Do writers ever go on vacation? Physically, sure. Mentally? Probably not.
I certainly don’t. I recently was on a family trip to Cancun. I brought my small computer along but didn’t take the time to get on it much.
But I certainly took mental note of the warm Mexican environment—both weather-wise and the warmth of the staff at the resort where we stayed.
I also observed the environment—the large buildings comprising the hotel, the blue sky, the even bluer part of the water beyond the beach where tourists could swim, as well as the multiple swimming pools for guests.
I enjoyed the entertainment the resort provided, some outside every evening, with different kinds of shows that suggested follow-up ideas. I even saw some animals, some in good environments where they were being rescued, and others in situations that made me concerned.
Was I inspired to write something about that vacation, the location, my experiences? Oh, yes, but I’m busy enough that I’m not sure when or if I’ll actually be able to use it.
And you writers who are reading this. Have you taken trips, gone on vacations, visited other environments that do inspire you to write? Have some of those trips been specifically for research for whatever you are writing?
Have they been to locations not far from you, or to other countries—nearby ones, or on the other side of the world? Everywhere can be fun to visit.
Anywhere can be inspirational.
By the way, this subject is so vital to me that I’m incorporating it into the three blogs I’m posting on the same day this month. I’m addressing it somewhat differently, but it’s definitely on my mind. Along with my writing.
~Linda
Some of Linda’s Books
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Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
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Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
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What does a writer do between drafts of a story? Well, that depends.
I finished a first draft of my upcoming fourth story in my Shelter of Secrets series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. It still needs some work, but it’s currently in the hands of my excellent beta reader.
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I’ve had a fun few weeks–including my usual writing. Plus, I heard that the Dog Writers Association of America, of which I’m a member, was looking for humorous articles for their upcoming issue of RUFF DRAFTS, their publication, so I of course had to submit a short article about how my puppy keeps me from concentrating on my writing by insisting that I play fetch with her while I’m sitting at the computer. Humorous?
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I recently got word that my next Alaska Untamed Mystery, CRY WOLF, number two in the series, is now scheduled for publication on November 7. I love the cover! And the series is the first in which I’ve taken a pseudonym: Lark O. Jensen.
It’s not my only remaining book this year. I was already aware that my Coltons of New York book for Harlequin Romantic Suspense is also a November release. CSI COLTON AND THE WITNESS is officially out on November 27.
Featured Books
MRS. JEFFRIES AND THE MIDWINTER MURDERS
Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon should be checking off their Christmas present list but instead they're listing murder suspects . . .
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SILENT WITNESS
A mentally challenged child is dead; his father will stop at nothing to see the killer punished.
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