COFFEE SHOP INSPIRATION by Leeann Betts
I’m
sitting in a coffee shop trying to figure out what to write about this month.
All around me are people sipping java or tea, munching bagels, meeting friends,
talking on phones—and it hits me.
I am
looking in at the goldfish bowl.
For
example, already today I eavesdropped on three friends who meet every two
months to discuss a book, like a mini book club. While I couldn’t see the title
of the one they are reading, it seemed to be full of witticisms, observations, and
helpful insights. For example, one was about Solomon, the wisest man who ever
lived. He married 1,000 women, which were his downfall. So if a man doesn’t
marry 1,000 women, he’ll already be smarter than the wisest man who ever lived.
Later
there was a table of older women gathering tables from near and far, even
settling for round tables, to get enough seating for their group of about 20
women. Along comes one woman with a little girl, maybe about 4 or so. And I got
to wondering if this older woman was the grandmother—or the mother. And plot
ideas sprang forth immediately.
A
few days ago, at a table nearby, sat a Middle Eastern man and two women.
Sometimes they spoke in English, sometimes in another language that sounded
Arabic. Sometimes they mixed their sentences together, using English words in
the middle of a sentence with this other language. For example, I heard the
word ‘embassy’ and ‘must be careful’ in the midst of other words I couldn’t
understand. Got me thinking about a suspense plot. Not just because they were
from the Middle East, but because of the words themselves.
Every
Monday when I am here, there is a woman sitting nearby who is a counselor of
some kind. I’ve heard her talking to a client on the phone about an issue the
client was going through. Not details, but I saw this counselor’s demeanor
change from the way she looked when she was typing on her laptop—doing
right-brain work—to the way her face softened and her posture relaxed as she
talked to her client—left-brain work. She’d make a good character where I could
show both sides of her at work.
Right
now there is a couple sitting next to me who are speaking Chinese, perhaps. I
don’t understand a word they are saying, but they’ve been very animated at
times, voices raised, hand gestures, smiles. Are they planning a business move?
To buy a house? Get a cat? Have another child in contravention of China’s
one-child law? What if one of the couple wants to return to China, but the
other doesn’t? Will that impact their decision?
Sitting
in a coffee shop may sound like a waste of time. Usually I come here just to
get away from the laundry or to meet fellow writers. But perhaps I need this
unique stimulation to get the old grey cells, as Hercule Poirot would say,
working.
Do
you write in a setting other than your home or office? If so, where? How often?
And why?
Author Bio:
Leeann Betts writes
contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens
historical suspense. She has released five titles in her cozy mystery series, By
the Numbers, with Hidden Assets
released the end of June. In addition, Leeann has written a devotional for
accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her real-life persona, Donna
Schlachter, has published a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, a compilation of essays, articles, and
exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes
a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and
writers. You can subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com
or follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com
All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print, and at
Smashwords.com in digital format.
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
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Books: http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE
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