Melissa Snark is our guest today. Please be sure to read to the end for your chance at a giveaway. Welcome, Melissa.
Authors often get asked: "Where do you get your ideas?"
Authors often get asked: "Where do you get your ideas?"
As
if there's only one source instead of many contributing factors to story
genesis. Of course, some writers cite a single source or recount a scene that
marches full blown into their head. However, I believe that the majority,
myself included, draw on many founts of inspiration for the next new book or
series.
In
February 2010, I made the decision to resume writing for publication again. I
had settled on a genre—paranormal fantasy—and eliminated vampires as an option.
Wolves howled through my imagination. Already a fan of Patricia Briggs, I loved
the concept of a strong female lead in the role of Alpha werewolf.
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| Photo by Melissa Snark |
Getting
from step 1 to step 2, from vague concept to that first scene required a
setting. A family ski trip to Lake Tahoe put the spurs to my flanks. The Sierra
Nevada Mountains in the dead of winter are absolutely spectacular. Against the
pristine white snow, gray stone and evergreen foliage, the blue of the sky
approaches eternity.
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| Photo by Melissa Snark |
The
rugged austerity of the mountains in February provided me with a place.
Couldn't you just see wolves in this wilderness? Of course, they'd be hungry
wolves, because I don't imagine prey being in abundance here.
A
bit of research yielded an
interested coincidence. Native Americans called
February's moon, the Snow Moon, or alternatively, Hunger Moon, which eventually
became the title of my novel.
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| Photo by Melissa Snark |
Of
course, the scope of story continued to expand beyond just the setting but the
desolate wilderness remained a central theme that even influenced my cover,
which was designed by Farah Evers.
Looking
forward, Victoria returns to Arizona, a place of heat and light, in Battle Cry,
and setting again becomes a source of inspiration for both my story and my
cover.
Melissa Snark is a paranormal and
romance author with a particular interest in werewolf and Norse mythology. Her Loki's Wolves series
combines elements of both in a contemporary fantasy setting. She lives in
Northern California with her husband, three children and glaring of cats.
Where to find Melissa on the Internet:
Email: melissasnark at gmail dot com
Twitter: @MelissaSnark
Melissa is having a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click the link for your chance to win:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YjkwNjI0Nzk0NTYxZDE3MDFkNGY3NWJlNDc3MjlmOjU=/
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YjkwNjI0Nzk0NTYxZDE3MDFkNGY3NWJlNDc3MjlmOjU=/
