I have a special guest today, the lovely and talented Annalisa Crawford. She blogs at Annalisa Crawford - Wake up, eat, write, sleep.
What if my parents decided they hated me and sent me to live with a long-lost aunt? What if my sister ran away from home and only I knew where she was – would I tell or just move into her bigger bedroom? What if I walked into school one day, and everyone had disappeared?
Hi. I’m Annalisa, and Mary has kindly invited me over to take over her blog today. And that first paragraph was a small insight into my head aged 8 and a half. Actually my parents always loved me, and my sister never ran away from home. I did however once walk into school and everyone had disappeared – turns out I’d arrived during a fire alarm and everyone was on the playing fields. It really freaked me out for an hour or so.
From being very young, I’ve always had these ‘What if…?’ thoughts, and one day I panicked. I wondered, what if these ‘what if…?’s came true! It would all be my fault that my parents got abducted by gorillas on mountain bikes, or that a plane crashed into my next door neighbour’s house.
So I started writing my thoughts down, and they became stories. It’s how my novella Cat and The Dreamer came into being, many years later. Aside from the fact that Julia, my main character, also has a vivid imagination, the story also started with a ‘what if…?’ What if I survived a suicide pact and my best friend died? What if men really did like shy, plain girls rather than pretty and outgoing ones?
If you’re ever struggling for inspiration, all you need to do is look at current news stories (what if I’m a British banker and I’ve just been told I’m not getting my £1million bonus?), sit in a café and watch people interact (what if that couple in the corner are working out the best place to bury the body they’ve got stashed in their car?), or let your mind wander when your fingers are poised over your keyboard (what if the doorbell rang now and I was presented with a winning lottery ticket by a stranger?)
Out of the most outlandish ideas comes something real and solid and perfect, just when you’re least expecting it. Try it now. Let your mind wander, and see what happens. I’d love to hear what you come up with!
Cat & the Dreamer
As a teenager, Julia survived a suicide pact, while her best friend Rachel died. Julia’s only escape from her guilt, and her mother’s over-protection, is her imagination. When Adam arrives in the office, Julia’s world takes a startling turn as she realises reality can be much more fun than fantasy. Finally she has someone who can help her make the most of her life. But can she allow herself to be truly happy?
Available from:
Vagabondage Press (PDF Version)
Obviously, Annalisa has a great imagination. What, 'what ifs' have you been toying with lately?
And now for something completely different...
For Laura's blogaversary on the Daily Dodo my BloggaMonsta entry:
And now for something completely different...
For Laura's blogaversary on the Daily Dodo my BloggaMonsta entry:
