Taige Crenshaw -…increasing the sizzle factor

I’ve been spending some time reading the last book in a series that I haven’t written in for a little bit. I did start the next book in the series a while back but due to various personal things I didn’t get to finish it. So to get back into the world I decided to read the last completed book in the series. As I read I slid back into the world I had created. I love creating world, building towns and different types of family dynamics. It is a fun, complex and sometimes frustrating. But I love it all. It makes my mind race and my fingers tingle to get to writing.

As I read the last book in the series more ideas for the series came to me. Made me want to finish the next book and write even more in that world and about the various characters. This is why I love series. You get to explore deeper into the world/characters you’ve created. Heck it is why I love reading series too. I get to revisit the place/characters that I have become attached too. Get to see what is happening.

For some of the series I read I tend to read the series before the next book comes out. After I am done I long for the next. That is the sign of a great series – a compelling world that seems so real you want to go and live there. Become part of the fabric of that community. The characters feel like people you want to know and hang out with. The places in the world make you want to hang out.

Ahh… there is nothing better than writing or reading about a place I want to live.

I’m in my organization mode and revisiting my series landscape. Since I was offline dealing with some things I’m now playing catch up. Getting back into my writing schedule. Working on my writing calendar. Yeah I have one. I’m an organization freak. LOL. The good thing about having a writing schedule is that I have an idea of what I will be writing next. I also have my schedule set so it leaves flexibility for me to change and shift things around. This helps keep me on track and set long term writing career goals.

The schedule helps me a lot with my writing and planning out my various series. I love writing series because I get to get deep into the worlds, see previous characters and develop more. It is fun and of course time consuming. You must make sure that you keep the thread of the series accurate to your previous books and so on. LOL. But I love it. It’s like a puzzle that keeps getting more pieces that fit together to create a beautiful image.

On the Satin Notes the free reads site that Aliyah Burke, McKenna Jeffries and I co-write stories for we are building two towns with lots of people, place and so on. Bringing you into their lives and world. It is fun to do and I can’t wait to see what comes next. I’ve also written a few stories that are set in both Trescott Cove and Savoy Valley that has been released by various publishers and have some more that I am working on that I will be sending out once complete.

With each of my series I build a landscape and keep building it. I love creating worlds. I have something that I am working on for my chat group Crenshaw Café which will be exclusive to the group. Shhh… I haven’t announced it yet.

I love revisiting my series and writing the next book. Or creating a new world to play in. It’s like opening a candy jar and finding my favorite candies. I guess that is why I tend to like to read series too. To get into the world and so on. I’m off to continue working on my series landscape. What are some of your fav series and why?

Trying to get things done in a timely manner is a major balancing act. I’ve learned to prioritize what I need to get done.

I’ve learned to prioritize the most important. Sometimes it is hard when you have so many things pulling at you. Everything seems as if it is a now when in reality there are a few that really now’s. Yeah it sounds weird but it’s just as if someone calls you and yells fire and when you run there isn’t actually any fire. You look at them and wonder why you almost broke you neck getting there.

So I’ve learned to balance what is my priority. In the past I have let some of my important things be pushed aside. Now I know how to balance those things. I need them. So my writing, personal life, friends, me time and so many other things are all done on levels of priority. Some are higher up on the list than others and instead of trying to be everywhere at the same time I work by priorities one at a time. I find now that I have more balance for everything.

Prioritizing is a wonderful thing. Now I am off to do one of my top priorities some much deserved me time.

I’ve been having a strong craving for candy. I’m not a bug candy eater. I can go years without eating any. Also I’m not into chocolate. Shocking. I do eat chocolate ever so often but when I crave it is for something else. I know you chocoholics out there are wondering what candy I am craving if not the all-wonderful chocolate.

Okay I will admit it. I am a caramelolics. Yes caramel is one of my fav candy. That nice sweet caramel is calling me. It is a siren call that I have been resisting but I am longing. Badly. Of course because of how much I am craving I have an idea come to me. A candy idea. An idea of someone who makes sweets for a candy shop and what happens when there craving takes on the sweetest temptation. LOL.

My craving has morphed into a story idea. Now I am off to fulfill my craving and get me some caramel. Yummy. So what is you fav candy that you crave?

I’ve once again been getting questions on how I came up with my Rarities Incorporated series. Here is how it came to be.

I was talking the other day about dreams giving me some of my idea for my books. Dreams are indeed powerful. I’ve been known to dream of an outfit I want and then wake and make it. I love to sew. I also love to cook and have been know to dream of delicious dishes and then get up and make them. Yeah I dream of food. LOL.

Thinking of the dreams I’ve had It got me to thinking of one of my series that came from a dream. My Rarities Incorporated series came from a dream. Let me take you inside my dream that became my series.

It was a dark cold night when I dreamed. nah that’s not how it happened. Hey what can I say I’m a writer and kinda quirky. {Grin}. Here how it really happened.

I was in a deep sleep minding my own business when all of a sudden I found myself sitting at this table with a bunch of women. Each proceeded to introduce themselves. I was confused but let them have there way. When they were done the first one to introduce herself Zarya Burke lifted her hand and I was floating in the air. I rolled my eyes and told her to get to the point. The women looked at each other and laughed with me. They lowered me back to my chair and told me of a race called Zuri Maji. They told me of what they were and all they could do. That they had many stories to be told and would tell me more as needed.

I jerked awake and I had goose bumps. I ran to my desk and took pen and paper and wrote all I had been told. The women I had met in my dream are the women who were the owner of Rarities Incorporated which appears in my series. Each woman was distinct and I wanted to get what I had gotten from them down clearly. Once I was done writing I had books of information waiting for the first story to come to me.

Fast forward months later and again I was asleep and a Rarities Incorporated story came to me. It unfolded in a cinematic movie I went through all the steps the heroine and hero did. It happened at Christmas and in where I was originally born. Besides the Zuri Maji it had a race of beings that were both unique and beautiful. Again I woke revived and went to write furiously. Veils Rising took form and when done I was pleased and a story in Rarities Incorporated was started.

When an opportunity came up for me to be a part of a special theme with EC my publisher I was racking my brain on what to write it on. Again another dream and I was met by the women who were in charge of Rarities Incorporated at the table we had sat at before. They let me know the first story I had written was out of order in which the stories needed to be told and I needed to fix it. Then they sent me on my way to the adventure which became Golden Seduction. As I entered the dream of Golden Seduction I met my heroine who is an ultimate geek more comfortable with computers than people. When a man comes out of a tarot card she is confused but not shocked. She works Rarities Incorporated, a place with many beings. When she hears his plight she doesn’t think she can help him she is not athletic and more adapt at books. Yet the hero has fate in her and knows he needs her. She steps up and they have an adventure which shows the sense of hope and sensuality. The hope of the hero and heroine. The sensuality of their love story that touched many emotions. After I woke I wrote furiously.

Before I could even digest the story another dream came to me the next night. Shadow Dane featured a heroine who was tackle charge and knew what she wanted. A hero who has seen to much and trusts even less. His control is shredded by her and she wants him but not all the strings he offers. They find common ground. Have an adventure that led’s them to secrets and so much more. It was intense, exhilarating and sexy. Upon waking I was torn between which to write first. The two stories happened during the same time frame so it really didn’t matter. I wrote Golden Seduction then after it was done immediately wrote Shadow Dance. A While I wrote them I didn’t dream of anything but the stories. After they were complete I found myself once again at the table with the women who run Rarities Incorporated. They were pleased with what I had done and couldn’t wait to meet the world. They sent me off and said be ready for my next adventure soon.

They were right. Since then I have had many adventures in the Rarities Incorporated world and each one revels more and more. Besides the Zuri Maji there are many races I get to explore. I enjoy each adventure and imagine it all started with a dream.

A dream of a series.

I’ve been having some nasty problems with my phone. A feedback that rings in my ear. Also being able to hear other people’s conversation. It has been driving me nuts but I’ve been so busy to have the time to call the phone company or make an appointment. The other day when I was once again talking on the phone I could hear someone else talking on the phone. Once again it was another person’s conversation. It wasn’t to clear but it was an annoying backdrop. When I hung up as I sat frustrated with the whole phone thing a thought came to me.

An idea for a story. A phone lines crossed idea. Ideas come from all over the place and my phone issues sparked one. It is interesting how that happened. An annoying phone issue becoming a future book. LOL.

I did call the phone company and have them come fix the issue but the phone gave me an idea that I might not have had. There is inspiration for ideas all around you. I’ve come up with ideas from various places. Many very unexpected. Any little thing can give you an idea spark.

I was on my way home the other day when I passed this woman who was sporting a slamming Afro hairstyle. The woman’s fro was big, high and poufy. I think it was a wig but it was so good I couldn’t tell. She was also sporting the clothing to go with the fro. She looked fierce. People were turning and looking at her. Me included. People were complimenting her on her look. Like any good diva she said thank you graciously and kept strutting. As I watched the woman stepping looking cool and fierce my mind was racing.

Yep another idea was taking shape. As I walked home I thought of the Fro. The idea took shape for a book with a woman in a fierce fro and clothes to match.

A fro brought so much more than viewing pleasure. It brought an inspiration. I’ve mentioned before that there are inspirations for ideas all around you. Taking something that happens in the everyday life then using it create a concept and make it yours. The unexpected can lead to so much more.

Any little thing can give you an idea spark.

The other day I was watching a ballet when I realized that although there were no words I clearly knew what the dancers were portraying with their body. The ballet had all the emotions it made me laugh, angry, and weep.

After the show it left me thinking of the non verbal communication in everyday life. So I conducted a sort of experiment. I studied people when I walked around, on the train and where ever I went. It was amazing how much I found that I could tell a lot about people without them saying a word. Now I’m not saying that I didn’t notice before when someone was happy, angry or upset before but the ballet made me observe more.

I also took a look at the TV show Lie to Me. The shows whole concept is about reading people. They use the human face and body language. Also peoples tone of voice. Between that and the ballet it opened a fascination in me.

With my experiment and the show they made me think even more. Come up with a story concept to use the non verbal to get emotion across with no words.

Take a shot at observing someone today and see what you can find out. It may lead you to unexpected things.

Another of my favorite things to do when I am trying to decide something is to think. I again go to one of my spots I like to use to think – my living room. My loveseat in my living room to be exact. I use my couch to daydream and my loveseat to think. I get my blanket, go to my living room, turn off the lights and TV put on some music really low then sit on my loveseat. I spread my blanket over me and lay my head back. My body relaxes as the music plays and the calm overcomes me. After a few moments I am in the thinking zone.

As I sit there my thoughts turn to what I have to think about. I’ve made lots of important decisions during my thinking zone moments. Both personal and professionally. I work through the pros and cons of whatever decision I am trying to make. According to the decisions it may take a few times in my thinking zone for me to make a decision or choice.

A few weeks ago I had a difficult decision to make and spent over a week in my thinking zone before I reached a decision. Now that the decision is made I feel much better and have a clearer mind what I need to do. It will be sometime before I know what will happen from my decision but no matter what I am good with it.

One of my favorite things to do when I am having problems with a book is to daydream. One of my spots I like to use to day dream is my living room. I get my blanket, go to my living room, turn off the lights and TV put on some music really low then sit on my couch. I spread my blanket over me, lay my head back and close my eyes. My body relaxes as the music plays and the calm overcomes me. After a few moments I am in the daydream zone.

As my mind wanders I let what I have written so far in my story unfold in my thoughts. As the story goes the part I am stuck on comes up I daydream of various possible scenarios I can take with my story. If the scenario doesn’t work it stalls and I go onto another. When I hit on one that does my mind races with all I need to get back to work. Sometimes it take more than one of my daydream zone moments for me to get over what is giving me issue.

I’ve also been known to fall asleep during those daydream zone moments. LOL. But as I have said before many of my best ideas come from dreams. So if you see me somewhere with my eyes closed I’m working. Yep that’s what I am doing. Hard at work. (grin) Daydreaming or dreaming of my next story.