A guest post by Tim Flanagan
What Inspires a Story?
If there is one thing
I never have a problem with, it's finding inspiration for my writing.
There are so many
fascinating things in the world, all you have to do is open your eyes and look.
I have the added advantage of being able to listen too. My real-world job is in
medicine so I come face to face with patients every day, and they all have
something interesting to say. The other day I had a patient that was talking about
their childhood during the Second World War and they mentioned the Fire
Watchers. Apparently children sat on the rooftops of buildings across London ready to raise the
alarm when they spotted a fire. Another patient mentioned that London Bridge America
somewhere! These small snippets of information provide a starting point or an
interesting focal point for a story. What if the Fire Watchers saw something
they shouldn’t - a murder or a German spy? What if something intriguing or
secret was discovered when London
Bridge
I have a book with odd
words and phrases scribbled in. Sometimes one word will spark a chain of events
in my mind or be the core to an idea. I have a genuine interest in so many
things that writing is a great way for me to learn about them as I write. For
example - there is one book I am working on that is set in London in the 1600's, so I have enjoyed
researching that period, and especially looking through ancient maps of London to see how it has
changed over the years. That way I get a feel for where my characters are
living.
I also use social
media for inspiration. Sites like Google+ or Pinterest are visually driven so
there are some incredible photos on there. If I come across an image of a
location that excites me, I often have them open on my laptop screen so that I
can look at them whilst I write a part of my book that may be set there. It
helps with descriptions and realism when converting thoughts into words.
My latest book to be published is a
humorous detective story. The inspiration for that started many years ago when
I was just eighteen years old. I had drawn a picture of an old fashioned film
noir Chicago
Inspiration can come from anywhere and
anything; a conversation, a book, a film, social media, history, plants, and
nature. Just find something you find interesting or intriguing and build a
story around it.
~~~
The
Curious Disappearance of Professor Brown, or The Pumpkins of Doom.
A
Lawrence
By
Tim Flanagan with illustrations by Dylan Gibson
Eighteen
year old Lawrence Pinkley is Whitby Whitby
Pinkley's
skills are called into play in the first case of a reluctant career.
One night, in
a high security laboratory, a scientist mysteriously disappears, leaving behind
an overly nervous assistant and a trail of pumpkin juice. Pinkley is hired to
investigate the disappearance by the professors beautiful daughter, forcing him
to quickly learn the skills he needs to solve his first major crime.
But every move
Pinkley makes is being watched.
As
he blunders from one clue to the next he stumbles across secret messages,
talking pumpkins, the Russian mafia, and hired hitmen. His life now depends on
him solving the case. Not to mention the future of mankind!
Publication date : 15 November 2013
~~~
Tim Flanagan
Profile Info
At some point in Tim's childhood, he was
abducted by aliens and sent on a voyage of knowledge and discovery across the
universe. Eventually the aliens realised how pointless this was and, as a
failed student, he was returned to Earth and left with a family who brought him
up as a human bean. But, the persistent memories of new worlds, dragons and
other creatures, continued to knock at his frontal lobe, desperately trying to
break out.
To avoid making a mess and calm his
imagination, Tim began writing as a way to communicate with Earthlings. Fuelled
by Chilli and Nachos and a bottle of wine, Tim manages to balance a love of
loud rock music and fast cars (preferably red!) with emotional chic flicks,
smart leather shoes and a well tailored suit. He has successfully infiltrated
the humans and hides behind the façade known as a family. He learns from his
children, but is regularly told to stop acting like a child by his wife.
Naturally shy and unsociable by nature, he
is selective of the human company he keeps, preferring to be around old books,
bonsai and art. He cries at 'It’s a wonderful life' but sulks if fed evil
vegetables disguised as Parsnips or Peas. He is bored by mundane conversation,
excited by architecture and castles and fuelled by Caramel Latte Macchiato's.
Occasionally, he likes to catch up with old
acquaintances on Tatooine, Westeros, and Middle Earth, and stare at fantasy and
concept art as if it is a window to his childhood adventures. He is always
trying to learn lessons from the masters; Mr Charles Darwin and Mr Lionel
Ritchie, about life and love. Tim's galactic mission is to translate his brain
activity into a language that inspires and entertains you, transports you to
different worlds and grants you an audience with the characters you have dreamt
about, but never dared to remember. All of this in an attempt to redeem himself
with his childhood alien abductors and travel the stars once more.
Bibliography
The Moon Stealers and the Quest for the
Silver Bough (Book 1)
The Moon Stealers and the Queen of the
Underworld (Book 2)
The Moon Stealers and the Everlasting Night
(Book 3)
Book 4 coming out end 2013
The Curious Disappearance of Professor
Brown - 15th Nov 2013
Links
My blog
is the best place to get an insight into my mind. There are various posts and
videos that have nothing to do with writing, sometimes just things that made me
laugh or made me think.
www.timflanaganauthor.wordpress.com
Social Media
(I don’t do spam so will only contact you when I have a new book
release.)
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