May Edition: Finding Story Ideas, Day Job, and Writing Updates

Good morning! 

All my life, I’ve heard that if you don’t like Texas weather, just what a minute. A cold front came in Thursday evening. On Friday the temperature was in the 60s, and today the temperature has started in the 60s but with drizzle. I love it.

When people discover I am an author, there is always one question asked. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

And my answer?

Everywhere.

I get ideas for stories from everywhere. Sometimes it’s as simple as a street name that sparks something. Last weekend, I saw a street named Wind Murmur. I wrote it down in the notebook. (I almost always have a notebook with me, though I’ve started putting notes and writing on my phone more than I ever used to.) I thought the street name would be a good name for a town, and then I started thinking about who would live there. My thoughts kept going. What secret is the town hiding? Are there paranormals living there? Why would someone want to move there? Is that person running from something or to something?

My ideas come because of the “What if?” questions that my mind is constantly asking. Too much caffeine definitely fueled the muse. I have so many ideas that some may never see the light of day, while some may find their way into current series or new side series.

I’ve always struggled to make time for writing because I have a full-time day job. Toward the end of the month, I will have more time for writing because I had to make a hard decision about the day job. I like the job, but several things have changed, and that factored into my decision to step away from it. With the economy the way it is, I’m a little scared about losing the income, but it is an opportunity to “reclaim” my writing more than I have already done for this year. While I have to tighten the purse strings? Yes. 

But the question now is...How many words can I write each day?

I’m about halfway through Diablo. I’m working on outlines for new Starlight Bar stories and some Christmas stories. 

Stolen Wolf, book 5 in the Starlight Bar series was published at the end of March. It is Liam's second chance story. If you haven't read it, you can find purchase links here STOLEN WOLF. 

Sunday is Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!

A Cold Front in April and Writing Stuff

 

It’s the middle of April and the Texas weather has gone from warm spring to cold. Yesterday, a cold front blew in with gusty winds, rain, and temperatures that dropped 60s in the morning to the low 40s last night. So far today, it has warmed up into the 60s, but I’m sitting in my office and wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. The wind is still blowing, and I can feel the colder air around my feet, but I still prefer the colder weather to hot Texas summers. Definitely going to do some sealing of gaps around the windows and where the house meets the cement slab.

This weekend, I’ve been rewriting a chapter in Diablo to make it flow better. When I finish that, I’ll be about 1/3 of the way through the story, and I’ll start writing the next chapters. I’m a little behind where I wanted to be this weekend, but I’m still within the deadline goal I set for myself.

The muse has also gone into overdrive this weekend. I have general story ideas for two more books in the Starlight Bar series. These ideas are on top of Josie and Elliot’s story. I also have an idea for a new series that is not part of the Brimstone ideas I have. It’s not a matter of not having ideas for stories; it’s claiming more time to write.

For a couple of months, I’ve thought about purchasing a “cheap” laptop that would be just for writing. The MacBook Pro I’ve been writing on is now 6 years old, and it’s been used for everything. I wanted to separate the actual writing from all the production and formatting side of writing. I looked at several brands, but was “wishy-washy” as the mister likes to tell me, but I didn’t want to buy something just for the sake of buying something. Last month, I bought a MacBook Neo. So far, it’s working great for just writing. I know when I open it, I’m just writing on it. No browsing or doing anything else.

Until next time,

Rayne Rachels

Purchase STOLEN WOLF at...

 Purchase Stolen Wolf (Starlight Bar, book 5) at the following:

Amazon

Apple

Barnes and Noble

KOBO

SmashWords

Books2Read

After thirty years, can two fated mates have a second chance at love? Lily Owens was stolen from her mate. For the last thirty years, she survived being a prisoner. During her imprisonment, she gave birth to her mate's daughter, kept believing in her love for Liam, and never lost hope he would find her. Finally, free, Lily goes to find Liam. Will he still love and want her after all the years apart? Liam Carter has spent the past thirty years mourning his dead mate. The last thing he expected to see was the mate he thought to be dead, sitting in the dining area of the Starlight Bar. Have too many years passed for Liam and Lily to reconnect? Will lies from the past keep them apart? Or will a new threat permanently separate them? This story is perfect for readers who love: · Second Chance Romances · Fated Mates/Soulmates · Protective Wolf Shifters This story has kissing and cuddling and a rekindling of lost love, but it a sweet romance between to older characters.