The Muse On Demand by Isabo Kelly

I had someone say to me once, "So you just sit down and think of an idea and then write the story?" I paused a moment and then had to say, "Actually. Yes."

Okay, so this isn't always the case. Sometimes, ideas come to you out of the blue and there's your new world or story. This is the typical way people think authors get story ideas. Via The Muse. And we do. Sometimes. But then there's these other times. When we sit down and think, "Okay, I need a new idea."

Sounds weird, huh? But it happens.

BRIGHTARROW BURNING is the result of one of those need-a-new-idea-so-I-need-to-think-of-something-right-now moments. I had an editor ask if I could put together a synopsis/proposal that she could use for a particular project if any of the authors working on the project didn't come through with their stories. I said, "Sure, I can do that." And then, because the story couldn't be connected to any of my other worlds, I had to come up with something totally new.

So as I was writing out emails, I let my mind wander. And an intriguing bit of dialogue came to me:

"I knew I'd find you here."

She flicked a glance over her shoulder, then returned her stare to the alley below. "What do you want?"

"I'd like to know when you're going to stop trying to kill my brother."

"When he stops kidnapping and selling my people."

I didn't know who either of these people were, what was going on in the story, anything at all. But I had a very interesting conflict in just a few short lines. So I did what I always do when I want to expand a germinating idea. I took a shower J I put my characters into a dark, devastated city and I let my imagination wander through the world, asked questions about the characters, discovered what the heart of the plot was. I uncovered a very sexy elf hero, a strong and determined human heroine, and a world full of conflict, magic and war. Before I knew it, I had a story. An exciting one that I couldn't wait to write.

The path of bringing BRIGHTARROW BURNING to publication has been a little more convoluted. But the story did get written and it did get published. All because an editor asked me to come up with an idea.

It's fun to get hit by the Muse with a wonderful bit of inspiration that results in a really interesting story to tell. It's just as much fun to sit down and say, "I'm going to come up with a cool story idea today" and then do it. Maybe that's still the Muse sitting on my shoulder. If so, she pitches story ideas On Demand. As a working writer, I am really grateful she does!



Check out Isabo's interview of BRIGHTARROW BURNING at The Romance Reviews and get a chance to win awesome prizes! Contest ends October 31.