It’s really cold today, for Florida that is, and joining me on the porch is author Sheila Lamb.  We’re bundled up under a fleece blankie with some vanilla lattes discussing how to over come writer’s block.  I find her idea intriguing and plan to try it myself. Here’s what Sheila had to say:

A Companion Story…

I’ve loved writing the Brigid trilogy. Once A Goddess and Fiery Arrow are the first two books in the historical fantasy trilogy. For me, it’s been a long term project with stops and starts along the way. I’m even more excited about the accompanying short stories, connected stories that continue with secondary characters. Brawen’s Journey: Fire and Ash will be the first e-book short story, forthcoming from Solstice Shadows.

In the novel, Fiery Arrow, Brawen is kidnapped, along with Patrick, by Irish raiders. She manages to meet a different fate and in the novel, I continue the story of Patrick in Ireland with Brigid. While I was writing the draft and sending chapters to beta readers, more than one reader asked, “What happens to Brawen?” The companion short story was a perfect way to answer that question.

In Brawen’s Journey, Brawen, half Celt and half Roman, searches for her family after Irish raiders destroy her village. She must deal with the Roman legion that takes control of her town and learn who she can and cannot trust along the way. While Patrick’s story continues in Fiery Arrow, Brawen’s Journey shows the aftermath of destruction and her struggle for hope and love.

A companion short story can also help work your way out of writer’s block. We often get stuck in the middle of a long novel. Take a break from it. Try a short story with a character that does not have a leading role in the novel. This could lead to a new story or a new direction for a longer work.

Writing short stories about a secondary character brings a new story to life. Consider companion stories to go along with a novel. Take your characters on a new journey! Take your story in a new direction!

Sheila’s Website

Thanks Sheila! I think writing companion stories is a marvelous idea and one I plan to try very soon.  Find out more about Sheila on our Porch Guests Page and be sure to watch for her companion stories.