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Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Hello! A First Post from Rose Anderson

Calliope the writer's Muse
Hello everyone, my name is Rose Anderson. I’m a multi-published author of erotic romance and recent addition to the terrific twenty gold members that make up Romance Books ‘4’ Us. I’ve enjoyed this group since discovering it two and a half years ago, so I’m very happy to be involved.
From here on out, the 4th of the month will be my posting day. I promise to make my posts interesting (yes, I proudly fly my nerd flag). Consider this my invitation to share your own thoughts in comments below. Let’s get a conversation going!



I thought I’d do my first post on inspiration.

Were you to go looking for a dictionary definition for inspiration, you’d find an interesting corollary – not only does inspiration mean a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul, it also means to draw in breath.

As a writer I understand that. Occasionally inspiration will come flying out of the blue – a thought immediately exerted upon my mind and soul as involuntary as drawing a breath. It’s remarkable really. And as if that wasn’t enough, there are times where I feel like I’m in the back seat and someone else is driving! That happened to me with Loving Leonardo. Curiously enough, a little dog named Maggie had a paw in it too.

Maggie is my daughter’s little terrier mix. Small in stature, but large in personality, Maggie has the typical terrier brain. If you could read the thought bubble over her head it would say: Murder murder murder squirrel! Murder murder murder. A wild turkey walked through the yard today. I thought she was going to explode in outrage. Honestly, all this little pooch thinks about is chomping squirrels, chipmunks, birds, rabbits, anything really. When my daughter lived in Colorado, Maggie held elk in the same murderous regard.

To distract her from these lethal thoughts, I turn on the TV with the volume down. Maggie then makes herself comfortable in her dog bed and watches it. Seriously. She’s a regular couch potato who loves cat food commercials and goes nuts over the Geico zipline pig. My friends and family find it hilarious. 
  
So one day last summer, Maggie was watching the mid-day news and I didn’t realize it was loud enough for me to hear. I rarely watch TV so pay it little mind. That day’s news was all about politics, specifically progressives and women’s issues. Suddenly Elenora Schwaab, Victorian suffragette, sprang fully formed from my head like Athena sprung from Zeus.

The next thing I knew, Ellie proposed marriage to Nicolas, an art historian who was also a confirmed bachelor and just happened to be a gay man. To my complete surprise he said yes and they went off to Venice on a wild adventure to find a book Leonardo da Vinci created for his long-time lover Salai. And wouldn’t you know, they met Luca aboard ship, himself a historian with a keen interest in Leonardo da Vinci. As the compatibility, friendship, and affection grew between them, their time together became sensually charged. Before I realized what was happening, they’d given me a polyamorous love story. I wasn’t looking for that and I wasn’t expecting it either, but the details came pouring out as if I were the biographer taking notes on their real lives – like I was in the back seat going for a ride. (I suspect Calliope the writer's Muse was in the driver's seat.)
 
As far as inspiration goes, the divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon my mind that day helped me create one of my favorite stories. I can honestly see a series of Ellie, Nicolas, and Luca’s adventures on the horizon. What began in Loving Leonardo continues in Loving Leonardo – The Quest. The story is all about love without boundaries, for really, we never choose whom we love. Love chooses us.





A Little Bit About Rose
Let Rose Anderson sweep you away on a sensual tide of memorable storytelling. An active imagination compels Rose to write everything from children’s stories to historical nonfiction, and she especially enjoys creating reader-interactive stories like Loving Leonardo and Dreamscape. She has four erotic romances
out now (told in six novels), and there are more on the way. As a regular blogger, Rose invites you to subscribe to her Main blog for updates, author tools, and other interesting things. While you’re there, check out her links! http://calliopeswritingtablet.com/

Today's my day for The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads contest. Come see!

http://calliopeswritingtablet.blogspot.com/

25 comments:

Melissa Keir said...

Welcome Rose. I always find your posts full of such wonderful information. :) My dogs have a horrible regard for the UPS man or Mail lady. They don't seem to feel the same about the garbage man. Aren't fur-babies the best?

Tina Donahue said...

Great to have you here, Rose! :)

Rose Anderson said...

Aren't they fun? My old Halley is 13 now and were I to describe her personality in her dotage, I'd have to say she's batty Aunt Clara from the old Bewitched TV show. I half expect her to collect doorknobs.

She has poor eyesight, poor hearing, horrible doggie breath, and arthritis, but her nose is as good as ever and she's a puppy at heart. Even now she's poking me with a squeaky toy. Believe me, that's a sound better heard after 10 am! lol Thanks for stopping Melissa. I'm glad you enjoy my posts. :)

Rose Anderson said...

Thanks Tina! It's great to be here.

Jacqueline Seewald said...

Dogs can inspire writers. They are so accepting--no rejection there!

Cara Marsi said...

Welcome, Rose. Great first blog. I'm a cat person, but I now love your Maggie. I understand what you mean about inspiration. It's terrific when that happens. You certainly have a rich imagination. Your story is unique.

Sandy said...

Welcome, Rose. My grandpa always had a terrior, and he went after everything. lol Gramps taught to walk and turn in a circle on his back legs.

We had a cat who loved to watch any shows with animals, birds or anything on it. The first time he did it, he put his paw up on the screen to touch it.

It's great to have an author who believes love has no boundaries. Wonderful first post here.

Marianne Stephens said...

Hi, Rose!
You're right...you never know when inspiration will hit! It comes from anything, and you just HAVE to follow the path.
Nice set up about Maggie. One of my dogs inspired my book, Gone to the Dogs. Pets can be very helpful in creating a book!

Rose Anderson said...

Jacqueline: yes dogs are unconditional in their support. Though they tend to give more support when cookies are involved.

Cara: Thanks! Maggie is the funniest little furry person I have ever known. Case in point: there's a chipmunk on my patio right now and she's trembling from head to toe..murder murder murder.

Sandy: Thanks! Don't you wonder what goes through our pet's mind? My Halley is in the next room as I write and it sounds like she's having a fabulous dream.

Marianne: Thanks! I got hit out of the blue a few days ago and it took me from one book and put me into another. Thankfully, this one is speeding along. My life was starting to fill up with unfinished books. Unfinished projects are why I don't knit..or crochet..or paint..or..

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Congratulations, Rose, on RB4U. And I love inspiration stories. Thank you for sharing.

Rose Anderson said...

Thanks Vicki! Coming to know so many authors like I have, I find we all have them. I think they make fun posts worth sharing.

janeleopoldquinn.blogspot.com said...

Hi, Rose, I'm a big fan of your books. And, yes, I love the flashes of inspiration when they actually flash. It's amazing to discover what goes on in your own mind when you just let it flow. One of the great joys of writing.

Congrats on being one of the Golds!

jean hart stewart said...

Loved your column. You are so very welcome here, Rose. The new series is definitely a winner, and isn't it wonderful when characters take over and write the story?

Rose Anderson said...

Thanks Jane and Jean! It's wonderful when inspiration comes and stories tell themselves. I'm working between three books right now and if they're not careful, they're going to wind up in each others stories.

I don't mind at all when my characters take over. If only they were MORE productive. I'd have a bigger backlist!

E. Ayers said...

It's strange because I never think of you as an erotic writer. You might dance with erotic subject matter but, to me, your books are more of an emotional ride. Your character development and depth of the story, puts you in a different category that is rarely seen.

Rose Anderson said...

Thanks E. :) I'm showing your comment to my kids. They tease, "Mom writes smut" in that na na nana na tone. Funny people. I've told them they can't read my erotic romances until long after I'm gone.

Mind you they're 33 and 28! lol

Paris said...

Welcome, Rose and thanks for sharing your story! Pets make life a little more interesting:)

Rose Anderson said...

Thanks Paris. They absolutely do! These two are the source of so much joy around here. How wonderful that they share with us.

Linda McLaughlin said...

Rose, love the story of Maggie the murderous terrier. She's so cute. It is interesting how inspiration strikes so unexpectedly at times. Enjoy your posts.

Unknown said...

I laughed when reading about Maggie, Rose. She reminds me of our doggie Rosie, who is definitely playing the role of my muse these days. Yes, inspiration... congratulations on your first blog post from *the other side*!

Rose Anderson said...

Linda: I'm glad you're enjoying my posts. Yes Maggie is quite the character. I personally think she'd make a great internet meme. Like Grumpy Cat. She could be Murder Mutt. lol

Gemma: You'd get a kick out of her in person. Maggie could have her own storybooks for kids...dark...deadly. Uh, maybe not for kids. ;)

Renee Vincent said...

Welcome to RB4U Rose! We're so happy you are with us.

Great post on inspiration. I find inspiration sometimes in the strangest forms. But music and beautiful landscapes (from local or abroad)are the normal ones for me. LOL

I look forward to more of your posts on the 4th!

Rose Anderson said...

Thanks Renee. I know I'll enjoy being here. :)

Liz said...

welcome to the group Rose!

Rose Anderson said...

Thanks Liz!

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