Man, oh man. I don't know how many times I started this post and kept deleting the first line. There's so many things I want to say, but would hate to bore you all to tears. So while trying to brainstorm what I want to share with you this month I figured I would do a post of Canadian programming and authors who inspired me from a very young age and still continue to do so.
Truthfully, I have no idea what pushed me to submit those first terrible manuscripts ever, but you never learn, or will even know until you try.
My family had basic cable growing up. While it wasn't much, I soaked up every ounce of family programming I could find on cable. Let us a pause for a moment while sing praises of CBC. Thank you! Thank you for airing shows like Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon. My God! To this day, I still watch those reruns religiously when I can catch them. It wasn't so much of the wholesome approach to everyday life, but those beautiful and brilliant young ladies that Lucy Maud Montgomery brought to life, gave me hope and escape.
Then there was TVO. My sisters were quite young, but I didn't mind watching shows to the likes of Read All About It, Today's Special, Dr. Snuggles and Fables of the Green Forest. I should note that it was TVO who also aired the original Dr. Who. That's probably where my first fascination with SciFi came from, but I wasn't supposed to watch the darn show, but did anyways. Yes. I was a defiant young lady at times. Kinda hard to imagine that, huh?
Fast forward to my late teens, early adulthood days. All that angst and gothic culture I loved so much drew me to shows like Forever Knight, La Femme Nikita (1997), Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to more subdued shows like Road to Avonlea. Which I should note, my youngest daughter's name was inspired by Gema Zamprogna's character Felicity from Road to Avonlea. But how much of a Canadian would I be if I didn't mention Degrassi, The Beachcombers, Ready or Not, Kids in the Hall, Catwalk, Danger Bay, Due South (who can seriously forget the mounty) etc...
I can honestly say, I've come to appreciate the type of programming we had back in the day, compared to mish mash, hodge podge, wishy washy type of television we're seeing today.
Don't get me wrong, I have my favorites shows, but from a creative stand point, television has turned out to be much of what writing romance is like. Remaking tropes into our own visions. Trying to catch that wave of what's trending until the market becomes flooded.
Fast forward to 2011.
After reading the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong I found myself blown away. Everything I loved about paranormal creatures and element wise was covered from A to Z. Colour me inspired. I wrote my first book then. I still have that horrible-I'm not kidding-horrible manuscript kicking around. I will be rewriting that book too, this summer with a little luck on my side.
A few years later, I find myself published.
Jump to 2017.
I now have eight published titles (technically nine, but the one has to be re-edited), and three more slated before the year is out. Quite possibly four if I'm feeling ambitious.
This journey has been an interesting one filled with many disappointments, but the company for the most part has been amazing. I am grateful for this group of authors here on the blog. I've met most in the last two years at Romancing the Capital and have a few who are on my list to meet at some point.
We are distinctly Canadian. No doubt about it. You'd be surprised at how many of my fellow blog mates inspire me daily, but that's another blog post for another month.
We all draw our inspirations from different places, but I'm happy to say I get mine from the arts, from the people I surround myself with and nature (I do live in Northern Ontario after all).
What are you passionate about? What inspires you? I'd love to hear from you.
- About The Author -
- Layna's Latest Book -
Published by Liquid Silver Publishing. Copyright ©
2016, Layna Pimentel.
ISBN: 978-1-62210-360-7
Historical Romance | Scottish
171 Pages
Laird Colin McIntyre is faced
with a dilemma. Wed the daughter of his enemy or watch the destruction of his
clan. However, he’s captured before he can declare war. Time is of the essence,
and if he’s to escape, his only chance rests with the hope that his men arrive
before the wedding.
Abandoned by her guardian, Beatrice
finds herself stationed as a servant in the keep and ordered by Laird Sinclair
to tend to Colin, who is being held against his will. Inexplicably drawn to the
Highlander and his kindness, she vows to help him escape, but at what cost?
With their fates intertwined,
will Colin and Beatrice finally be free of Sinclair's reign of terror? Or will
they be driven apart once again by an invasion led by new enemy forces, never
knowing how much they’re meant to be together?
