Header PromotionThis is a question I get asked a lot and I usually reply, 'they don't come fast but they come from things around me. Snippets in the paper, a conversation on the radio, in a cafe, events in people's lives.'
Those of you familar with my books will know I have a bit of a love-affair with old buildings. In my current WIP, I decided that the clinic would be in the original building of the country hospital. I didn't have anything specific in mind when I thought this so I 'googled' and bingo, up came a glorious Edwardian building with the staff lined up in front in their starched collars and aprons. As I peered at the picture I noticed a hammock hanging between the veranda posts and I decided my clinic would have a hammock too, so I wrote :
"Abbie had seen an old photo from 1908 where a hammock hung between the veranda posts so she'd bought a brightly coloured hammock and had slung it between the last two posts on the front veranda. One day she planned to have time to lie in it more than the brief ‘test’ she’d taken the when she’d installed it. Meanwhile Bluey enjoyed lying underneath it using it as shade."
About three pages later I needed the hero to appear when Abbie least expected it and the hammock slammed into my head.
"Lying in her hammock and looking for all the world as if he belonged there, was Leo. His long and tanned short-clad legs stretched out in front of him, and one arm was crooked behind the back of his head, the angle moulding his soft cotton designer T-shirt tight to his well defined pectoral muscles and biceps. Aviator sunglasses covered his onyx eyes while his other long-fingered surgeon’s hand dangled lazily over the side stroking Bluey’s head.
The kelpie looked up adoringly while his tail thumped out an enthusiastic tattoo.
Traitor. "
Now, that's still a rough draft but it's an example of how ideas plop into my head and at the time I don't always see how they are going to work out. The hammock had no real role when I first hung it up and then it became a perfect way to really discombobulate my heroine.
Now back to Hammocks...my 11 year old lives in his hammock in the summer and even sleeps in it when we're camping by the beach. I'd love to hear the wild and wonderful places you have lazed away a few hours in a hammock and if you've met any gorgeous men lying in hammocks :-)
For all our US readers we wish you a happy 4th of July! Although I'm an Aussie I celebrate the 4th each year as it's my wedding anniversary 
Have a lovely long-weekend!
Cheers
Fiona
Cheers,
Fiona
Fiona's Website
Miracle: Twin Babies USA OUT NOW
Inspirations
I love the photo of the old clinic, Fiona, it's fascinating, and well spotted regarding the hammock. I love the way you've developed that idea. It's lovely when these things happen and you have the germ of an idea that you aren't sure about, but it ends up being inspired and playing a really important role.
I've never tried a hammock. Knowing me, if I'd ever had a go I'd have been unceremoniously tipped out again!!
Happy wedding anniversay!
Best wishes,
Margaret
www.margaretmcdonagh.com
THE EMERGENCY DOCTOR CLAIMS HIS WIFE - Medical - US Aug 09 - (Strathlochan book 7) THE REBEL SURGEON'S PROPOSAL - Medical - US - Sept 09 - (Strathlochan book 8) ITALIAN DOCTOR, DREAM PROPOSAL - Medical - UK Oct 09 (Strathlochan book 9)
Fiona
Happy Anniversary.
I love the photo it would make a great clinic. After working all day just to lie in the hammock and let all your worries go.
What a great way to develop ideas.
Nothing more relaxing than a good book and a cup of tea.
Great snippets, Fi
So visual! And, yeah, that's the perfect example of how things come to be sometimes. It's great when it works out, and feels like kismet when it works as well as yours has. Hmm. With that wonderful old photo, wouldn't it be fun to include a time travel secondary story? A parallel mini historical romance? Huh? Don't think the editors will go for it? Well, I was just brainstorming anyway....
Happy Anniversary!
Best Wishes,
Lynne Marshall
www.lynnemarshallweb.com
Assignment: Baby, 7/09 NA 4.5 stars - Cataromance - available now!
Temporary Doctor, Surprise Father, 6/09 UK - still available in UK
The Boss and Nurse Albright 3/10 UK
My anniversary is also the
My anniversary is also the 4th of July. Happy Anniversary from one anniversary girl to another.
"Saving the future, one presidential edict at a time."
March's Member of the Month--2008
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary Fiona!
Love the picture of your old clinic building--I always want to ask questions of the people in those old photographs. Who are they, what was their role in the building behind them, did they ever make use of the hammock on the porch, what were their fondest memories regarding happenings in the building, what were the most frightening experiences in that building--I could go on, but I'll stop now. LOL
I love your use of the hammock in your snippet. Now I want to read the whole story.
Nancy
January 2009 Member of the Month
Participant in Date with Destiny 2009
Participant in Pass the Plot Spring 2009
Thank you
Hi, Everyone,
It's the fourth here and I am dashing out the door for a weekend with my husband but I just wanted to say thank you for the anniversary greetings
Margaret, you are thinking like Abbie...as she watches Leo fluidly rise out of the hammock all grace and style she recalls how she inelegantly falls out of it.
Book buff, I love your tag line, it is me to a T!
FF Happy Anniversary to you, I hope you have a lovely day.
Nancy, thanks for wanting to read the book...it's currently almost at the end of chapter four.It was going great and then the winter holidays hit so it got derailed. July is a big month in the family with holidays, anniversary and four birthdays!!
Lynne, paranormal eh? I would never have thought of time travel ...sadly my mind never wanders there which is a shame as I hear the market is huge
Thanks for coming to visit and again, happy 4th of July.
Fiona x
Cheers,
Fiona
Fiona's Website
Miracle: Twin Babies USA OUT NOW
Fiona
Fiona;
I am intrieged by your posted snippet. I will look for the book. I remember a book of yours from several years ago "Her Miracle Baby" the hero and heroine are in a plane crash in a snowstorm . The thing that amazed me most at that time was that it was set in Australia. With some research, I learned about the Australian Alps and realized there is snow in Australia. My impression up to that point was based on the descriptions of the Outback, the Gold Coast of Queensland and the Barrier Reef and the wine country. I have enjoyed reading books like yours set in Australia and have enjoyed reading and learning about the country almost as much as reading about the hero and heroine. The setting is almost as much of a draw as the relationship between the hero and heroine and the medical background.
I hope you enjoy your anniversary celebrations. Congratulations! 21 years for me and my DH later this month.
Linda
Literacy is for Life!!
Instill the love for reading in our children and reward them for life!!
Lynne, paranormal eh? I
I LOVE time travel--I could see a whack on the head and all of a sudden your hero or heroine has gone backwards or forwards and there awaits a sawbones or goodwife from another era.
Just think what some of our authors could do with that!
Nancy
January 2009 Member of the Month
Participant in Date with Destiny 2009
Participant in Pass the Plot Spring 2009
Bliss
Well I dont know about anyone else but I'd sure as hell love to while away all day every day in that hammock you have pictured strung between those two palm trees overlooking that crystal clear sea, Fiona. Now that I could do. Swinging lazily in the sun, reading a good medical or two, occasionally dozing off. Maybe have some bare-chested guy in boardies bring me cocktails. Ah yes, I can hear the swoosh of the waves and the sounds of Hawaiin music drifting towards me.... aloh ah ha, aloh ah ha......
Thanks for a little piece of heaven, Fiona. Hope you have a lovely weekend with your man.
Amy
Looking for a Xmas miracle? Look no further. A Doctor, A Nurse: A Christmas Baby out now in the UK and online!
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary Fiona and Happy Anniversary FF. Happy Fourth of July to everyone celebrating it.
I've never lazed in a hamock. I'm not sure if I could get in and out of one. One of our neighbors used to have one but he cut down one of his trees so the hamock is no more. Now lying on the white sand under a beach umbrella sounds good to me. If I had a book to read and some fruit to eat it would be heaven. I'd even give up reading the book if there was a nice parade of men in swimsuits going by.
PS. Just taking a closer look at your picture-13 men and only 4 nurses. The poor nurses must have been worked off their feet if even only half the men were doctors or maybe there were more nurses not in the picture.
February 2009 Member of the Month
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit that will cause the most inconvenience.--Pam Brown
Happy anniversary, Fi!
And what a fab photo. Thanks for sharing.
Me too on the timeslip idea. Would be EXCELLENT.
Though I really hate to disappoint you all - I've had that conversation a few times now with my lovely ed. The last one was all of two weeks ago. Pretty please can I do a timeslip medical?
You know what the answer was.
Maybe I should've copied my kids and tried asking the Lolcats way: 'I can has timeslip med?' (complete with big hopeful smile)...
Winner of the RNA Romance Prize 2008, shortlisted 2009
http://www.katehardy.com
http://katehardy.blogspot.com
Current releases: Surrender to the Playboy Sheikh; Playboy Boss, Pregnancy of Passion; Temporary Boss, Permanent Mistress
Happy Anniversary
Hi Fiona
I love that old photo in front of the hospital and your snippets sound great!
The idea of a time-travel medical is fascinating... imagine how scary it would be to be a medical person transported back in time to the ministrations of a doctor who wanted to "nick a vein to bleed you" or "apply the leeches to restore your humours" or something!
I hope you've had a lovely weekend away celebrating your wedding anniversary!
:)
Sharon
Sharon Archer
www.sharon-archer.com
Marriage Reunited: Baby on the Way --- UK October 2009, Aus/NZ November 2009
Bachelor Dad, Girl Next Door --- UK Apr 2010, Aus/NZ May 2010
The thing with time travel
The thing with time travel medicals is the traveler could slip either way. It could open in the 1850's and slip the person to present time. Can you imagine how confusing that would be? It might even expand the readership.
Nancy
January 2009 Member of the Month
Participant in Date with Destiny 2009
Participant in Pass the Plot Spring 2009