Christina Hollis - The Dangers of Pure Imagination

Walters Art Museum

I've just finished writing a novel, Bright Danger, which  centres around the discovery of a priceless work of art. Everything about my story is completely fictional, including the beautiful gold and lapis necklace at its heart. I work with inspiration boards pinned with pictures of locations and characters to keep me on track, but there was one glaring omission from Bright Danger's Work In Progress file. I didn't have a picture of the necklace, because it didn't exist.

The idea had come to me in a dream one night. It was after a visit to the British Museum, although as far as I know my imaginary necklace is unique. When I scribbled down the details next morning (I knew keeping a notebook beside the bed was a good idea!) I didn't realise this would pose any sort of problem. It's only now, when I'm going to be working with a cover artist, that I've discovered a big problem. I can't find pictures of anything online that remotely resembles the pictures inside my head.

The closest I've come to it is the beautiful Byzantine necklace you can see here (above). Unfortunately, it's more likely to have been worn by Elena in my latest release, Jewel Under Siege, than by Julia from Ancient Rome. All this has made me  think twice about the things to include in my next book. Online, images are everything. If a picture can't be produced, a piece lacks impact. Bright Danger will definitely have a suitable picture on the cover, but how closely it fits with my idea is something that will need work.

I wish now I'd found a picture to write about, rather than relying on pure imagination. I'm not keen on the idea of sorting out loads of royalty-free images for an inspiration board before I start writing my next book. It might take away all the spontanaeity. On the other hand, I might come across something unexpected which fires my imagination. Don't you love being distracted like that, when you should be looking for something else entirely?

Have you ever been inspired by a work of art? Comment to be entered into a lucky dip for the chance to win a signed book from my backlist.

Christina Hollis writes both contemporary and historical fiction - when she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter and Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at http://www.christinahollis.com. If you'd like to keep up to date with the progress of Bright Danger, email Christina at christinahollis(at)hotmail.co.uk.

New-found treasures

Last week, my sister called me to say she'd volunteered me for a "quick job". As she started to go into detail, I began my usual grumbling about how busy I am, blah blah blah, but then one word stopped me cold.

Books.

The local library was having its annual book sale, and they needed people to take the left-overs from the library to the swimming pool lobby where they'd be free for the taking. That's right, you heard me. FREE BOOKS!!

I know, I know. I started salivating, too.

My first instinct was to bypass the swimming pool lobby all together and drive straight home where I would simply unload them from the back of my truck, alphabetize them, and add them to my shelves. Ooooooh, temptation is a nasty thing, I tell ya. But my mother didn't raise me with an overactive conscience, so I turned my truck into the pool parking lot like a good girl.

We unloaded the boxes, helped sort them out into their specific category, (children's books, biographies, cookbooks, etc), and then spent the next little while going through them again, one by one, until I'd selected a handful that needed to come home with me.

The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx - I have neither read it, nor seen the movie, but I'm quite looking forward to it. I mean, really, what's not to love about Newfoundland?

Dracula by Bram Stoker - don't know when I'll be able to bring myself to read this one, but I had to have it just in case I ever worked up the courage.

Selected Poems of Robert Burns - "O my Luve's like a red, red rose. . ." And not only is it a lovely little book of his poetry, but someone had pressed leaves inside before donating the book to the library. I love finding unexpected treasures inside a treasure.

Great Adventures with National Geographice - a giant hardcover book from 1963 - don't you LOVE National Geographic? One of the teachers at our school has shelves and shelves of them. . .sigh. . .

There were many, many others I wanted to take, but that annoying old conscience made me stop at 4. It's been a week, though. In my opinion, that's plenty of time for everyone else to have had their chance to get in there and high-graze through the stacks. Anything still there is fair game, right?

Have any of you found some new-to-you treasures lately?