It's time for the First Loves Blogfest hosted by Alex J Cavanaugh. Yes, I'm revealing some first loves today - a little bit about me that may hint at my age.

First Love in the Movie Category: Dirty Dancing (Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey) I dreamed of being Baby.

First Love in the Song/Band Category: Hands to Heaven by Breathe (Try finding that one on iTunes)

First Love in the Book Category: My first classic love was Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, but I really starting reading a lot after Interview with the Vampire (Anne Rice) came out.

First Love in the Person Category: Yes, that summer, long, long ago I met my first love at a campground. Alas, it was not to be, as he eventually returned to Chicago. I still remember Mr. S's Chicago telephone number to this day. I believe I was 13. No hand holding, no kissing, nothing but a pure, innocent first love.

Chicken or the Egg? - Welcome Meradeth Houston - Colors Like Memories

Please help me welcome Meradeth Houston, who is releasing Colors Like Memories, which I am dying to read...

Thanks a million for hosting me today, Miranda! And before I forget, I have a contest running for my blog tour—all commenter’s are entered into a drawing for two copies of my book, and one person will win a $25 giftcard to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. There are more details on my home blog, if you want to check it out!

So, today I thought I’d talk a little about the idea that sparks a book. If you’re a writer, you probably know what I’m talking about :). It’s that first little hint of something that gives you pause and makes you stop and go “huh, there’s a story in that!” I’ve heard a lot of writers talk about this, and there seem to be a few different things that hit first when it comes to a story.

I’ve read where some people have characters come to life, whispering their stories that absolutely have to be written down. JK Rowling talks about Harry Potter showing up in her head, a fully formed character who demanded his story be told. (And thank heavens it was—I adore Harry!) I’ve also heard people talk about a story or plot coming to them; a path that requires exploring and being told. This kind of reminds of what I’ve read on Stephanie Meyer’s blog about the beginning of the Twilight books, where she dreamed of the characters and had to explore their story.

I’m definitely in the latter camp here. Usually what comes to me first (almost invariably while listening to some kind of music) is a scene; the seed of the main conflict in a story. The very first book I ever wrote (and then re-wrote I don’t know how many times while I was a teenager) started with a girl in a classroom having her most precious secret revealed to everyone, at great risk to her. Colors Like Memories began with the scene at the start of the book where Julia visits the grave of Derek, pissed and still upset that he’s gone and died on her. (Thank you Linkin Park for the moody music to get my brain to come up with that one!) From this foundation, everything else came together to build into a novel, many many revisions later!

This makes me wonder—just what sparks ideas for you? In your writing, what comes first? A character or a scene/story? If you’re creative in other ways, what seeds the creative process? Inquiring minds want to know :)

A bit about the Colors Like Memories:
Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of.

Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia used to enjoy, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia's not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia's going to lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.

Release date: May 11th 2012 from MuseItUp Publishing.

A bit about Meradeth Houston:

Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

- She’s a Northern California girl. This generally means she talks too fast and uses "like" a lot.

- When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!

- She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It's her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!

- If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.

www.MeradethHouston.com

meradethhouston.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/#!/MeradethHouston
www.goodreads.com/book/show/13030422-colors-like-memories
http://www.facebook.com/ColorsLikeMemories
http://pinterest.com/merbear95695/

Attack of the Flies

It's May, can you believe it? Where did the first four months go? I think I was in a coma for the entire month of April.

Every morning I feel rushed, no matter how early I get up, but this morning was horrible. You see, I had the "attacked by flies" kind of morning. Literally. Our air conditioner was out over the weekend and the gentleman fixing it left the door to the garage and outside open for a period of time, hence the flies.

I'm not sure about you, but there is one thing that freaks me out more than anything else. Small wiggly things - maggots, worms, caterpillars... I can't stand them. Give me a house full of snakes and gators anytime over the little worms, and I think we all know what baby flies are - maggots. They were in my kitchen sponge when I picked it up this morning. I'm sure the entire neighborhood thought I was being murdered.

So, I went around with Raid, trying to kill every last fly I could find. I think I ingested some of that rotten bug killer.

Of all mornings, our company had a meeting, and I smelled of raid. No one noticed, or pretended not to notice. This could explain why most of the employees used their office phone to hear our president, rather than joining us in the board room.

I hope your week is going better than mine.

Z – Zebra Dreams

A modern cliché for integrated marriages.

A dream of a zebra indicates that your present interest in an enterprise willing not endure. A zebra in the wild shows that you are spending too much time in trivial pursuits and the need for stability is strong.

If you dream of one of these striped, horse-like animals, you are likely to visit good friends who live in the country. A dead zebra portends that one of your acquaintances is in danger of having to serve a prison sentence.
 
Sources:

The Dream Dictionary by Jo Jean Boushahla and Virginia Reidel-Geubtner

10,000 Dreams Interpreted by Gustavus Hindman Miller

The Interpretation of Dreams by psychoanalyst Sigmund FreudAlso various dream analysis information from: famed fortune teller Michel Nostradamus, medium Miss Hasse and Bulgarian foreteller Vanga

Y – Yelling Dreams

To hear other people yelling in a dream foretells that you will hear bad news. However, if you dream of yelling yourself, it is a lucky omen.

Sources:

The Dream Dictionary by Jo Jean Boushahla and Virginia Reidel-Geubtner

10,000 Dreams Interpreted by Gustavus Hindman Miller

The Interpretation of Dreams by psychoanalyst Sigmund FreudAlso various dream analysis information from: famed fortune teller Michel Nostradamus, medium Miss Hasse and Bulgarian foreteller Vanga

X – X-Ray Dreams

Penetrative, vision, the ability to see inside or through something.

To dream of having an x-ray taken of your teeth or other part of the body is a forerunner of a mysterious occurrence in the life of one of your friends. If you dream of looking at your own bones by means of x-ray, you will be called to account for an indiscretion you have committed.

Sources:

The Dream Dictionary by Jo Jean Boushahla and Virginia Reidel-Geubtner

10,000 Dreams Interpreted by Gustavus Hindman Miller

The Interpretation of Dreams by psychoanalyst Sigmund FreudAlso various dream analysis information from: famed fortune teller Michel Nostradamus, medium Miss Hasse and Bulgarian foreteller Vanga

W- War Dreams

Apparently, I've messed up my war dreams post, dang it. To dream of war, foretells unfortunate conditions in business, and much disorder and strife in domestic affairs. For a young woman to dream that her lover goes to war, denotes that she will hear of something detrimental to her lover's character. To dream that your country is defeated in war, is a sign that it will suffer revolution of a business and political nature. Personal interest will sustain a blow either way. If of victory you dream, there will be brisk activity along business lines, and domesticity will be harmonious.