Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Wedding Bells are Near

I’m at that age where the next generation of my family is saying the “I do, forever and ever” vows. New romance is in the air for real now, not just in my fictional world anymore. And it’s kind of fun to be watching on the side lines. My sister is busy making wedding plans for her out-of-the-country daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law, as well as organizing a stag and doe party.

As I accept my “Aunt” duties and start baking for the goodie trays (I'm being very disciplined and not testing at all), I find myself wondering what morsels of my nieces experience will find their way into one of my stories in one way or another. So, I ask you, how much of life’s realities inspire scenes or story lines in your novels? Do you find yourself twisting an ordinary event into an extraordinary read? Can you guess if I do?


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

10 comments:

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

Oh yes! Drama with my daughter and her friends gives me all sorts of fodder for book ideas. Of course, it doesn't translate into my medieval WIP, but gives ideas for future projects. ;)

Katie Ganshert said...

For sure! I'm always doing something and thinking - hmmm... I could use this for my main guy, or something like that. Fun post! And congrats to your neice!! Weddings are so much fun. :)

Jessica Nelson said...

LOL I'm afraid that if I do that someone will know.
Do you? Well.... in your book the heroine has daughters who love horses. LOL Sounds real to me. :-)
Good question. I'm sure I take things and personalities and use them too.

Jody Hedlund said...

Your blog title hooked me this morning! I was wondering if one of your daughters was engaged! But I suppose they are still a little too young for that, right? But now you're getting a taste of what you'll need to do (3 times!). You'll get many, many story ideas through it all!

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Sherrinda and Katie, I'm with you. It's very difficult not to twist reality into one great fictional scene. I love doing this.

Jessica: They say "write what you know", so I did...to an extent. I know about horses and watching my girls ride so I put that in my story. The girls in my story, though, are quite different from my own. I changed their personalities to protect the innocent. LOL The whole story is completely fictional but I based it on something I do know a little about. Mothering, and horses. I had to dig deep to understand the widow part, though. That I'm still not sure if I got right. And, honestly, I hope never to find out until I'm old and decrepid.

Jody: Are you trying to give me a heart attack, woman? Man, my heart stopped beating for a minute there. NO, my girls are definitely NOT old enough for marriage. I'm the fourth baby in my own family, that's why I have nieces old enough for matrimony. Definitely not my own...yet. They haven't even started dating, so definitely no bells tuned for them yet.

Terri Tiffany said...

About 90% of what I write comes from my real life. But of course 100% for my nonfiction. My daughter's wedding made several articles--her moving away more--and the birth of my grandson another. If someone read everything I wrote-- I think they would know me pretty well.

Jennifer Shirk said...

Naturally! Every day life is very inspiring to me.
I even try to look at the newspaper to get ideas to twist around. :)

Jill Kemerer said...

Oooo--I love weddings! I have two to attend this year, and other than trying to find an outfit to where, I can't wait.

I write inpsirational contemporary romance (and suspense), so I do find things pop up from my own experience. They're usually humorous items.

Can I come over and be the "tester" for the treats? I'm hungry!

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Oh, how fun. I love weddings! I use some things from reality. Usually characteristics of people I've come across that are interesting. And my children always inspire something fun to put in a story.

Krista Phillips said...

LOL~ Oh my do my real life experiences affect my writing! Everywhere I turn lately I'm seeing something else that I HAVE to put in a novel. I write romance that makes you laugh, so it's so much fun to see silly things throughout my day and imagine them on paper.

It's also fun to hear other's "how they got together" stories. I don't beleive in stealing them, but sometiems they can provide just the right inspiration!

My first book is a twist off how my hubby and I met. They second two books are just crazy, LOL