Thursday’s Children March 21, 2013

Inspired by a friend

A weekly blog hop where

writers share their inspirations.

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This week I've been struggling to edit my novel for two reasons: no time, and lack of knowledge/closure.

As you might or might not know, my novel takes place in Tlazazalca, Michoacan. Tlazazalca is a town, Michoacan is a state in Mexico. If you are wondering why my novel takes place there, well, it is because I am from there.

Okay, I lied. My novel takes place there because it tells a folklore legend that exists there, although  it is dying, because not many people know it. The old generation tell it, the young generation don't care about it because their minds have been stuffed with reality.

Anyways, me being away from the town where my novel takes place is a struggle. I had to do a lot of research, get places right, things, facts, etc. I spent two months reading the history of the town. Did any of it stuck in my head? NO!

I was told by someone who knows a lot about books,

"Write to entertain, not educate. Facts don't hurt, just don't sound like a history book."

With that in mind, I wrote tiny details, things many people could relate to. BINGO!

Then, I thought back. Everything I write about I imagine, but how is THE REAL THING? How does the town look at night, in the morning, during the day? The mountain?

For that reason, I found my old friends, the ones I went to school with, and found Daniel Luna. He first shared some amazing, amazing photos that fit so, so, so perfectly with my novel. (First photos here.)

Boost of inspiration!

Looking at those pictures and seeing how well they related to the legend, to what I write about, to the reason I began writing this long novel, made me feel something at the stomach, pushed my joy to the edge, and screamed at me, "FINISH IT! FINISH IT!"

Onto in now. I was low on inspiration this week and I stalked my friend a little more. Ha-ha-ha! And found 4 awesome photos!!! I am writing (editing) a chapter about the legend, the MOST important one.

Boost of inspiration!

You can visit The Chalzan on Twitter (Here) and read why the mountain in the pictures is important. It is the legend, the center of attention, the one that is, the one that was, the one that will become.

The mountain that shelters the cursed city and the terrifying, tamed White Zombies.

For the record, I invented the White Zombies. He-he! Just saying. The idea of the legend is too old, dating back to the 1600s, and clashing with another legend, which is also amazing. And which I won't tell. (Doing so much research made me discover the truth about the magic, and reality is something we know too much about. For that reason, a secret is better lived as a lie than lived as a truth.)

Feast your eyes, for this week these photos by Daniel Luna have given me the boost I needed to write about something I'm so far away from, yet know so much about, and have invented so much to fit it all together.

Blends of true and fantasy to become 'The Empire's Curse,' the first book in the Z Chronicles.

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