I have two books published and one
in my laptop waiting. I have traveled throughout the Caribbean to more than 20
islands and more than 15 states including Hawaii’s five main islands with more
to come as I’m making plans to travel to Oregon, Washington state and Alaska by
next summer. When I am traveling I always have my mind’s eye open to the
possibility of a future story or book to write. I have found that, while
traveling, it is important to pay attention to your surroundings and even to
your dreams at night. When you wake up write your dreams down. That dream may
be about some place that you had seen during the day. It could lead to a book
one day as two of my books came from dreams. Dreams are short most of the time
but you can expand them. Keep your mind working in overtime all the time even
around your hometown… it could be more interesting than you realize.
When I was in Puerto Rico my wife
and I visited the El Morro Fortress in San Juan. It was built in 1584 to
protect the city from pirates and even during World War Two it was used to
watch for German ships and U-boats. I went in all the hallways and rooms where
men slept and lived. I saw where they cared for the wounded. I looked out over
the Caribbean and could see in my mind the men going around the fort preparing
for battle. The cannons being readied and the bugle being blown to alert the
men that battle was close and the proud flag flying overhead. Then there
was the rain forest in Puerto Rico. I could see rebels or pirates cutting their
way through the lush thick forest and hair raising times crossing the rivers
with hundred foot waterfalls that could be the end of them.
In Cozumel, Mexico we went to the
Milan ruins and I could see in my mind the tribes sacrificing people to their
Gods and where they married each other. One idea is to take your camera and
have it ready to take pictures. This is a great way to bring back details to
your memory; I always have mine ready. Anywhere you go you might get a picture
of an animal, birds, or even an Iguana that you can insert in a story. The
Hawaiian Islands were great fodder for story ideas. The volcanos and
sacrificing virgins to the Gods. The beaches with the pipe-line and the North
Shore have so many stories within them. Then there is Pearl Harbor and the many
stories about World War Two and the sacrifice men and women made.
Then traveling through New Mexico
and Arizona the desert and mountains bring to mind all the old west stories of
gold and silver mines and the men and women that help develop those states before
moving on to Colorado and California. These are my kinds of books but you might
have a different interest. It can all be awaken in your mind by traveling and
opening your mind’s eye. Good luck where ever you go and in finding your story
or book. Remember, keep your mind active and don’t forget the dreams.
Lynn Luick
is from Texas but was born in Oregon. He has a wife, two daughters and three
grandchildren. He loves nature and traveling. He has been working for 50 years
- first in a grocery store and then his own distributing business - to raise
his family. He has always wanted to write but was too busy to do so. Now that
he has retired, he has plenty of time to do what he loves. He will be traveling
and writing more "Silver Buck" adventures and also other Western
titles. He loves to write fiction stories about places he has been.
