#IWSG: Favorite Aspect of Being a Writer

It's that time again. The 1st Wednesday of the month is Insecure Writers Support Group, the brainchild Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  Joylene Nowell Butler, Jen Chandler, Mary Aalgaard, Lisa Buie Collard, Tamara Narayan, Tyrean Martinson, and Christine Rains!

Don't forget to check out the guidelines for this year's IWSG Anthology Contest!

My favorite aspect of writing is the spark of a new story. A first sentence, a character’s words, a setting. It can come at any time, especially in that twilight between sleep and awake. Or it could be something heard or read—the news, a TV program, a conversation in a restaurant. The worst time the spark can come is when I’m in the middle of another story. Sometimes, it will be the idea for a spinoff or a secondary character who demands her/his story. Leaving the current WIP to write a new story is not a good idea. So, I’ll open a new file and jot down the idea (so I don’t forget) then promptly return to the WIP.

I’ve known some writers who jump from story to story, not finishing anything. It takes discipline to ignore that siren’s call. And it’s hard.

Along with the spark, I love beginning a new story. I’ve never stared at a blank screen. That idea or spark has already prepared me for the first chapter.

Good News

My PI mystery, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé, is a 2016 IDA (International Digital Award) Winner.

Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti?

Excerpt:

I read somewhere that men think about sex ninety-four percent of the time, maybe more. Women were more evolved and thought about other things. Around Nick Palzetti, my evolution took a nose dive. I remembered how good things had been between us. Not my doing, of course. When it came to lovemaking, he was the pro. I still had amateur status. And if I didn’t watch my step, I’d make a fool of myself again.

“Why are you back, Nick? Did you really think I would fall into your arms?” As if I hadn’t done just that.

He perched on the corner of my desk, again, then swung his foot in a lazy manner. “I’d hoped so.”

“Why? I’m not some bimbo you can jump into bed with and then say ‘I’ll be right back’. Right back does not mean no word for over two frelling months.”

I’d just done a “Farscape” marathon, for the third time, so frelling was my word of choice when I really wanted to say the other F-word.

His foot stopped swinging. Every muscle in his body tightened. The effect was fascinating and a little scary. His lips, which had been soft and caressing moments ago, thinned. His face became all sharp edges.

“What do you mean no word?” he asked in a voice that was too soft. Like I said, a little scary.

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Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.