The other night, I had what I call a “story” dream. In these I’m either a character or an onlooker in some scenario. My husband and I were doing the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage … in the middle ages. We must have been a noble couple, because we had nice clothes and rode horses. We spent the night at a castle (as you do), and there, my husband and I ended up having to solve a murder mystery.

When I woke up, I wondered if I was replaying something I’d read or watched, then I realized–no, I made it up! (Not that there has never been this storyline in any mystery novel, ever, but not in any I’ve read at least.) Cool! I thought. Another story idea for the files.

Will I ever write this book? I don’t know, but I’d like to. I have numerous ideas in the folder marked “worth pursuing,” which I go through every once in a while. Sometimes those ideas are incorporated into ongoing series, and sometimes they begin a new series (e.g., Kat Holloway).

Likewise, the Nvengaria series, which combines fantasy and historical romance, started as a dream. In this dream, I was a young woman visiting a palace with my parents (who were not my real parents but ones a young woman in a Regency novel might have). We were in a fairy-tale like kingdom in eastern Europe, and the man who lived in this palace was a dashing, lonely, charming prince in search of a wife. Even in my dream, I knew the wife-to-be was not me, but I was interested in his plight.

I turned that snippet of a dream into Penelope and Prince Charming, which developed an entire a fantasy kingdom (juxtaposed with Regency-era England), with magic, shape-shifters, prophecies, love potions, quests, and the like. Penelope began a four-book series, which I recently have released as a complete boxed set. I’d love to do more in that world, but I’m already writing a ton of series, and getting back to it is difficult.

Another series came not so much from a dream but a daydream on a road trip. I travel often in northern Arizona (and live there part time now). We were driving back roads in that area, where the land is vast and wide open (if you have watched the TV series Dark Winds, you’ll see it. It’s real.) I pictured a young woman zooming down these roads on a motorcycle, free and wild. Who was she? And why was she being pursued by a pissed-off sheriff? And her bad-ass biker boyfriend, who was a magical creature in disguise … ?

The Stormwalker series, which is one of my very favorites, was born. I have so many more ideas for that series and even for spinoffs. Janet has many cousins, and I populated two towns full of imaginary people, who all have histories, not to mention all those dragons flying around.

I have also put the Stormwalker series into boxed sets (Volume 1, Volume 2), with more sets to come as the series grows.

One day I’ll tell the story of how Captain Lacey came to be, following a visit to a local library. I was terribly discouraged during this visit, but it turned out, in the long run, to be a wonderful thing! Serendipity.

I also have the ambition to walk the Camino de Santiago, though while you can do segments of it instead of the entire traditional way from Lyon, I’m trying to picture myself walking 10-15 miles a day. Not sure about that! I suppose training is the key. Have you done the Camino or know anyone who has?

Take care, and happy spring!