Friday, July 08, 2011

Three Random Things

What does a young photographer who hates having her picture taken, a murdered boy, and an abandoned amusement park have in common?

I'm not sure either, but when I do figure it out, I think I've found my next YA story.

So many of my novels start out this way--with a few central images or phrases.  I need to let these simmer, maybe do some free writes and see where it takes me.

I've always loved abandoned and forgotten places and ever since I discovered Julia Solis' work, I've been hoping to find a story to match the intensity of her photographs.  Then, Neil Gaiman tweeted a link to an abandoned Six flags park in New Orleans, a casualty of Hurricane Katrina.  Well, I haven't been able to get those images out of my head since.

And it reminded me that last Sept, when hubby and I went to Six Flags New England to ride roller coasters for our anniversary, we had brainstormed about a story with ghosts set in an amusement park.  So a year later (and what a year it was) I am coming back to the idea.

Still don't have anything more tangible than those few images, but any idea that has the staying power to linger for a year, through loss, pain, and trauma has some serious writing mojo.

4 comments:

  1. A lot of my stuff starts out like that--a few disjointed images or scenarios--and I try to fit them together. I have to let things simmer too. I love when things come together that way though. It can be great fun!

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  2. Oh I know exactly what you mean. I have one gully planned story in the drawer at the moment and as I still haven't finished my revision another idea is bubbling, but exactly as you describe, as disjointed images.

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  3. Just spent an hour brainstorming for this story and I think it's a keeper. Those photos of the amusement park keep calling to me. :) This is one of those days where there is no better job in the 'verse than being a writer.

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  4. Okay....I'm a bit of a slob and I am out of room for more books in my book case so I have a stack on my night table. I'll have to do something about that! I STILL have Anna Karinana on my nightstand....about 25 pages to go but so tired once I get into bed. You've shamed me....I'll have to do something about Anna and the rest of the books there!!!

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