Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Writing Cars by Priscilla Brown

 

 

 

 
 
 
Callum, the subject of the 'hot ticket', lusts after both Olivia's red sports car and its stunning owner.
 Will she ever let him drive this magnificent piece of engineering? 


In my real life, I drive small elderly reliable car. In my writing life, I like to give my characters appropriate - or not - vehicles for their needs and lifestyles.  As an author of contemporary romance, I am always looking out for potential character and situation miscellanies. 
 
Yesterday, in a wet, windy and busy shopping centre car park with the indoor levels full of weather escapees, I had to park outside on the top level. This is an area where whoever designed it probably never 'park-tested' it, since the spaces white-lined between them appear to me to be suitable only for tricycles. As I waited in the car for my passenger to finish shopping, I scanned the nearby rows of 'shop mobiles'. In one, a shopper piled so may large bags onto the passenger seat that one fell out and spilled its contents, revealing the purchaser's choice of several pink underwear items. I was sorry for her that these pretty things acquired a damp and grubby surface. Her shopping now safely in her car, she drove away, its place immediately taken by a small truck. Two men, in shorts and t-shirts in spite of the weather, strode into the shopping area. They returned in minutes, carrying large coffee mugs. Reversing out, the driver had one hand on the wheel and the other holding his coffee to his mouth. Me, I can find  trouble reversing from a tight spot using both hands. And who knows, one day this guy may find a place in a story.

Some years ago, a story opportunity drove into the car park of a cafe in a small country town. As I dawdled over coffee and cake on the sunny veranda, I watched a blonde woman park a seriously impressive scarlet sports car, its top down.  She and her car deserved to appear in a romance, and she became  Olivia in Hot Ticket. 

A casual glance at an an advertisement in a road travel magazine sparked the idea of introducing a female car mechanic. Billie, who is better at fixing cars than at fixing her love life,  takes her place in Finding Billie   http://books2read..com/Finding-Billie

 As a writer who is otherwise not particularly interested in cars as long as mine takes me where I want to go, I do enjoy research matching vehicles to personalities. 

To the drivers among you, may you always find the perfect parking spot.

Love, Priscilla




https://bwlpublishing.ca

https://priscillabrownauthor.com



 


 

 

 

 

 

6 comments:

  1. Cars in stories. I've had many cars in my driving life and some of them have found their way into stories. Keep driving and writing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Janet, I wish I could drive and write when I have a good story idea and cannot pull off the road to jot it down. Rgds, Priscilla

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  2. Back when my teenage children started to drive, we had a minivan. They thought it was very uncool to be seen behind that wheel. I guess it didn't match their personalities LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Possibly they would have preferred a sports car! Something 'cool!' Thanks for your comment, Priscilla.

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  3. A car can certainly help define a character. Because of the stories I write, mine have spaceships, which also define their social status.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Vijaya, our characters' modes of transport can be integral to their stories. Appreciate your comment. Priscilla.

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