Inspiration

From the writing desk of Christine Mazurk

The Holidays threw me for a loop, shoving me off track with my productivity. Many wonderful things happened in my life, but sadly my WIP got pushed to the side. But, I will say, I'm back and the words are flowing. I'm only about two thousand words away from typing THE END!! Passion's Spirit is coming soon!!

I met a lot of interesting people over the Holidays and many asked me where I find the inspiration for my stories? And how do I bring the characters to life on the page?

My inspiration comes from my surroundings. The mountains, the ocean. Every amazing color in nature's glory. The moods and emotions in the weather. The scents that remind me of someone or something. All of these channeled with my dreams, create endless story ideas in rich settings.

I use the experiences I've had to add action and flavor to my books. Running the park, riding my bike, racing. Feeling the breeze on my face, riding a motorcycle, kayaking the lake, all of these allow me to make my characters real, to allow them to move in a natural way.

As for developing my characters, I use the power of observation. People watching and paying attention to others helps build live, creative, funny, passionate characters. Observing someone's body language, individual tics and habits, voice patterns and phrases, are all part of building a believable character.

I've pulled interesting traits from my friends, from people I've met in the grocery store line, sat next to on a plane, stood behind in the coffee shop. I love to stand still, watch and listen, because the world is filled with interesting individuals. I take pieces and parts of them to create an infinite number of interesting characters. Take Team Fear US in Passion's Race. Not only did I create the heroine and her best friend, but I envisioned her coach, the hero, as well as his best friend and twelve, yes twelve, male teammates. (Most of them show up in Passion's Spirit too.)

I love my characters!! They make me laugh, bring tears to my eyes, help me inspire others to step out of the comfort zone to give something new a try. I even love when they go in a different direction than I planned for them. The little surprises enhance their personalities, making them seem real to me.

I have so many stories waiting to come to life. Next on my list is Anya Quinlan Story, Mystical Moments. She's been poking at me since last July, telling me what she thinks is important for her life to unfold. She'll get her spotlight soon.

Until then, I must get back to Mike Dawson and Natalie Walsh. It's time to tie up all the loose ends.

For more information on my upcoming story ideas, check out my WORKING page on my website:
www.christinemazurk.com

See you next week.
Christine