By Maureen L. Bonatch
I love photographs, just not taking them. It seems that
everyone is taking tons of pictures of everything these days. Whether it’s for
social media, or their own collection, people seem to have a huge assortment of
photographs. Everyone that is, except me.
While other people are Snapchatting and filling their
Groovebooks and Instagram feed, I haven’t taken a picture in weeks. Often I
realize with regret at the end of a celebration, or a holiday, that I forgot to
take any pictures. Luckily, I have family members who are snap happy and I can copy their photographs so I have some of those
memories to reflect back on.
Pictures That Stir the Imagination
I don’t have a huge collection of pictures, but I tend to
believe that quality is better than quantity. When I say quality, I’m not
talking about professional photographs that show the perfect angle, I’m talking
about the ones that stir my creative imagination.
Usually my stories start with a title, or the first line and
I go from there. But often while I’m writing the story, I come across something
in reality that belongs in my story. How’d
that get there?
My hubby has gotten accustomed to my abrupt stops while we
are walking or bicycling. I pull out my phone and take a couple pictures (of what sometimes he mentions are the
oddest things). I’ll stop and stare, slack jawed as I wonder how the
settings of my story showed up unexpectedly, or I begin writing the story in my
mind as a plot twist unwinds.
Going to Grandma Must Die’s Library
My Inspiration for GRANDMA MUST DIE |
If you read GRANDMA MUST DIE, you’d know that the old
churches were turned into libraries for banned books.
I didn’t know this either
while I was writing the story, until I came across the one where Carman, my
heroine, worked. Imagine my surprise to see it rising up near the trail where
we bicycle. I expanded details, and wrote many chapters while staring at
this image.
Since I realized this key setting detail in my book, I’ve since
begun capturing photos of old and unusual churches for future books in the
story. The hubs doesn’t blink an eye anymore when I stop and say, “Wait, I need a picture. That’s in my story.”
Care to Visit This Graveyard?
Inspiration for EVIL SPEAKS SOFTLY |
This picture was given to me by someone a year or so before
I wrote EVIL SPEAKS SOFTLY (she said it reminded her of my books).
At the time,
I knew there was a story behind it. I just didn’t know what it was.
While
writing the story in my panster way (By
the seat of my pants. That way I get to find out what happens as the story
unfolds too.) I realized just where this picture came into the story. It
added a level of creepiness to this story that I hadn’t expected, but it was
just what the story needed. It was the missing piece.
Not Your Usual Cabin in The Woods
This was, by far, the creepiest old run-down building we’d
ever come across while bicycling—and it ended up having a key place in Book 2
of The Enchantlings, NOT A CHANCE.
I couldn’t wait to put it in the
story. My
hubby, being the braver sort of the two of us, went inside and took more photos
for me. They became the inspiration for my vivid imagination to further detail
just what happened behind the closed doors of that dilapidated building from
the days of the railroads.I don't have a picture of the book to share, yet. It's still being written.
So, no. I don’t take many pictures. But I do enjoy the ones
that I have. Because that one picture is worth more than 1,000 words, in fact, it’s worth more
like 80,000 words.
Do Your Photographs Tell a Story?
Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in
small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat
pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading
paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and
laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her website, Facebook & Twitter
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