Wednesday 2 July 2008

Source of Inspiration

Womag made a comment on my previous post that reminded me of how often I use the area I live in as a source of inspiration. In my novella 'Prescription for Happiness', Rose and her little niece lived in my ‘house up the hill’. A story I’ve just sent to one of the women’s magazines has a local moorland setting.
The strange thing is, more often than not it’s a character – or characters – who appear in my mind first. Then when I get to know them, whether they are old or young, married or single, alive or a ghost, they so often end up living here. Sometimes it’s here as it is now, other times as how I imagine (or know from research) it was in earlier times.
Although my Pebbledown Bay series for children is set in a fictitious seaside area, things that have happened here sneaked their way into those books and, similarly, some of the animal happenings in the books I wrote in the Animal Ark series were based on experiences I’ve had here.
It isn’t as though I’ve always lived in this area, I was born and lived in Middlesex for eleven years and I’ve lived in a few different parts of Cheshire and Lincolnshire and in three different places in Lancashire as well.
So, referring back to Womag’s comment – I guess I do find living here a source of inspiration.
Who else finds inspiration from the area they live in or visit regularly?

18 comments:

Nell Dixon said...

Pat!!!! Waving in excitement. Your house is very inspirational - and high up! My girls always say now if we're climbing up a mountain road in the car, 'Is this higher than Pat's hill?'

Pat Posner said...

Nell! Good to see you here!
It's ages since you, Mr Nell and your 'three belles' drove up my hill - you must try to make it again this year.
I really heart the cover of Blue Remembered Heels - can't wait to read the latest Nell Dixon!

CL Taylor said...

Hi Pat! Thanks for the email. Lovely blog you've got here. I look forward to reading more blog posts now you've got going :o)

Amanda Ashby said...

God, I hope my inspiration doesn't come from my surroundings because I've moved SOOO many times lately that I'd be in big trouble if was! Mine tends to come more from popular culture than anything else!

juliemt said...

Hi Pat!

Lovely blog! I look forward to reading more blog posts - and to seeing your name in all the magazines!

Tilly

Pat Posner said...

Amanda
If a certain part of your fantastic book: "you had me at halo" was inspired by where you live, I'd be rather worried!

Pat Posner said...

Hi, Tilly
Thank you for visiting and for your kind comments. I so hope you will be seeing my name in the magazines and I return that remark to you. Maybe we'll be in the same mag one day! That'd be good.

Sara Hantz said...

No I don't get inspired particularly by where I live... in fact I set Suzy in australia before iId even been there.

I have the feeling that now you've finally got the blogging bug, you're going to out blog the rest of us witches hahahahaha

Sara Hantz said...

Just ignore my typos and stuff.... I wasn't concentrating!!!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I love the picture of Charlie waiting patiently, I have a dog that now gives up and goes to his bed for a sleep whilst I while away hours on the computer.

Pat Posner said...

Hi, Debs
Guess your dog is better trained than Charlie! But maybe you going to your shed to write has something to do with it.
Hmm, even if I had a shed I bet the sheep, ducks and other wildlife who think they own me would come visiting to demand food.

Kath McGurl said...

I live by the sea in a big old house in Bournemouth, and yes, I'm inspired by living here! Not sure if I've had any seaside stories published, though I've written some, but I've sold a few stories inspired by the house itself. My characters always seem to be doing DIY, the poor things.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Looking at the picture of where you live, I'm not surprised you're inspired by it.

Amanda said...

Hi Pat
I'm new to blogging and found your blog via Womag's blog ... and thought I'd say Hi.
It's great to find so many interesting writer's blogs.
I'm not particularly inspired by where I live ... although I have dabbled in local history. Instead, I've found places I've visited much more inspiring. I recently visited Sligo in Ireland, where my grandfather was born, it inspired me greatly... I just have to put pen to paper!

Pat Posner said...

Thanks for visiting, Annie
We can be newbie bloggers together!

I've only ever been to Ireland once and then only for a day - we went to Dublin and then somewhere called (I think) Tallaght? We went for a walk into high meadows and I remember standing on the boundary between Tallaght and somewhere else with one foot in Tallaght where it was snowy and the other foot in the other place where it wasn't.
Good luck with your Sligo story!

Jill Steeples said...

Like you Pat, I find it's characters that provide the inspiration for my stories. We do have though a lovely woods at the back of our house and have recently written a story set there.

You write for the Animal Ark series? I'm very impressed. My daughter is a great fan.

Pat Posner said...

I wrote 8 of the AA books, Maddie - 4 Animal Ark and 4 Pets.

It's good to hear your daughter's a fan of the series. I just wish it had been my own creation but I got to add a few new characters in the books I wrote.

Let me know when your story in your woods comes out.

Jo said...

Hi Pat I am just returning the visit and looking at your lovely photos. Yes, places can be inspiring although I tend to write about ones that featured in my childhood rather than my present day. Harvey sends his regards to you and Charlie. x