One Adventure Too Many

(There was a little confusion regarding last week’s blog. I don’t really want to be famous. “Famous Like Dolly” was a just-for-fun post. I don’t have the energy to be rich and/or famous.)

~*~

This week I’m announcing the release of One Adventure Too Many – A Sandi Webster Mystery.

I once wrote a post about things that can inspire a story. It might be a photo, a figurine sitting on a shelf, something you overheard at an auction, history, or even something you saw someone do at a mall. The oddest thing that’s inspired me? A black butterfly that showed up in my yard and hung around for a while. He even let me take pictures of him – or her. I looked it up and it’s actually called a Red Admiral. The point is, almost anything can inspire a story.

One Adventure Too Many was inspired by a photo I took of an abandoned house, although I didn’t use the picture for my book cover. The house is surrounded by so many trees and so much growth that it didn’t show up clearly. However, it made me think about finding someone in the house, which would be odd since it was supposed to be deserted. Okay, maybe not so odd. There are squatters out there looking for shelter and I hope they find it, but this was a different situation. Plus, the house only plays a small part in the story and yet it was the inspiration. Go figure.

One thing led to another, and before long a story took shape. I felt like it practically wrote itself. It seemed to have a mind of its own. The ideas kept coming, and the quirky characters (Sandi Webster’s mother and aunt) kept me motivated.

I tried to think of the one thing in this story that first came to mind, but in this case it was the entire story. Sandi’s mother and aunt were foremost in my thoughts simply because they have such an interesting relationship and they view everything as an adventure.

A crime takes place in a forest area near some abandoned railroad tracks. There’s one witness, although he isn’t sure what he witnessed – he’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, thanks to his job. When he’s attacked and left for dead, the story takes off. Like the house, the witness plays a very small part in the story.

That’s the short version. Following is a second short version.

Overview:

Taking a vacation can lead to an unexpected case for private eye Sandi Webster-Goldberg. Taking a vacation with your menopausal mother, an eccentric aunt, a pregnant friend and her husband, and a flustered husband can lead to total chaos.

Pete Goldberg and Stanley Hawks take a leisurely walk in the country, only to discover an abandoned house. When Sandi, her mother, Livvie, and her Aunt Martha decide to explore, they discover that the house isn’t quite as abandoned as previously thought.

A young woman and her baby are hiding out from unknown danger. She needs help, and the three women are more than happy to oblige her.

Until next time, I’m curious. What’s the oddest thing that ever inspired a story you wrote or, if you’re a reader, what’s the oddest thing you can think of that could inspire a story?

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website (Recently updated)

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com