Beth Kery at romancenovel.tv has written an article about writers and their muses:

One of the most common questions asked of a writer is: Where do you get your ideas from? Authors might reply with answers such as: everywhere—the news, overheard conversations, dreams, real life experiences. Creative ideas for stories arise from both within and without, blend together with the author’s unique life experiences and way of viewing the world. When she puts her words to the page, plot and characterization fuse with the writer’s voice to create a symphony unique to each author. Have you ever wondered where an author got an idea for a favorite story? I asked five talented authors that very question—what was your inspiration for this story?

Cynthia Eden explains that her muse perked up in interest over her friend’s career.

“When I began to write HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT (the first book in my paranormal Midnight trilogy for Kensington Brava), I knew that I wanted my heroine to be a psychologist. A very good friend of mine is a psychologist, and I’ve always found her career incredibly interesting. I mean, she gets to jump into people’s minds and explore their dark secrets—that’s exciting.  So when I started Hotter After Midnight I used the profession to inspire the story.  I wanted a psychologist, but I wanted the book to focus on paranormal characters…so with a little bending, some minor flexing…my monster doctor, Emily Drake, was born. Emily became the psychologist who primarily treated paranormal patients, and she also became the only person who could profile a paranormal killer. Once I had Emily’s occupation, the rest of the story just fell into place for me.  So sure, some authors are inspired by sexy men, some are inspired by sunsets, but a job inspired me!”

Dakota Cassidy got her inspiration from a group of very dedicated make-up saleswomen. “In July of 2004 I attended the RWA conference here in Dallas. The hotel where the con was located also had another convention going on: A Mary Kay convention. OMG–those women were a riot. I couldn’t take my eyes or ears off them. They wore different colored suits to indicate the level of their success in the company. They had sashes–and tiaras! I was fascinated by the inner workings, their  rabid dedication to cosmetics and helping you to find your mysterious  “color logic.”And I thought, wouldn’t it be funny if a woman in the height of her cosmetic selling career was accidentally bitten and turned into a  werewolf? Hence, The Accidental Werewolf was born and yes, I admit I  had a hoot making up my fictional cosmetics company dubbed Bobbie-Sue and poking a little fun at the “color logic” theory by renaming it a color wheel.”

Read more here.

Love this! I do often wonder where a writer gets inspiration especially relating to supernatural books.

Often times, these writers create such a vivid new world for us to imagine. I love hearing where that came from.

What do you think? Do you wonder how writers are inspired?