"Compassion is the basis of morality."
Influential German thinker Arthur Schopenhauer (born February 22, 1788) wrote The World as Will and Representation, a Buddhist-influenced text that impacted the work of Nietzsche, Jung, and Freud, as well as Einstein.
I believe this quote to be true.
If you've read my Phantom books, you'll know that compassion plays a major role in The Phantom Series. In fact, it may be the basis for everything Stevie does. She cannot turn her back on someone in need. Nor could she hurt anyone or anything intentionally--except in self-defense, of course. Or in defense of another.
At any rate, the above quote inspired me to blog about how I come up with ideas.
I didn't read this quote and then write The Phantom Series. I wrote the book based on traits I admire in others. This quote just seemed to fit the bill. So yeah, I look at my friends and family and come up with ideas based on things they do.
Sometimes, ideas just leap out at me from snippets of conversation, quotes, articles on the internet, even people's names.
I don't know where the name Jelly Wardlow came from, but once it was in my head, I had to create a character to go with it. Now he's part of The Phantom series. Stevie-girl, Jase, and Derol Pavey all took up residence in there, too. And when I met them, they would not go away no matter how many times I tried to set them free. Now, they are like old friends just waiting for me to send them on another adventure.
For example, Book Four in the series is forming as we speak. I have the title, but I'm NOT going to write it here. The last time I did that (on FB actually) another author beat me to the punch and used my title. Yes, I'm sure it was nothing but coinkydink, but why take a chance?
I will say this, the title of Book Four came first, and then an image surfaced a few days later that cemented the plot. I think you'll like it. Especially if you like ghost stories . . .
Did I mention compassion? Oh yeah, I did. Well, it plays a very important role in Book Four, too. But of course it would, it's a Stevie-girl book!
Afterthought: As for the nonfiction part. I think the Schopenhauer quote pretty much says it all. Don't you?
At any rate, the above quote inspired me to blog about how I come up with ideas.
I didn't read this quote and then write The Phantom Series. I wrote the book based on traits I admire in others. This quote just seemed to fit the bill. So yeah, I look at my friends and family and come up with ideas based on things they do.
Sometimes, ideas just leap out at me from snippets of conversation, quotes, articles on the internet, even people's names.
I don't know where the name Jelly Wardlow came from, but once it was in my head, I had to create a character to go with it. Now he's part of The Phantom series. Stevie-girl, Jase, and Derol Pavey all took up residence in there, too. And when I met them, they would not go away no matter how many times I tried to set them free. Now, they are like old friends just waiting for me to send them on another adventure.
For example, Book Four in the series is forming as we speak. I have the title, but I'm NOT going to write it here. The last time I did that (on FB actually) another author beat me to the punch and used my title. Yes, I'm sure it was nothing but coinkydink, but why take a chance?
I will say this, the title of Book Four came first, and then an image surfaced a few days later that cemented the plot. I think you'll like it. Especially if you like ghost stories . . .
Did I mention compassion? Oh yeah, I did. Well, it plays a very important role in Book Four, too. But of course it would, it's a Stevie-girl book!
Afterthought: As for the nonfiction part. I think the Schopenhauer quote pretty much says it all. Don't you?
