My Trip to the Desert Knocked me upside my head & gave me the writing inspiration I was lacking.

The night before my family trip to Las Vegas and Lehman Caves, I received a message from my publisher asking how my latest project (DEAD PLAINS, Book 3 The Zombie West Series) was going. This was April 1st. It was also my deadline. It was also 10:38pm of said deadline.

Dread filled me as I was forced to respond and let him know I wasn't anywhere near ready. I'd hoped for a little more time and that I'd still be able to make the July publication date that had originally been decided. Nope. I missed the deadline and there were no extentions granted. If I now wanted my book published in September, my new deadline was May 20th. Still not enough time.

Absolute panic set in. I couldn't sleep. I perhaps got one hour's worth even though I knew the next day I'd be driving a long distance with my kids in the car.

I can't even explain how terrified I was. I HAD to make this deadline, and here I'd planned to take time off to go with my family on vacation where I wasn't bringing my laptop. Three days of no writing. I did something I'd never done before (complete fear pushing me to the brink of trying something new) and took a notebook with me. I began to write my ideas down and outline my novel. I'm a pantser, not a plotter, but I was desperate.

But as we drove what was labled "The Loneliest Road in America," inspiration started to come to me bit by bit. I needed this vacation. I needed my writing mojo back, and who knew that in the desert was where I'd find it. So far, since my return, I've written seven chapters. A start, for sure. Now to keep going.

(See pics below. I'll try and not bore you with too many, but I wanted to share).

Where have you found your inspiration? 

Road from Lehman Caves to Las Vegas

Perfect. I have Indians in my book. This just may show up in book three.

Old abandoned homes out in the middle of nowhere. I mean NOWHERE.

Old telegraph lines in the desert.

Creepy cool formations inside Lehman Caves

It's me!! (Obligatory self picture in the cave). Remember, this is a very sleep, desperate me. Ignore limp hair :)