My family thought I was nuts, and by the Sunday night I had begun to agree.

For my most recent release – He’s The One, the idea came as I saw a scene unfold in my head. A classic car, racing to the church – the old get me to the church on time - thing. There was a woman standing outside. A wedding planner.

I began to ask her questions. Who was she, her name, what she was doing.
And, yes, I will admit, she began to answer! She loved her life, her business, was successful. But there was a problem. Her brides asked her questions about sex.

A problem you ask. Sure is, if your wedding planner is a virgin and has ZIP experience with men. I mean how can she answer questions about multiple orgasms, when she’s never experienced one!

So there was the premise. Get rid of her virginity. Get her business back on track.

Easy as 1-2-3. Well it would be, but she had to find a man happy to do the deed, and walk away.

She needed a love ‘em and leave ‘em kinda guy.

Cade Harper is that man. He’s gorgeous, and in fact I have to admit when I recently did the edits, I absolutely fell in love with this guy all over again. Think bad boy Sawyer from the TV show Lost. Very yummy.

So from here my ideas escalated. So she has sex. So what?

Ah ha… there is the problem. She thought, and he thought once would be enough. Wham bam, thank you ma’am and it’s all over.

Oh, no siree. No way. Once for these two would never ever be enough.

For me ideas come with a word. The other night I had to brainstorm an idea for a competition. A reunion story. Couldn’t think of a thing, then it hit me…Christmas is coming, and hey presto I have my reunion. Santa and Mrs. Santa are going become reacquainted.

One of the best things for me is to allow myself to think of stories. If I feel all ‘blocked’ I will take myself off to bed and lie down and meditate for ½ an hour. Just blank it all out, not something I must admit to being very good at. Then hey presto, back at the computer and it comes along and I’m back writing.
So the morale of my story? Take just one word – one – and make it into a story. It can and does happen, believe me!

Happy writing and reading
Jane Beckenham
http://www.janebeckenham.com/
http://www.lindenbayromance.com/

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