A little something from author David Litwack, followed by a little something from Evolved Publishing.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” ~ Albert Einstein
I’m sometimes asked how I come up with new ideas, especially since most of my novels involve alternate worlds and unusual cultures. The short answer: I don’t have a clue. Ideas come to me rather than me seeking them out. They arrive at odd times, usually when I’m least rational. They appear out of thin air during a long walk or a boring drive. But mostly they arrive in my twilight half-awake state, between five-thirty and six AM, when I’ve had enough sleep to be half conscious, but am still too groggy to let my rational side dominate.
Images materialize out of nowhere with only one thing in common. All evoke some strong emotion in me. Then as I come more alert, I find myself trying to make sense of them. Where did they come from? What do they mean? And inevitably—assuming I’ve been writing each day—how can I use this image in my latest story?
Logic follows creativity around like a good scribe, taking notes and organizing thoughts into coherent patterns. But where do the ideas come from? I haven’t a clue.
No wonder the ancients came up with the notion of the muse.
My conclusion: Creativity comes not from finding ideas, but by embracing them as they flit across the palette of a daydreaming mind.
NOTES FROM THE PUBLISHER
First, David followed up that original line of thinking above with some additional posts, which you can find here:
1. IDEAS, IDEAS – THE ROCK FACE
2. IDEAS, IDEAS – THE TEMPLE OF THE DREAMERS
Second, part of what drove us to feature David today is the release of our newest book by him, ALONG THE WATCHTOWER, which we’re really excited about. This is a re-release, revised and re-edited, and is even stronger than its award-winning first edition. If you never discovered the first edition (maybe even if you did), you’ll definitely want to discover this new second edition.
A tragic warrior lost in two worlds… Which one will he choose?
WINNER: Readers’ Favorite Book Award – Bronze Medal – Fiction Drama
WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award – Best Literary Fiction
The war in Iraq ended for Freddie when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once a skilled gamer as well as a capable soldier, he’s now a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he’s inhabiting two separate realities.
The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse—and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic, which Freddie enters when he sleeps. The lines soon blur for Freddie, not just caught between two worlds, but lost within himself.
Is he Lieutenant Freddie Williams, a leader of men, a proud officer in the US Army who has suffered such egregious injury and loss? Or is he Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde, his only solace the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, whose gentle words calm the storms in his soul.
In the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission to that of the prince—a journey along a dark road, haunted by demons of guilt and memory. Can he let patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart? It may be his only way back from Hell.
“This is a book that deserves to be read. It is both gritty reality and magical fantasy, and filled with both love and beauty, and ugliness and despair, but ultimately it is a story of healing, of burying the past, finding hope and taking control of the future.” ~ Awesome Indies Reviews
AND… A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY
To help celebrate the launch of David Litwack’s new book, we’re placing a fan favorite on sale for ONLY $0.99. The first book in “The Seekers” series, THE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS, has been a huge hit, receiving critical acclaim and winning multiple awards (as have, by the way, all 3 books in this series). Now’s your chance to discover this extraordinary series for only $0.99 for the eBook of Book 1.
A thousand years ago the Darkness came—a terrible time of violence, fear, and social collapse when technology ran rampant.
WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award – Best Science Fiction
“But what are we without dreams?”
The vicars of the Temple of Light brought peace, ushering in an era of blessed simplicity. For ten centuries they have kept the madness at bay with “temple magic,” and by eliminating forever the rush of progress that nearly caused the destruction of everything.
Childhood friends, Orah, Nathaniel, and Thomas have always lived in the tiny village of Little Pond, longing for more from life but unwilling to challenge the rigid status quo. When they’re cast into the prisons of Temple City, they discover a terrible secret that launches the three on a journey to find the forbidden keep, placing their lives in jeopardy, for a truth from the past awaits that threatens the foundation of the Temple. If they reveal that truth, they might once again release the potential of their people.
Yet they would also incur the Temple’s wrath, as it is written: “If there comes among you a prophet saying, ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the Light.”
“The plot unfolds easily, swiftly, and never lets the readers’ attention wane… After reading this one, it will be a real hardship to have to wait to see what happens next.” ~ Feathered Quill Book Reviews (Awarded “The Children of Darkness” the Gold Medal in Science Fiction & Fantasy)
“A tightly executed first fantasy installment that champions the exploratory spirit.” ~ Kirkus Reviews
HAPPY READING!
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