When a great idea comes, you have to seize it and write about it right then. On the morning of July Fourth, I wrote the “From Inspiration to Publication” talk I’m giving this Tuesday at the Village Writing School meeting at the Pizza Hut in Eureka Springs. As I wrote that, Peggy, you remember her from Bill’s Cajun House of Pleasure, cried out to me saying, “My story needs to be told.” After lunch, I wrote the first chapter of a new story I hadn’t planned on writing. As I wrote the beginning of Peggy’s story, a lot of her adventures popped into my mind. As well as a lot of questions.
Peggy traveled with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for several months, before and after the Hartford Circus Fire in 1944. (Incidentally, the 74th anniversary was Friday, July 6.) To accurately write her story, I’ll need to find out the circus’ schedule and everybody who worked at the circus. No telling who Peggy may bump into and I want to make sure whoever she meets, was actually there. This also involves The Great Wallendas, as she mentioned she was training with them. It’s also been historically established they were performing when the fire started. Lots of research to do on this story. However, her life before the circus should be pretty easy to develop.
Another project on my plate is the editing of my second manuscript. I finished the story at the end of June. It only has fifty-five thousand words, and by comparison, Bill’s Cajun House printed over 89,000 words. I have work to do to make the manuscript long enough for a book. I also have plans to write another story in the same medieval fantasy world that my second manuscript is set in. The world is large enough to tell all sorts of stories and I intend to be in this world for some time.
Going back to Bayou Cove can be fun, too. Hopefully, I’ll be able to make progress on each front throughout this month.
* * *
What I’m Reading – Many readers I know like to inquire what their favorite author is reading. At the end of each blog post, I’ll let you know what book is open on my Kindle. I hope my choice of reading material inspires you to read a variety of authors and topics. Currently, I’m reading book ten of the Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael series, The Pilgrim of Hate.
Bill’s Cajun House of Pleasure is available on Amazon, as an eBook, and in physical formats. It is also available on the Barnes and Noble website.