
“Tickets for two, please.”
“Welcome to the Inspiration Dome. Admission for the muse free. No refunds though, careful what doors you step through.”
The white door opened. Tannille and her muse stepped through the threshold.
“Surely, there is something inspirational in here?”
“I don’t know. What are you after? A clown? A murder? A space ship? The Cotton Candy Monster?”
“A sex god?”
“Fantastic, we’re exploring erotica now?”
The writer rubbed her chin. “Well, it’s the best-selling genre. All those closet readers.”
“Explains screen zombies smirking in public.”
The pair grew silent, the story spark not happening; the nothing engulfed them.
“Why are we here?”
“Blog Day again.”
I wonder what the other door would have revealed
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Me too. Shame about the 100 word limit!
Thanks N
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Dear Tanille,
Despite supposed lack of inspiration, this is very clever. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Perhaps we’ll visit the Inspiration Dome again some time. 😀
Thanks R
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The Cotton Candy Monster sounds like an interesting mix of tasty and terrifying. Yeah, sometimes those story-idea sparks don’t pop up. Sigh.
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Plus, the 100 word limit kills some story ideas. Micro fiction is a different beast.
Thanks D
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I hate when the Inspiration Dome leaves even the muse cold… Perhaps a sex god clown committing a murder on a cotton candy spaceship?
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Why didn’t we think of that? 🤦♀️
Sometimes stories don’t formulate. Ideas might float, but a story is a beginning, middle and end.
Thanks T
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You and Rochelle both put yourselves in the story today – perhaps I should have done that too!
I love this idea of writers looking for inspiration. You’re right too it has to be sex or a blood bath to get a look in now.
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The Wonderful World of Mason. Nothing like referring to yourself in 3rd person. 😀
I would have loved to explore the concept but I needed more than 100 words. Sex and violence, not sure what it is with humans.
Thanks M
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My wonderful sleuth Holly sometimes does the 3rd person thing when she gets mad or affectionate. It’s called illeism – interesting stuff.
Indeed you could write a book on the sex and violence concept. It’s like humans are becoming cavemen again!
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Holly is fiction? I didn’t realise there was a word for it – “illeism”. I thought it was a quirk I have. 😀
It feels like sex and violence are over done. Boring elements on their own.
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Holly is my own Nancy Drew. Although having written 20 fullsized books with her she’s very real to me. Sadly I failed her as her book reside in a drawer where nobody can read them. There is a glimmer of hope now but I’m not going to jynx it by getting excited.
I agree so long as sex sells its the only thing that makes money.
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Wow 20 books. That’s quite to obsession. 😀Have you looked into self publishing. Series are great for rapid releases.
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Hello, Tannille.
I haven’t fund or ability to do it myself. I have a glimmer of hope which might get revealed soon all being well. But I don’t have much chance of ever seeing my books published.
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Never say never. How big is each instalment?
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They all have word counts between 85k and 140k I have a novella on the cusp of release that may solve the problem too!
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Wowsers. That’s an epic number of words. Each book feature a different crime?
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Yup, each follows on in series but has a unique crime or mystery to solve.
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How long have you been writing Holly for? She sounds like a labour of love.
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I met Holly in a short story when I was 12. Then she faded out of memory until 2011 when I was 26.
That year I was cheffing in a hotel and my head chef came in from a break and put her paper on the bench next to me. On the open page was a mystery writing competition.
So, I created DCI Derek Ward and began writing for the competition. During that Holly returned. I saw her icy blue eyes looking at me, then her smiling face. She wasn’t in the story but she was Derek’s granddaughter and wanted me to remember her.
I was so captured by Holly, I took the weekend off work and spent it with her. By the sunday, I knew everything about her, had 3 mysteries laid out and was raring to go.
For the next three years I begin work at 5AM and work until 1PM. I’d go to the library and write with Holly until 4PM and then work from 5PM until 10PM. Get home and write for an hour before sleeping and then repeat the next day.
Holly helped me through a lot of tough times and became very special to me. Then I failed her by getting criminal publishers and making a mess of her mysteries in the eyes of editors.
So yes definately a labour of love.
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Holly sounds like a friend. It’s amazing how close we can get to a special character. Amazing she’s been with you since childhood. How old is Holly?
I admire your dedication. Doing it (writing) is the hardest part. Turning up every day when pesky life throws balls. I’m still mastering focus.
In this case, go with your gut. If you were writing something… not sure of the words… that doesn’t touch your soul, let editors do their thing. I think a lot writers eventually create a world that they don’t want tainted because it feels organic/alive/special. Other stories we love but don’t bring that feeling, more like write them and unleash them on to the world.
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She really is a friend to me.
As of the last book I wrote Holly was 20. I pretty much chronicled her life from birth in her tales.
The writing for me was exciting. It was my place to go to hide from life. So, the dedication was easy. The hard bit was was the publishing. It very nearly destroyed my bond with Holly through all the hurt heaped upon her stories.
The allowing editors to work on Holly’s stories is the hardest bit for me. I feel like they’re stealing her from me. Like every word is a razor blade cut to her and me. That alone might stop me getting there.
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I love when you and your Muse tango. This was excellent, T!
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She never fails… always something snarky. 😀
Thanks D
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I kinda love her… just so you know 😉
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She loves it when you stroke her ego… 😀
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Why am I not surprised? 😉
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T.,
There was everything to like about this tale: the wit, the dialogue, the pacing, the imaginative use of setting. But best of all? The humor. Hats off yet again.
pax,
dora
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Not bad considering I blanked for this one.
Thanks for as your thoughtful comment D!
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I like the fresh take on your conversations with the muse, T. I could see the Cotton Candy Monster in there selling himself off piece by piece to make ends meet.
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Take that back! Don’t cheapen The Cotton Candy Monster! 😀
I nearly used Disco Pony…
Perhaps a new format…
Thanks N
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If anything I gave him more value.
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Eat me!!!
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I’ll just eat the Cotton Candy Monster. He’s sweeter.
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I thought of him as gender fluid. Hope you have jolly gay old time.
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I enjoyed where you took this prompt, well done Tannille
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Thanks M! 😀
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Know the feeling!
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It’s a writer’s curse.
Thanks L
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What a fun inspiration for lack of of inspiration! Love it. And you manage a dig at our presnet-day society too. Great!
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The conversations with the muse are like writing about nothing. Amusing what comes out. Never fails. Although there has been the odd prompt that even she wont come out for. 😀
Thanks J
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An inspirational take! 🙂
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Thanks S!
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Ha, great advice to search for ideas in a orange dome. the trouble is that have all been used up, better luck next time. A short and honest story.
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That’s exactly it. I’ve written so much flash fiction it’s starting to feel like I’ve done everything.
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Thanks J
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I so love this. And sex gods (at least the popular-book kind) are overrated.
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They are. Story is always the same. Yet people keep buying romance novels. I say people because apparently men are hooked as well, reading in secret.
Thanks G!
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You and your muse will have to try a different door next time 🙂
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So many doors; only 100 words. 😀
Thanks A
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out of nothing, you came out with something. well done. 🙂
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Exactly! Phew. Can be hit or miss entering the dark.
Thanks P
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As always.. a real hoot and holler! LOL! Ya just gotta come out and read my “The Cat House’, though. Maybe you’ll find some inspiration there. snorting laughter
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Trust the muse to create something out of nothing. I really wanted to know what’s behind the door though. 😀
Thanks B
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Very clever. Another tango with your muse, which is always entertaining!
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She’ll be back. Although sometimes I am issued the silent treatment.
Thanks B
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I wonder whether it would have revealed if they had stepped through another door! Great take, Tannille.
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That’s another story!
Thanks S!
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Another amusing tale Tannille! Clearly, your muse is inspiring you without you actually noticing!
Here’s mine!
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She’s tricky. Rarely fails.
Thanks K!
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I think the Inspiration Dome is a wonderful concept! And a wonderful metaphor for our state of mind as we stare at the photoprompt.
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The Inspiration Dome is a concept I would like to explore. I like the idea that muses talk to each other and there are collective meeting places where they play together.
Thanks P!
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Oh well … though I think the inspiration dome would do better with some ice-cream and a bunch of board games. Because, why not … 😉
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Any thing can happen!
Thanks N
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🤓
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