Our next guest on the Crime Cafe podcast will be crime fiction author Wendy Hewlett, who writes (according to her website) “mainly crime fiction with a hint of romance featuring strong female protagonists.” Oh, yes! 🙂
As you’ll find out as you read further, Wendy is giving away a signed paperback copy of her book, Ailey of Skye.
And she’s following her dream of living in Scotland! (Get ready for a wee bit o’ reminiscing about dragging myself up the stairs climbing the steps of that Scott Monument they got there! Possibly a Doctor Who question. 🙂 )
Details on how to enter are as described below.
So, let’s let Wendy take it from here!
Inspiration
Every author has been asked the question, “Where do your story ideas come from?” The answer I’m going to give you is similar to the one Steven King gives in On Writing. They come from outside of me; somewhere out there in the ether. When the writing flows, it’s as if I am the conduit that the story is travelling through to get from ‘out there’ to the page.
But what happens when the ideas, characters, plots, etc., stop flowing? What happens when there’s a disconnect from the story ether? Well, now we have a problem, don’t we?
This is where I have found myself since the beginning of the dreaded pandemic – lost in a sea of an unmotivated lack of creativity and desire to put words to page.
Let me give you a bit of background so I can tell you what I’m doing about it. I’ve spent most of my life in Canada where the majority of my novels are set, but I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. For a long time now, I’ve dreamed of returning to my birth city for a year to explore, soak up the Scottish culture and history, and … write. It was as if Scotland was calling me home. The opportunity to make that dream a reality came earlier this year, just as the pandemic was breaking out. I thought about putting off my adventures until 2021, but who knows if the pandemic will be over by then. Will the world as we knew it ever return? Should we put our lives on hold for the duration? No. As long as we take all of the precautions, why not continue to follow our dreams?
The opportunity to make that dream a reality came earlier this year, just as the pandemic was breaking out. I thought about putting off my adventures until 2021, but who knows if the pandemic will be over by then. Will the world as we knew it ever return? Should we put our lives on hold for the duration? No. As long as we take all of the precautions, why not continue to follow our dreams?
I took advantage of the lull in cases in Canada and the UK and flew to Edinburgh, Scotland at the beginning of August, going straight into a fourteen-day self-isolation where I stared out a window, itching to get out and explore.
I’ve been here for nearly two months now, walking the great city of Edinburgh – home to a number of famous authors, past and present. I took a day trip into the Scottish Highlands, visiting beautiful castles and pristine lochs, and I’m planning to go back in the spring when I’ll be able to take my time. I’ve walked along Portobello Beach listening to the waves rolling in, hiked Arthur’s Seat with the wind whipping through my hair, and strolled around the medieval Edinburgh Castle sitting atop an extinct volcano. I’m researching Scottish history, Celtic fairy tales, and Scottish warrior women. Inspiration and the creative juices are beginning to stir. The tale that is brewing is crime fiction with a paranormal twist, seeped in Scottish history and folklore. Perhaps I was meant to be in this place at this time. Perhaps the story ether was waiting for me to come here and do the work before the tale could begin flowing.
I’ve been here for nearly two months now, walking the great city of Edinburgh – home to a number of famous authors, past and present. I took a day trip into the Scottish Highlands, visiting beautiful castles and pristine lochs, and I’m planning to go back in the spring when I’ll be able to take my time.
Being in Scotland has inspired me to give away a signed paperback copy of Ailey of Skye, a romantic suspense/crime fiction novel set on the Isle of Skye. Simply find the Crime Café Podcast post on my Instagram account, like it, and post a comment. The winner will be selected by random draw on 18 October 2020 and announced on my Instagram page. I will contact the winner by direct message for mailing instructions.
I honestly can’t say where the story ideas come from, but if you’re looking for a place to inspire writing, you really can’t do better than Scotland. If you’d like to follow my adventures, I’m posting pictures and videos on my Instagram account – @wendyhewlett_author – or follow the hashtag #WendyInEdinburgh. Dreams do come true.
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Author Bio:
Wendy Hewlett writes crime fiction with a hint of romance featuring strong female protagonists. She brings a vast array of life experience to her pages having held jobs on cruise ships in the Caribbean, addiction counsellor at a private addictions treatment centre, and years of experience in the security field. Several of Wendy’s novels, including her debut novel, Saving Grace, have received five-star editorial reviews.
She enjoys learning and holds diplomas in creative writing, forensic sciences, and law & security, to name a few.
Following a long-term dream, Wendy recently moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to soak up the history and culture of her birth country and write a novel or three.
When Wendy’s not writing, you’ll find her engrossed in the pages of a good book, researching Scottish history, walking the streets and hills of Edinburgh, or exploring the Highlands of Scotland.
She aspires to empower and inspire women as well as foster their healing with her writing.
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PS: Have I mentioned that today is International Podcast Day? 🙂
