Guest Blogger Linda Lee Kane

Finding the Idea 

Written by: Linda Kane

First, don’t feel intimidated by having to come up with a big idea. It’s not the ‘what’ of the novels that makes them appealing, it’s the ‘how.’ Ian Fleming’s books are basically iterations of the same story you’ve read over and over. So how does James Bond tackle each new quest? What colorful characters will he meet next? What new and unusual forms of violence will he encounter? Any idea you come up with has already been done before. It’s the ‘how” of your novel that will make it unique to you, and this will be the real appeal to your reader.

Maybe you’ve already come up with some big ideas, and they all seem appealing to you. In that case, start writing. Begin each story with a prologue (I know they say publishers don’t like you to begin with a prologue) or a first chapter and see which one feels best. Alternately, pretend the books are already published and write a marketing synopsis or book jacket copy for each of your ideas. Experimenting like this can help you get a better grasp of which one of your thoughts you most want to write.

Remember to have fun. Take pleasure in your topics, your characters, and your writing. This is not just a technique to make the work more satisfying, it is also a nod to the intelligence of the instincts we all have which when followed and indulged, can lead you in new directions and help make unusual connections between seemingly unrelated elements. Part of the excitement for me comes from the juxtaposition of old -world history and the morality of today. Trust the voice inside of you that say’s “I’ve always been curious about…”.

Finding the right moral gray area is the heavy lifter. Usually, this moral dilemma will emerge from the setting you create, but sometimes the difficulty itself is interesting enough that it will inspire your novel. Think of any dilemmas that interest you? For inspiration look at The 10 Biggest Moral Dilemmas in Science, Physicians Top 20 Ethical Dilemmas, or check out the debates at the Guardian’s Ethics site.

Book Info:

Black Madonna: A Pope’s Deadly Obsession

Book Summary

Luci de Foix was nine when her parents were killed in a car accident. But was it an accident? Unbeknownst to Luci, a group known as The Order, under the protection of the Pope, has been watching her family for many years, waiting for the day that a diary written in the thirteenth century would be delivered to her family-a journal that contains a key to a lost codex-and they would do anything to get it. Early one morning, when Luci is twenty-nine, a bloodied young man delivers a book, claiming it’s from her late grandparents.

Plagued by panic attacks that have left her crippled, Luci struggles to overcome her fears, avenge the death of their family, and search for the lost codex. But who can she trust? Everyone seems intent on betraying her, even the gorgeous, enigmatic Max, a man with secrets of his own.

Print Length: 210 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

Publisher: Dark Rose Press

ASIN: B07KJR5WBH

Black Madonna is now available to purchase on Amazon, iTunes, KOBO, and Barnes and Noble.

About the Author, Linda Lee Kane

Linda Lee Kane is an author of fantasies, thrillers, and contemporary fiction works. She is the author of Death on the Vine, Chilled to the Bones and an upcoming re-release of the The Black Madonna 'A Popes Deadly Obsession'. She lives with her husband, two dogs,  and seven horses in California.  "Whether I am writing for adults or children, the war between my days and nights is reflected in my books. Although the tendency to acknowledge the light and dark sides of life is often disguised in my work, it's always there, lurking just out of sight."

You can find Linda at her website: https://www.lindaleekane.com/

You may also follow her on Twitter at @llkane2152.

You may also follow her on Amazon and GoodReads.