Sunday, September 13, 2009

Sunday NH Inspiration - Lilacs & CRR Contest


Ah, the smell of fresh lilacs - crisp, sweet, clean. I miss them.
Did I ever mention that my favorite flower is the lilac?

**grin**

Growing up in New Hampshire, every April/May/June the lilac bushes would grow and bloom, sending their sweet smells into the air. I found them soothing, and reassuring. Yes, things changed throughout the year, but always in the springtime, the lilacs would come out and bring a small smile to my face.

My grandmother had several bushes in her backyard, both purple and white, but mainly you find purple. Lilacs grow in the spring months. Their blooms only last about a month and then they go away to come back the following year. I loved growing up with lilacs. Surprisingly, I don't use them much in my writing.

Flowers are very inspirational in romance writing. I like using roses, jasmine (do they count?) gardenias, and lavender. I don't use lilacs simply because they are seasonal and very rarely do one of my romance stories take place in the spring.

I think flowers help to highten the romance of a story. They express sweet sentiments, like "I care about you," and of course, "I love you." The muse always challenges me to find a place to put flowers in my writing. Do you use flowers in your writing? How so? I What context?

There's inspiration all around us. Flowers can mean so many things. For me, lilacs remind me of home and of the fun times playing in my grandmother's back yard. Find inspiration in the small things around you.
***********
I also wanted to you know about a contest that CRR is hosting...
Desert Breeze Publishing, who is publishing my paranormal romance, "The Hungarian," is hosting two contests, one for readers and one for authors, on Classic Romance Revival this month. They're giving away a book a day, and authors have a chance to win a publishing contract. Here's the link if you want to check it out.http://www.classicromancerevival.com/
I blogged a little bit earler in the month about CRR for a bit. It's a great place where authors and readers can connect over romance writing. If you get a chance, head on over there and check it out!

Steph

No comments:

Post a Comment