Novel Ideas

This month my family vacationed in Florida. It’s been a while since we actually took a vacation, so I really looked forward to taking my boys to Disney World and showing them the beautiful white Pensacola beaches on our way there.

With all the writing I’ve done the last several years (it’s a good thing), I needed not only a physical break from cooking meals and household responsibilities, but a mental break from home schooling and you guessed it—writing books. Too much writing over an extended time can zap creativity. I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do than lounge on a white beach in the sun and listen to the waves. The image became so real in my mind that I craved that moment, and I would have been devastated had some unforeseen event prevented that.

In the end, what I saw and felt in my mind actually materialized.

For that, I thank God because I’d prayed for this trip. He knew I needed it, my family needed it.

But how often do the dreams we hope for and envision in our hearts and minds come to pass in the way we expected? Not very often.

Bringing this back to writing novels—the same is true for the writing process. Often the novel idea that stirs inside and demands to be put on paper isn't what ends up in book form. It’s a struggle to take the feelings and the visions in my head and write them out, capture them, exactly as I see them. Other times I don’t have any expectations and am pleasantly surprised with what ends up on the page.

Regardless, there’s nothing more fulfilling for a novelist than seeing the novel idea take book form. Holding the fruit of your labor in your hands. But that fruit always starts with the seed of an idea.

I have a long list of ideas I want to explore. Some more than others, and there’s one  idea or premise, I've wanted to explore for several years. That’s setting a story at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

I love balloons. Always have.

In two weeks, Love in the Air will release.  I love how God always opens up a door for me to write about a setting I love. This story unfolded in surprising ways as I wrote, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I should get my author copies soon. Today I’m giving away FIVE copies of Love in the Air. If you’re willing to leave a review up on Amazon and Goodreads, and to sign up for my newsletter at my website, then you are entered in the drawing.You must also leave a comment with your contact information here at the blog to let me know. If you have already signed up for the newsletter, you can let me know that too.

Or if you don’t want to do either of those things, you can help a writer by pre-ordering Love in the Air. In order to keep writing, we need readers to buy our books, too!

Love in the Air back cover:

KYLE MORGAN HAS RETURNED…. 

He was Nikki Alexander's first crush—until his stunts in a hot-air-balloon race led to a family tragedy. Then he disappeared, leaving her brokenhearted. Now he's back and stirring up all her emotions. 

Blaming himself for her brother's death, Kyle stayed away. But now Nikki's in trouble. And he knows he must step in to make it right. He'll help save her balloon business…and prove this time he's here to stay. But first he must win her forgiveness before he can win her heart.

Thank you for spending time with me today.

Many blessings,

Beth