Coming to Fruition!

Guest author, Shelley Sommers

When we’re young and trying something new, we watch others for cues. I loved reading, so naturally I wanted to know how others wrote the books I read from fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and other genres. 

One of my early favorites was Nancy Drew. Nancy solved puzzles, which I enjoyed, so I wanted to see how she found out “whodunit?”

Another favorite was Louisa May Alcott, whose novels were full of longing. You could imagine the characters in her books because they felt real. When my family was traveling in the Massachusetts area of Alcott’s home, I had the treat of seeing her home. Her possessions were sparse, and her room was not nearly as colorful as mine. She led a restricted life, yet she created fantasies with people falling in love.

I was an early romantic, so I loved the stories Alcott created. Her stories didn’t always lead to a happy ending, but I enjoyed them anyway.

Fast forward many years, and I see how I came to love the romances, where people could be brave and tell the object of their affection how they felt. In real life, it didn’t always feel easy. I watched movies where the hero was brash and sexy, like Paul Newman in “The Long, Hot Summer,” and the object of his affection wasn’t quick to declare herself.

In seventh grade, I was the editor of the school newspaper, which involved my interviewing the local mayor. After initial nervousness, I realized I didn’t need to be fearful. He was just a Dad-like figure who seemed motivate to do right by our community, certainly not heroic.

After that, I had no trouble interviewing company presidents, other public figures, and people in all walks of life. From most of them, I reached them on a personal level, where I learned of hopes, dreams, aspirations, joys, and traumas. As a good listener and audience, I learned so much about people. I remember cataloguing details, some true, some imagined, about a nun who was sitting across from me on a train. She smiled at me benignly, but didn’t engage in conversation. By the end of the trip, I had invented an entire backstory for the nun.

For many years, I worked in marketing and journalism, where I spent my time interviewing people, definitely in the world of non-fiction. The real world could be disillusioning with people you might have seen as heroic figures becoming unmasked as human beings with flaws, and rather ordinary.

And sometimes, people turned out to be far from ordinary. I was fortunate to interview the international bestselling author, Diana Gabaldon, in her home. In her office, painted in her favorite shade of blue, she regaled me with her excitement at being dressed for a cameo in the as-yet unaired episode of her story, Outlander. Her joy was palpable. It was a pleasure to speak with her.

I co-founded a film festival where I spent hours every day reviewing each film submitted and assigning it to other reviewers to judge. This was a crossover to fantasies, since few documentaries were submitted. During this time, I itched to write my own invented stories, but I was too busy with real life and demands to write much.

And now, I am writing—or editing, proofing, researching or creating cover copy—for my own books. In October, 2021, my husband and I traveled to Temecula, California wine country. The second morning there, I woke up with an intense and vivid cast of characters in my head who were all part of invented families in California wine country. Being there during harvest season woke me up to what I wanted and needed to write about characters who became all too real to me. Seeing the grapes on the vines, I became excited about the growing process and how wines were developed. People were kind to me and shared personal information about their lives, as well as about their businesses.

After that visit, I went home and started writing during “Nanowrimo” (National November Writing Month). And writing. And writing. And writing! I’ve written nearly four full novels now, debuted two of them, and have many more to write!

Sometimes, you just get lucky! And, perhaps the many years of interviewing hundreds of people, the quirky family I was part of, and the diverse places I lived gave me the inspiration to create the world I’m bringing to life in my Louisa’s Vineyard series. The series’ world often seems real to me, with characters I swear I’d know if I saw them in a room. I’d like to hope my books will be popular and they’ll be made into movies. Maybe when they are, I can help with casting!

Good luck in your writing! Follow your energy and enthusiasm!

Biography:

Shelley Sommers is a screenwriter, award-winning journalist, writing educator, film festival director, and consultant. Her career embraces literacy and writing training, which people have told her has “changed their lives.”

From her focus on non-fiction, the shift to romantic fiction delights Shelley with characters who speak to her and make her laugh! Her steamy contemporary romances allow her to invent characters who experience hurdles in their lives, but share love, which makes everything else work.

When not writing, she’s traveling with her husband, enjoying theater, films, reading (of course!), hiking, and cooking. Her books include recipes, some with wine, adding extra flavor. 

Visit Shelley’s website to learn more and find her books: ShelleySommers.com 

Read her blog here.             

Thank you, Shelley, for guest authoring. I enjoy hearing how others found their paths. Next week, I'm back with coverage of the Inkers Con conference. "Inkers Con brings together best selling authors and writing experts who share their knowledge and expertise. You'll learn valuable techniques, tips and strategies that can significantly enhance your authors career." I'll give you the pros and cons of attending and, over the next several weeks, provide the details of my favorite five presentations. Until then, enjoy the last few days of summer.