It's The Little Things...

I'm on vacation and one of the things I promised my Mother I would do is go through the wealth of magazines and newspapers that I have stockpiled (look for my picture under "pack rat" in the dictionary). As many writers do, I'm sure, I can find a reason to save just about everything. Photographs that will inspire a scene, or provide the home, or gown, or look of a character. Stories that can provide background for places, careers, lifestyles, or personal background. News articles that reek of fictional possibilities - from crime stories to human interest essays. Ads for perfumes, cars, travel, food, wine, clothes, makeup, or products. Gardens and kitchens and yachts and restaurants all have immediate inspiration for me. So I save them. Everything. And I DO mean everything. Just ask my Mom.

So. This afternoon, with a bad back from too much lugging of heavy materials during my gardening work yesterday, I can only sit. I like to be outside as often as possible since my "day job" requires that I be sequested in an office, looking, yearning, for the out of doors. But at home on vacation in the late spring, with everything green and lush, and before the heat of summer settles in, I can relax and recuperate outside in my $14.00 plastic Adirondack chair.

So....that's what I was doing this afternoon. Going through four year old magazines, month old newspapers, and culling ideas. Inspiration.

From the classical musician who has dedicated himself to teaching classical music to the students in Iraq who have no instruments or teachers or schools. From the woman and her three daughters and granddaughters who run an organic farm in California. The cupcake maven who, instead of heading to his bar exam instead bought a truck and went into the cupcake street vendor business. The archeologists who race against time to excavate in areas that are being turned into "improvements"/ And to the black and white students who have separate proms because segregation still lives .... except for the one plucky girl who attended both, because she's dated an African-American schoolmate for several years. And of course I found some stunning photographs that perfectly capture the art space for my erotic photographer character. And the spare, masculine bedroom of my John Bearkiller character. And a hugely amusing explosion of purple living space that just SCREAMS to be the bedroom of my wacky demon fighter and ghost talker.

So never pass by the paper. The magazines. Don't necessarily stockpile (I'm going to be culling til the cows come home ... and did I mention the story about the family that has happy cows and an organic ice cream operation?), but don't discount the value of these other places where inspiration abounds.

Sure, we need to work on our craft, study the business aspects of being a successful author, and, DUH, we need to write. But the value of immersing yourself in the worlds around you - worlds that you certainly can't always experience (unless you are far luckier than I, fiscally-speaking). They can give you that flavor, that nuance, that extra-special sensual touch that can create an amazing character, a delicous world, or a unique atmosphere.

Oh, and don't forget: RECYCLE!