11 August 2007

What inspires you?

Being a romance author is sometimes challenging for me. I work a demanding day job in addition to writing romance for two publishers. Sometimes these worlds collide like asteroids.

I'm on deadline for the next Egyptian historical, The Scorpion & the Seducer. The book is about an English earl's heir who falls in love with a social pariah, an Egyptian woman. It's due in three weeks. In the middle of this deadline, I received galleys for The Empath, my December paranormal and had to finalize a proposal I owed. Going from historical Egypt to werewolves in New Orleans isn't easy, but I did it. I also had a huge day job project in which I had to write about the tragic death of a six-year-old boy from starvation, and at home, there were family health problems.

At times like this, I search for what I term "inspiration for my perspiration." I find quotes from others who inspire me. Here are some.

"Go where a great story leads you... love the process. Books will come and go, trends will flare and die. This is the only certainty. Do whatever it takes to keep your passion for your work." Christina Dodd in this month's Romance Writers Report.

Christina gave an excellent talk at last year's RWA. I love this quote because it's so true. In the end, the writing is the only certain element in a fluctuating marketplace.

"Protect the work." Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

SEP is an author I credit with helping me to get published because she inspired me with a keynote speech at my chapter's conference years ago. She advised us to break the rules and protect the work at all costs. I broke the rules and wrote a book I thought no one would publish; about an Egyptian sheikh guarding a treasure in the sands in 1892. Now I'm finishing the sixth book in that series.

"We like to pretend it is hard to follow our heart's dreams. The truth is, it is difficult to avoid walking through the many doors that will open... We say we are scared by failure, but what frightens us more is the possibility of success... Take a small step in the direction of a dream and watch the synchronous doors flying open. Seeing, after all, is believing." Julia Cameron from The Artist's Way

What a wonderful quote! Believing in yourself and your dream is the first step. It's hard work, but the hardest part may be taking that first step and believing it CAN happen.

"Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it." Goethe, quoted from The Artist's Way

Another great quote. Just do it. Dreams are wonderful, but they need action to become reality.

Do you have favorite sources of inspiration or quotes from authors you admire?