I often get asked where my ideas come from. A lot of the time I actually donโt
know as I canโt pinpoint what exactly triggered it, or what made me chose that
direction. Loosely, a conversation with my kids about what mazes could be made
out of triggered the
Court of Annwyn series. Yeahโฆnot exactly an
obvious connection to an entire alternate world ruled by fairies.
But I already had in my mind the character of Caspian (
THE OUTCAST
PRINCE), who was psychometric. Taryn (
LORD OF THE
HUNT) who needed something from the fairy Court came as I went through the maze.
So an idea for a story usually starts with a character. They wander in to my
mind and away I go.
Sometimes that character is inspired by a picture, other times a news article,
most often I have no ideaโฆI think I have a green room in my mind where
characters sit around and chat just waiting for the right moment to make their
entrance. For the
Annwyn series it was the maze that opened the door.
Once I have one character I have to go looking for the other (in takes two to
make a romance). I go looking by working out who the hero is exactly and what
kind of world he lives in. Depending on what Iโm working on this could take a
couple of hours of brainstorming (I love giving myself a few days off to do
nothing but plot a new series) or days of random scribbling, as I work on
another project, as the idea slowly comes together.
Because I like to plot I start putting everything down on my worksheets (I made
myself worksheets that capture the character and world building information so
that I could nail down an idea even if I wasnโt going to work on it immediately).
At some point research has to happen. Maybe I need a location (
THE OUTCAST
PRINCE had no real world setting for much of the first draft as I talked
with my editor about the best place to set it in the US. All the details I had
to weave in later), or I need to hunt down some myths. The best part of research
is that it inspires more ideas and the story really starts coming to lifeโฆthis
is often where ideas for a series appear and I have to note down other
characters and how they all link together as well as the overall series arc,
while still making sure each book can stand alone.
A lot of the time Iโm just going on gut instinct about what feels right for the
story and character. The โwhat ifโ question is very important as is throwing
obstacles at characters to see how they react.
Once I know what they fear I will make them face it.
What would they never do? They will have done it by the end of the book.
Part of the fun of writing is taking the character through hell so that when
they get their happily ever after they really do deserve itโฆor maybe thatโs just
me. I often wonder if Iโm too mean to my characters. Then I remember they
volunteered by stepping up. :)
About TO LOVE A KING
Heโs Trying to Reclaim His Past
To keep the balance between good and evil at the court of Annwyn, Prince Felan
ap Gwyn has two weeks to marry and take the crown. But he wants more than just
powerโhe wants love; a love he once had but was too stubborn to hold on to.
Sheโs Struggling to Face the Future
It took years for Jacqueline Ara to put her life back together after Felan
abandoned her. Sheโs moved on, even if her heart still burns for him. But with
war in Annwyn looming and death bleeding into the mortal world, Felan and
Jacquie will need to heal old wounds and rekindle the passion that once welled
between themโฆor face losing everything.
About Shona Husk
A civil designer by day and an author by night, Shona Husk lives in Western
Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Drawing on history, myth, and
imagination, she writes about heroes who are armed and dangerous but have hearts
of goldโsometimes literally. She is the author of the
Shadowlands
series and the
Court of Annwyn series. You can find more information
about Shona and her edgy romances at her
website or follow her on Twitter, @ShonaHusk.
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