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As I wrote in my last post, I wanted to write another book. To do this, I had to ignite my passion for my art. I didn't want to write another historical or a contemporary romance. So this meant a new genre. This isn't surprising if you know my personality.

I'm an Aries sun sign, and not that I believe everything is written in the stars, I do have a few of the ram's stubborn traits - impulsive and impatient and restless. And, as all of us writers know, you need immense patience to be successful. Luckily, I can imply patience when forced or else I wouldn't have published books. Still, it's part of my make-up not to write the same story over and over.

I wanted to write. I wanted a change. I wanted to go in a new direction.

One of the best places to explore when you need a change is your past. What did you love as a child? What are your passions besides writing? What brings you joy?

Besides finger painting, as a child, I read voraciously. I loved fantasy and mysteries, and read Lord of the Rings four times before the age of sixteen. I've always been interested in ancient sites, ancient mysteries, and what many would call 'new age' mumbo jumbo. *g* . A couple of years ago, I traveled to Malta and had the wonderful opportunity to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Neolithic 'goddess' sites. I've studied esoteric philosophy and world religions for years.

So it's not surprising Urban Fantasy intrigued me. This was a genre where I could take what I love and let my imagination go wild. It's a hot genre that doesn't appear to be slowing down. I didn't want to write a pure fantasy, or a pure romance. I wanted to combine the two, and place the setting in modern times. Urban Fantasy got my brain churning. I could write about gods, goddesses, angels and humans and create a world of my own.

The second change was deciding to write the story in first person perspective, from the woman's point of view (POV). My male characters have always been stronger and more complex than my women characters. By taking the POV of my male character out of the spotlight, I'd have to strengthened my woman's character.

Two small changes. Enough to put the fire back into my writing.

Tomorrow's post: Taking the challenge.

Happy Reading!
Vicki Gaia
http://www.vickigaia.com