Monday, December 31, 2012

New Stories for the New Year?

It's the last day of 2012. So...how has your year been? What fabulous stories did your read? How many brilliant ones did you create?

Well today we're going to celebrate the story possibilities for 2013!

There are new ones just waiting right around the next midnight. New heroes to make us swoon. New heroines for whom to cheer. More adventures and romances and homecomings....

In expectation of the New Year, I invited some of the AlleyCats to share a premise from a story they hope to write in 2013.
Check these out!!!

Southern gal, Ashley Clark, plans to write this story in 2013:

Katie is devastated when her childhood home is destroyed by a hurricane and her always-happy parents announce their marriage trouble. She heads to Atlanta, but returns to Peachfield once she catches wind of a tourism grant that seems perfect for their town. If she wins the grant, Peachfield could become a major tourist local for destination weddings. But when winning the grant means earning the approval of the quilting club and working alongside the town sheriff she's always had a crush on, will God show Katie the way to her dreams, or is she destined to live among the shattered fragments of the place she once called home?
Doesn't this sound fabulous?
How about this story question from Julia Reffner, who is brainstorming a new novel for the New Year:
How do you forgive your 4-year-old son's killer? What if its your mother?
Whew....intense!!
Mary Vee and Krista has some more humor planned for the new year. Mary's newest idea sounds like this:
Sam Hatman’s family talks her into taking a long-needed vacation from her corporate job at the family mountain lodge two weeks before Christmas. She arrives in blizzard conditions and finds Hank Macroy, who'd assumed Sam would never show up for her scheduled weeks - since she never had in the past. Besides, everyone knows Sam hates snow. Trapped by the blizzard in the timeshare lodge owned by two families, Hank's immaculate housekeeping rubs Sam who prefers to relax now and clean later.
But Sam's call home fuels an old gripe between the two families.

The families clash at the cabin during a second wave blizzard upsetting Christmas plans. The only way Sam finds quiet is in Hank’s hunting blind . . . where he also happens to be hiding from the kerfuffle.
Their great grandfathers certainly didn't do their families any favors by building one cabin, or did they?
Woohoo! Doesn't this sound like fun!!!
Now check out Krista's pitch for her new story:
He ruined her life on national television in front of millions of people. And now he wants her to forgive him? Over her frozen, Minnesota body...
(Snicker) SO. MUCH. FUN!!
Do we have time for one more?
I'm going to give you a glimpse of our newest AlleyCat's blurb for her new idea for 2013. We're going to announce her this weekend, but I'll just keep you in "suspense" for now...which will go right along with her genre :-)
The story is about two supporting characters from the first two books... an FBI agent (sidelined by injury) and a medical examiner who suspects someone in the FBI is connected to a string of serial killings. The agent, who used his powers of perception in his past life to run scams, lives very squarely between the lines despite his wise-cracking demeanor. But when the ME he has a major crush on asks him to become a mole inside the organization he has sworn his loyalty, he has to decide if he can keep her safe and catch a killer without becoming the man who destroyed his family.
WOWZERS! Fabulous sounding, isn't it?
So - what do you have in mind for 2013? Do you have a new story brewing? Can you give us a pitch? We'd love to encourage you as you jump into writing in 2013.
If you're not a writer - are there any books you can't wait to read in 2013? Share!!
Happy New YEAR ...and remember:
God's best stories "new" stories are not written in books, but on the pages of our lives!
*****************************************************************************
Pepper Basham writes historical and contemporary romances inspired by life in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Because she's a full-time university instructor and mom-of-five, writing happens in those knooks and crannies of life. She finds that laughter, chocolate, Jesus, and a small sliver of insanity help solve about every problem in her life. She lives in Tennessee with her hubby, kids, and giant hound, Sampson.

20 comments:

estetik said...

thanks for this post. This post makes a great point about focusing your efforts.
Estetik

Karen @ a house full of sunshine said...

Ooh, love how you're keeping everyone in suspense about our newest addition!! Lol! How fun! Love all these premises, girls!

Ruth Douthitt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ruth Douthitt said...

Those are great stories!! I really look forward to reading more about Julia's story of forgiveness of a child's death. WOW!

I will work on a contemporary romance this year. Here's the pitch.

Anna, a Christian journalist, loses everything she loves in one fatal accident. At that moment, she decides that love and family just aren't for her. So she follows her dream to be a wartime journalist. And that's when she meets Marine Corps Capt. Craig Harrison, a tough-as-nails cold-as-ice Marine she cannot stand, but must rely on for safety in this Iraqi war zone. Will Anna find love, faith, and family in a war zone filled with fear, pain, and death?

What do you think?

Happy New Year!! I am so glad I found this blog. You all have helped me be a better writer.

God bless in 2013!!

Cara Putman said...

Those sound great. I've got a proposal to finish, two books to turn in during February, and a novella to write this summer. Can't wait!

Beth K. Vogt said...

Oh, yet another reason to love me some Alley Cats! Such an intriguing glimpse into your stories ... and I want to read them all!!! One contemporary romance I'm finishing up this week asks this question: Do opposites attract ... or combust?

There ya go.
;)

Pepper said...

Welcome, Estetik
And thanks for visiting!!

Pepper said...

Karen,
Isn't that fun!!! :-)
Love some "mystery" and it's well suited for our newest Alley Cat :)

Pepper said...

Ruth,
Love the premise! Wow, what a great way to take your heroine through a journey to re-learn why love and family are so wonderful, but to also give her a change to 'heal' in a place where there are so many wounds happening.
VERY clever :-)

Pepper said...

Wow, Cara - you are going to be one busy lady.
It was SUCH a blast to get to know you a little better this year! SO MUCH FUN!!!

Pepper said...

Beth,
The answer is....combust!
LOL
Oh what fun story creating is!!!
YAY!!!

Julia M. Reffner said...

I LOVE all these ideas and Ruth & Beth's too. Love that combust idea! Can't wait to read it!

Can't wait to introduce our new AC!!!

Karen @ a house full of sunshine said...

Ruth, that's a great blurb! And Beth, I love your tagline! What a fun glimpse at what everyone's working on.

Joanne Sher said...

I am TOTALLY wanting to read all the Alley Cat books - but especially Julia's. WOWzers!!

Gabrielle Meyer said...

Love all these books ideas! Here's what I'm working on next:

When two confirmed bachelors decide a genteel wife will be good for business they agree to flip a coin to see who will wed—until Miss Julia Morgan arrives in their rough, river town. Now neither man is willing to leave anything to chance.

Mary Vee Storyteller said...

This is going to be a fun year. And I agree, Julia's sounds fantastic!
Cara, you've been so busy! I'm excited to see these new books.
Beth, you always know how to hook a reader!
Ruth, wow, your's is powerful and full of action. How exciting.
Gabrielle, what a fun story open to intrigue and page turners.

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

OOooo, what talented Alley Cats and Alley Cat friends we have! I'm in awe of the creativity! Seriously, I want to read them all!

And I cannot wait to reveal our newest Alley Cat! Such fun! :)

Pepper said...

Joanne,
Doesn't Julia's sound intriguing? WOW!

Pepper said...

Oh Gabrielle!
LOVE THIS PREMISE!!! What fun!

Amy Leigh Simpson said...

Okay, so I am totally late to this party! Didn't know you were using this for a post and was trapped in the Holidaze!! Well, Suprise, I'm the mysterious new AC. A little late now :) Love all these great stories brewing!!!!