Saturday, March 15, 2008

Sorry I went AWOL

Hi, I'm back.

Sorry about last week but I had a deadline of March 15 and didn't even have an idea for the story. It's for a time travel anthology. I managed to get it done with one day to spare. Whew!

So, how did you get on with my young Saudi Arabian passenger?

He could have kidnapped at knifepoint and held to ransom for his family's money, or power. He could have met the woman of his dreams and just *had* to go with her. Of course, she would have to feel the same way and take him with her, despite her better judgement. Hey, I'm just throwing ideas around here.

This week I met a man who arrived at the airport to meet his wife. She had to travel a lot for her job and could be away for weeks at a time. Hmmm. He was carrying a bunch of red roses and had something special planned to welcome her home. But what if she wasn't expecting him and another man turned up to meet her?

What a juicy story that could make. Take it, it's yours.

I'm blogging this week (March 19) on www.reading-writing.blogspot.com about that very thing. Check it out.

Next week I'll be talking about every romance writer's favourite subject: HUNKS

Happy writing

Jean

Saturday, March 1, 2008

A great job

One of my jobs is an airport volunteer and it has to be one of the greatest, most interesting jobs in the world for a writer. For anyone, really.

People of all shapes, sizes, colours and creeds go by, all conspiring to make my job as a writer easier.

I love to watch the people waiting for arriving passengers. Full of expectancy and hope. And when they come through those arrival doors, the tears and hugs are wonderful to behold.

Some passengers, who can barely speak English, have arranged to be met by people they don't know. Such as the young Saudi Arabian language student who could say only "my family" in English. Of course I didn't understand his language and half expected a great entourage of Saudi sheikhs to come breezing through the doors, robes flying. Then he showed me a letter, which he had printed from the internet, thus baring his soul to me. Of course, he didn't understand a word of it, but it helped me to quell his concerns.

His "family" turned out to be the family with whom he would be staying, his host family. They were running late and I managed to convey to him that he stay by me until they arrived. His face showed total gratitude that he could do that. Finally the family arrived, all smiles, and recognised him immediately, I suppose from a photograph. The wife gave him a hug, and the young student left with them, thanking me, I presume, profusely. Another happy camper safely delivered.

But the ideas for stories are endless. If writers can use any of my airport stories, they are welcome to help themselves. I have enough ideas to keep me going from here to Domesday.

I will be posting another next week, so don't forget to tune in to see what other tidbits might tickle your fancy.

Happy writing
Jean

Thursday, February 21, 2008

One of my favourite places

Hi there,


Welcome to my writing home on the web. I hope you can stay a while.


I'm thrilled to say I have three books coming out this year, the first being A Place of Healing, set in the beautiful Bay of Islands, New Zealand, one of my favourite places on earth.


To the best of my knowledge, the cover artist, Rae Monet of Wild Rose Press, has never been to the Bay of Islands, yet she has captured the essence of some of the remote beaches we New Zealanders sometimes take for granted. Rae has also captured the total loneliness and bleak desolation felt by my troubled heroine, Holly Spicer.


There are 350 islands in the Bay of Islands, some privately owned, and some made famous by association with celebrities. One in particular was sometimes used the the American writer, Zane Grey, who came to New Zealand for big game fishing.


At certain times of the year, dolphins come out to play and chase the tour boats. Sometimes they even lead the boats.


Happy writing,

Jean