Diane Saxon Blog Spot

What comes first when I create a story? – Part 1 Find Her Alive (originally titled The Keeper) Book One in my DS Jenna Morgan series started with a long, lonely walk in woodland at twilight at the beginning of autumn with my beautiful Dalmatian, Skye. As we wound our way up the hillside with thick trees above and below us, I slipped and skidded along the narrow pathway, barely wide enough for me to pass through let alone move over if someone came in the opposite direction. A low mist had settled over the River Severn and the acoustics of the gorge below me had voices carrying up the hillside to swirl with ghostly echoes. With a vivid imagination, I believed at first it was only that that had my hackles on the back of my neck tingling with awareness, but three steps forward and I stopped while Skye snuffled in the autumn leaves with a delight only a dog would understand. Aware that I was being watched, I turned my head to stare up at the darkening woodland ...

After dropping off a baby hedgehog this morning at Cuan Wildlife Sanctuary, I took Beau and Skye for a walk along Wenlock Edge, one of my favourite places. My head has been a little empty of inspiration after writing Copycat in four months and then some really hard editing. I don't classify it as writer's block, but just a need for my brain to rest. This is the place to unleash all those ideas again. In the early morning mist with the sun creeping over the Edge you can simply stand and let the silence pour over you. With nothing but gentle birdsong and the snuffling of the dogs. This is my inspiration. Amazon UK -  https://amzn.to/2XtPwMS Amazon.com -  https://amzn.to/2NW56O4 Kobo -  https://bit.ly/2Qq7AG6

In the days before our big thug of a black Labrador arrived, there was this cute little darling. She's the one in the middle at the back and she was probably around 6 weeks old in this picture. Eight weeks old in the next one on the day we brought her home. Skye was my inspiration for The Keeper and the book is dedicated to her. When she was around eight months old, Skye was left for several hours on her own, something we had never done before - and never done since! She provided her own entertainment and quite literally ate our kitchen doors. And there started the tiny nugget that formed Domino's character in The Keeper. A male Dalmatian, much bigger than Skye, I based him on Skye's dad, a glorious big example so like Skye in looks. The story of The Keeper formulated some years ago when Skye and I would wander through the deserted woodlands over the far side of The Ironbridge in Shropshire along Benthall Woods. Dark and creepy, the acoustics al...