IS SOMEONE ELSE LIVING IN MY HEAD? WHERE DO IDEAS COME FROM?

By Guest Author Paisley Kirkpatrick

Have you ever wondered where your story ideas come from? It is the one question people ask me the most. Until a very strange and quite remarkable occurrence happened while I wrote FOREVER AFTER, I had no idea I might have someone living in my head helping me.

One of my great, great grandparents might just be the answer. Charles Kirkpatrick was a doctor who left Illinois and traveled across country on a wagon train in 1849. He kept a journal which is now kept under glass in the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley, in California. I can understand why it's considered five-star quality. He was quite literate and wrote a lot of what he saw and what happened around him. I am lucky enough to have a copy of the journal and was able to share a lot of what he put on the pages in my second story, Marriage Bargain. At the time I felt blessed to have help from one of my ancestors.

His wife, Mary Kirkpatrick, wrote seven stories under the name of Mary Kirke. She is supposedly the first woman to have stories published in a magazine. When I finally settled down and read through one of the five 3-inch thick binders of genealogy my Mother assembled, I was about halfway through writing FOREVER AFTER. My heroine traveled to San Francisco on a ship without luggage and she suffered greatly from nausea. 

When I read my great, great grandmother's first story published in a magazine, I was caught off guard when I found two of her sentences were written verbatim to mine. Also, the scene was under the same circumstances as mine -- on a ship to San Francisco, no luggage, and constantly plagued with nausea. Eerie, spooky, unbelievable - these were the words running through my head. How could this have happen? In all fairness, I couldn't leave my story similar to hers so I ultimately did change the scene somewhat so we can 

both take credit for what we've written.

At my next Sacramento Valley Rose chapter meeting our guest speaker spoke about past lives. I told her what had happened to me and asked if I could have inherited my great, great grandmother's memories. She agreed it was possible, but thought it was more than likely I inherited Mary Kirke.

On one other note, when I read the last two sentences of my great, great grandmother's story I cried and I still get emotional telling you about them. She was standing on the wharf at San Francisco Harbor. She had just arrived after sailing from the east coast to San Francisco and was waiting for the man she was to marry to meet her. She felt his hand on her shoulder and knew she was home. I have tears telling it again.

I have no idea how her words got in my head, but if it is true and she is living in there giving me plots, I am not complaining. I have no idea where my ideas come from or why this time period and the gold country has always been important to me, but it's a gift and I intend to always nurture it.   

FOREVER AFTER Blurb:

Abandoned by her sisters, her father in jail, Marinda Benjamin takes on the care of her ailing mother the best way possible -- working for an unscrupulous man with the power to crush her.  Forced to spy on a decent man, Marinda's honesty saves her virtue and revenge restores her self-respect.

When Ethan Braddock discovers his brother's poker pot cleaning his private office, he jumps to the right conclusion -- she's there to spy for his nemesis. Ethan can't help but find her irresistible. In spite of what his heart tells him, his brain reserves judgment on her character. Until he unravels the mystery of her connection to Danforth, trust is the one thing he can't allow himself. For that, she'll have to prove herself.

FOREVER AFTER Excerpt:

Dr. Braddock's office held an air of authority. Bookshelves crammed with medical volumes covered two walls while the massive oak desk was positioned to take full advantage of a rock fireplace. Two brown, cushioned armchairs placed invitingly near the bookshelves drew her attention. She loved to read. More than six months had passed since she'd enjoyed the luxury. Curling up in one of those chairs with a good book would be heaven.

The files Danforth mentioned must be stored in the row of locked drawers running across the bottom shelf of the bookcase. She knelt and fingered one of the unique locks. How would she ever get the information? He had each drawer secured separately.

Disturbed by what she'd found, she stood and observed a couple of country farm prints positioned above the mantel. A framed copy of the doctor's medical license hung between the two windows on the opposite side of the room. His name sounded quite proper -- Ethan Andrew Braddock. It suits him.

Running the duster over the furniture and emptying the trash didn't take long. Marinda grabbed the shovel from its stand on the hearth and began scooping ashes from the fireplace into a bucket. Warm sunshine poured through the two large windows. She slipped the latch and threw one windowpane open, letting in fresh air and the melodic sounds of birds chirping in the nearby cornfield. Contentment stole over her as she worked.

Done, she picked up the bucket and stood back admiring her topnotch job. Now everything in the room appeared clean and ready for the doctor's return.

The office door slammed behind her.

"What the hell?"

She spun at the raised voice. Her heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach. Anger radiated from Ethan Braddock's penetrating gaze. His tidy brown hair curled in gentle waves, giving him a boyish look, but the set to his jaw soon banished that idea. Dr. Braddock was nobody's fool. His height placed her at an immediate disadvantage, and for a reason she didn't want to analyze, she did not wish to be at a disadvantage with the formidable doctor.

"This is my private office. Who let you in here?"

The bucket slipped from her hand, hitting against the corner of the desk. Ashes fluttered into the air, settling across the top of the doctor's orderly desk.

She clasped her hands behind her back, staring speechless at the mess.

FOREVER AFTER  Buy Links:

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Pines-Forever-After-ebook/dp/B00FK8BWAO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1380674597&sr=8-3&keywords=paisley+kirkpatrick

Desert Breeze

http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/paradise-pines-forever-after-epub/

 

Author Paisley Kirkpatrick

Discovering that riding off into the sunset was a lot easier on a computer screen than in real life, not to mention those saddle burns, Paisley Kirkpatrick began her career as an author. Hiding in the Sierra Mountain Range of California with her husband of 44 years, Paisley spends her time roping in the cowpoke of her dreams, or can be found wandering the streets of California's gold rush towns to find inspiration for her books. She might not have found gold in them there hills, but she did find a love for the old west and the prickling of the stories that make up her Paradise Pines series.

Drawing on family history and a healthy imagination, Paisley kicks off her wild ride on a dusty trail with NIGHT ANGEL. Don't worry your little heads, though. It's the first of many adventures in a time when men were men, and women knew how to put them in their place. If you love your cowboys rugged with a sensitive side, and your heroines with enough fire to light up the western sky, you've got a home waiting in Paradise Pines. Just be sure to bring a six-shooter because the Lady Paisley aims for the heart, and when she fires, she never misses.

Thanks for stopping by!

WELCOME PAISLEY KIRKPATRICK

Please help me welcome Paisley Kirkpatrick to the blog today. Paisley and I have been online friends for years and I’ve seen samples of her terrific writing. She is a member of the team blogs Sweethearts of the West and Slip Into Something Victorian, to both of which I belong. My great news to share is that Paisley recently signed a five-book contract with Desert Breeze Publishing and her first book, NIGHT ANGEL, has just been released. Woo Hoo! Let’s hear a round of applause for Paisley!

Paisley Kirkpatrick, Author

Caroline:  I know a good bit about you, but I’d like to know more, and I’m sure readers are eager to “meet” you. Where did you grow up? Give us details, please.

Paisley: I had a great childhood growing up in Santa Rosa, California, which is located about an hour's drive north of San Francisco. My brother is three years younger than me. We had an easy childhood, enjoying rides to Bodega Bay almost every Sunday to play on the beach. I joined Camp Fire Girls early and stayed involved into high school. My hubby and I celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary in December. We've had two daughters, but no grandchildren. Life is easy and laid back for us living in the Sierra Mountains not far from Lake Tahoe.

Caroline: Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Paisley: Historicals have always been my favorite genre. I love to travel and visit the places I've read about. It's fun to learn how life existed in the olden days and try to picture how the people in that time period actually lived and survived the adversities.  Kathleen Woodiwiss actually got me to reading. I fell in love with the characters in her book Shanna and from there read every one of her books I could get my hands on. Julie Garwood and Jude Deveraux were the next two authors who intrigued me. Their stories not only had the history, but humor as well. The combination of the two drew me into wanting to try to write a story of my own.

Caroline: Julie Garwood is one of my favorites, too. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

Paisley: I love to sew. I've been making quilts for ten years now. It's a time to get away from my stories and give my muse a chance to rebuild itself. I've made and given away 37 quilts in memory of our older daughter. Most of the quilts are for babies, made from brightly colored and printed flannel. They are a joy to make and even more fun to see the babies who've received them grow up and still love snuggling in them. I also learned how to put photos on fabric and now make a lot of quilts with family photos, book covers and favorite celebrities on them. This has also led me to making tote bags and pillow cases with a photo or two on them as well.

Caroline: I’ve been thinking of doing a book cover on a tote bag. Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life? (I know she does and it’s a favorite of mine, too.)

Paisley: ”When at first you do succeed, try to hide the astonishment."  I love this quote and used it for many years on my signature line. However, when I did get my first offer of publication, I didn't hide my astonishment, I sat in shock saying ”WOW” for the longest time. My reaction is not anything like I expected it would be.

Caroline: Those of us who’ve seen your writing are only surprised it took so long for a contract offer. How long have you been writing?

Paisley: I practiced writing for 22 years before I was offered a contract. It happened on Christmas Eve and was even more than I expected. My editor asked for all five of my books in the Paradise Pines Series.

Caroline: All your friends are so happy for you. I love when good things happen to good people. Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

Paisley: I have a main computer on the top floor of our house, but it is usually very cold or very hot up on the third floor because we don't have a heater or air conditioning. We live in the mountains and survive with a pellet stove on the second floor and a wood stove on the bottom floor. Once I got a laptop, my writing time became so much easier. Hubby made a table for me so I can sit on the sofa and pull the computer up to a comfortable writing position. I am trying to learn to write in a quiet house, but prefer white noise in the background. I worked in a busy office with a dot matrix printer next to me and grew accustomed to having a lot of commotion and noise around me.

Caroline: I either write with quiet or classical music. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Paisley: I have no idea where my plots come from. I am a definite panzer. My muse is very active until I take my characters in the wrong direction or miss an important point. They stop talking and, trust me there is nothing more frustrating than a silent muse. I do have a trick, though. I listen to the music from Phantom of the Opera and it starts them chattering non-stop. Not sure if they are tired of my favorite music and movie or if they like it as much as I do, but it works.

Caroline: Quite a trick. Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Paisley: Yes, I have used family members as inspiration for my characters and do have a favorite hero prototype. In fact, the heroine in my first story is based on my great grandmother. She has ended up being my favorite of all my heroines. A lot of my heroes are Scottish and bear a strong resemblance to my favorite actor, Gerard Butler. I can't find a better hero type than Gerry.

Caroline: Do you set daily writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?

Paisley: I don't set goals. I just write. Usually I spend 8 to 10 hours a day writing because I love doing it. I am either typing or sewing and, when I can, reading.

Caroline: I used to sew, now I just write and read and do family history. What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Paisley: I recently had a reviewer tell me all the parts of my story she loved. What amazed me was the points she brought up - they happened to be all the points I had hoped a reader would find and like. I write from my heart and I hope a reader can find the same enjoyment with my characters as I do.

Caroline: Not counting making the NYTimes list, what long-term plans do you have for your career?

Paisley: I have a contract for five stories. I hope to add more stories to my Paradise Pines Series. Since we live where the 1849 Gold Rush happened, it is easy to find interesting stories. I love the genre. They don't exaggerate when they call that time period the Wild West.

Caroline: Those who’ve read your articles on Sweethearts of the West know that’s true and that you do a lot of research for authenticity. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

Paisley: I am finishing up the final touches on MARRIAGE BARGAIN, which is a romance on a wagon train. My great, great grandfather kept a journal traveling west in 1849 and I researched a lot of this story from his writings. This second in the series will be released in March, 2013.

Caroline: What a treasure to have his journal, although I believe you said it’s now in a museum. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Paisley: My advice to an unpublished author is never give up. It took me 22 years of learning the craft and persistence in trying to write the best story I knew how. It is definitely worth the effort when your dream comes true.

Caroline: Good advice, and don’t let anyone steal your dreams. What’s a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

Paisley: For fifteen years I ran a fan club for country singing artist Kevin Sharp. We spent five summers running his booth at Fan Fair in Nashville and one year I got to stand on the stage of the Grand Old Opry while he sang three songs. It was an experience I will always treasure.

Caroline: That’s a fun fact all right. Something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

Paisley: I had a difficult time with this one so asked my husband. He said people who know me now would be surprised to learn I used to be very quiet. I could be in a room for hours and nobody would know I was there.

Caroline: Sounds like my youngest daughter when she was younger. I know this is a five-book series. Is it a family saga?

Paisley: My book is part of the Paradise Pines Series - sort of a family saga. The first three stories are about the Benjamin sisters who end up living in Paradise Pines. The second two stories bring in the five MacGregor brothers who become active members in the community.

Caroline: I love the fonts on the cover. Can you give readers a blurb about NIGHT ANGEL?

Paisley: Here’s a blurb:
Sassy Amalie Renard, a poker-playing saloon singer, shakes up Paradise Pines, a former gold-rush mountain community by turning the saloon’s bar into her stage. Her amazing voice stirs the passions of the hotel owner, a man who anonymously travels tunnels at night providing help to the downtrodden as the mysterious Night Angel. Declan Grainger agrees to subsidize the building of a music hall to fulfill Amalie's dream, but a bounty for her arrest could spoil his plans. Distrust and jealousy stir flames of malice and revenge threatening to destroy their town. Drawing from past experiences, Declan and Amalie turn to each other to find a way to save the community.

Caroline: How about an excerpt of NIGHT ANGEL?

Paisley: Here you are:
Different colored bottles of whiskey and beer reflected in the mirrors along the wall behind the long wooden bar. Perfect. That's where she'd start her evening.
She slipped off her cape and handed it to Declan. His appreciative gasp brought a smile to her lips. Having men ogle her appearance was hardly new. She'd learned early to use her looks to her advantage. The way Declan's eyes heated with appreciation when he cast a glance at the deep cut of her décolletage reminded her how good it felt to be a woman.
"Now you'll see who I really am."
Declan grabbed her arm. "Don't let them forget you're a lady, Amalie."
She cast him a wicked smile. "The name's Lily Fox. Believe me, honey, Lily's no lady."
She approached a couple of gamblers and leaned over slightly to give them full effect of her daring dress. "Would you mind helping me, gents? I have need of your table for a moment."
The men jumped to their feet in unison, their cards forgotten. Amalie took the nearest man's outstretched palm, stepped onto a chair, over their cards and up onto the long wooden plank bar.
"Good evening, boys." She strutted along the length of wood, avoiding whiskey glasses and kicking away eager hands.
The saloon girl stopped caterwauling. The room went still. She had everyone's attention, just the way Lily liked it.
"Get down, young woman. This ain't no place for you to prance about," the barkeep snarled in outrage.
Ignoring the scowling face with the handlebar mustache, she kicked up her heels. Adding a dance step, she pranced back and forth the length of the makeshift stage. Lily reveled in the whistles and disregarded the uncouth remarks. She was in her element. "My name is Lily Fox and I'm here to entertain you tonight."
With the flick of her hand, she caught the attention of the stunned piano player. "Play something quick and lively, will you, honey?" She glanced around the room of excited faces and turned on her brightest smile.


Caroline: Where can readers find your book?

Paisley: Here are the buy links for NIGHT ANGEL:

Barnes and Noble  http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-333/Paradise-Pines-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Paisley+Kirkpatrick

Caroline: How can readers learn more about you?

Paisley: Website: http://www.paisleykirkpatrick.com/
Blogs:
Sweethearts of the West http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/
Scandalous Victorians http://slipintosomethingvictorian.wordpress.com/
Voices from the Heart http://voicesftheart.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1272262167

Thanks for stopping by!