A writer never really has a
holiday. No matter where we go, what we do, our stories and characters are
always with us. Even on an indolent tropical vacation, those characters in our
heads are always poking their noses in and suggesting ways the location might affect them and the way they behave on the pages of our books. If we’re away
with another writer that’s even worse, as we talk incessantly about our stories
and the way they’re shaping up!
Recently, I’ve been fortunate
enough to take two mini-breaks in Australian locations utterly different from each
other.One to a resort in tropical far north Queensland where it’s always
summer, the other to the Southern Highlands south-west of Sydney where it’s
autumn right now.
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| The bliss of a lagoon pool in a funky, tropical resort |
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| The relaxing beauty of change of season |
One resort was funky, upbeat, with
a lagoon pool, palm trees and a party atmosphere.
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| The sign says it all! |
The other was traditional, elegant, reminiscent of a Scottish manor house complete with baronial hall. I loved each of them for very different reasons. (Oh, and they both had amazing food!)
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| Even the adjoining golf club house was traditional |
While I swam in Port Douglas,
Queensland, walked country roads in Sutton Forrest, New South Wales, my mind
was ticking over with ideas for various new stories and the characters who will
drive them.
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| Could my character work in a place like this? Or own it? |
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| Which romance hero or heroine could live behind these gates? |
I came up with the perfect “back story” for one heroine, in this
case where she met the man who done her wrong and affected her future
relationships. And all sorts of scenarios are ticking over for other stories.
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| The traditional hotel was once a private home and comes complete with ghosts |
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| Fun and funky in the tropics -- appealing in a different way |
When I’m away from the everyday, relaxed and enjoying good company, the creative
side of my brain kicks into overdrive. (It certainly helps not having to cook,
clean, or do laundry, too!)
When people ask me did I have a
nice, relaxing break, I of course say “yes”, but a writer never really takes a
break and with my creative batteries recharged, I’m keen to get back to my
stories.
I’ve used Port Douglas briefly in
my latest release Reinventing Rose,
not as an actual location but as somewhere the characters talk about visiting. (To say any more would become a spoiler!)
BTW, the hotels I visited were the QT at Port Douglas and Peppers Manor House.
What about you? Do you have a
favorite vacation destination? What do you like most about taking that so-needed break
from routine? Do you enjoy exotic destinations in the novels you read? I’d love
to hear from you! Leave a comment for a chance to win a free download of Reinventing Rose.
Don’t forget to include your email
address if you want to be in the draw.
Kandy Shepherd writes fun,
feel-good fiction.
Her new contemporary womens fiction
e-book, Reinventing Rose,
is available now at Amazon, Barnes &
Noble, Apple, Kobo,
Smashwords, and other
e-book retailers.
Kandy’s romances include the Amazon
bestseller The Castaway
Bride, Something About
Joe, and the award-winners Love is a
Four-Legged Word and Home Is Where
the Bark Is.
Visit Kandy at her website
6 comments:
Kandy, what a lovely piece and I love the photos! Port Douglas looks lovely and I'm captivated by the English manor charm of Peppers. How lucky you are to have got away like that. Oh, you're so right about writers never taking a holiday but on the other hand, when everything is inspiration, life is pretty interesting! I'm really due for a holiday - haven't had a real holiday in years. I've done research trips and trips to go to writing conventions and conferences and visits to crit partners. But I have to say just at the moment, the idea of doing absolutely nothing for a week but read and loll about and maybe eat things that are bad for me is just SOOOO appealing. Sigh. Not on the horizon, unfortunately! Looking forward to seeing the products of your inspiration!
What a good point you make, Anna, about "when everything is inspiration, life is pretty interesting!" I totally agree - and we never get bored, do we?
However, there is a need for that read and loll about type holiday and I hope you get one before too long. I've only managed a few days away - oh for a week! - and that can be enough. Better than nothing, anyway!
So glad you enjoyed the photos.
Lovely pics, Kandy! What very different holiday destinations! Both fabulous in their own way.
It's funny how that little writer voice wants to set a scene, imagine how our characters might react, what their conflicts might be, how they might meet, what they might say. We're off travelling though the Simpson Desert soon... I'm looking forward to what my current characters might think about that... or where a whole new story with new characters might gate crash!
Oh, Kandy, that manor house looks amazing! And it's haunted? That would certainly inspire me! I love beaches and mountains, but for some reason I stick to cities when I'm on holiday. I'm counting down the days till my trip to Europe this northern summer. It's my writer's discovery holiday. :)
Our one and only "major" vacation trip
was to Venice, and though we'd love to
go back, I've always wanted to do a
"road trip" covering the states we've
not visited. Perhaps that might be a
project for when Honey retires. Most
of our vacation time was used chapero-
ning junior and senior high school
band trips!
OOPS! Forgot to add my email address:
p-cochran@juno.com.
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