Stuff I like to put in books.

Write what you know. We've all heard that. But what about writing what you like? I mean things you like, not 'What you like.' Oh - you know what I mean!

I like to read and write romantic suspense, and lately some of the lighter holiday style stuff too - although it always has a crime in it.

But what about the other stuff? The small things?


I found myself making a list again.

• Food - you know that already
• Art - usually stealing it, but art is art, right?
• Gardens. 
• Old buildings - anything from castles to churches to standing stones - or maybe standing stones should be a category on their own?
• Trains - you knew that too.
• Sunny places.
• Shopping
• Galleries and museums
• Hotels and restaurants
• Books - and bookshops. And libraries.
• Clothes - and shoes. 
• Plays and theatrical stuff. And theatres.
• Magic and illusions
• The sea and the beach.
• Spooky places - although I don't actually like them, except in my imagination, to write about. 

Some of those would make a plot of a book, some are incidentals - helping with the atmosphere. Could I make a book with all of them in? Maybe. 

I think it might turn out to be one of those exercises where you try to get a word like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious into a report for work. All right, yes, it can be done But why? 

I can guarantee that some of them will be in future books, Because that's what I like.

And there's no point in writing if you don't enjoy it.