I started writing because the movies in my head wouldn’t stop. To be honest, it’s not like the movies started playing when I hit a certain age. They’ve always been there, inspired by things I’ve seen, heard, read, watched, dreamed about—you name it. Nearly everything I experience in my life inspires my imagination.

Which is a good thing. Mostly. It means I’ve always got stories I want to write. But my errant muse can also send me off on tangents and derail projects if I let her ride roughshod over me. As with all things, following your creative inspiration is a balance.

Why write about this now? Because I’m halfway through writing the final book in my Blood Series (time traveling vampires and vampire hunters), I’m in the middle of edits of my Dreamspun Desires title, First Comes Marriage, due out January 15th, I’m working on posts for the upcoming blog tour for the release of my co-write with Aisling Mancy, A Solitary Man, and I’ve started another sweet, tropey romance.

And in the midst of all this I get a fully-formed idea for an erotic MMM romance featuring a prince, the “curator” of his harem, and the newest member of that harem. *sighs*

So what’s a writer to do? Damn good question. There’s no easy answer. For me, writing is a little like my chocolate addiction: I write in part because I want to spend a little time living in a fantasy world. But I still need to finish the stories I imagine. That’s where discipline comes in.

How do you discipline your creative muse? For me, I write to deadlines. Fortunately, I work with a fabulous publisher (Dreamspinner Press) who is willing to work with me to time submissions and releases over a period of a year or two. Knowing I have to submit a manuscript by a date certain has been great motivation to get books written. And since I work a full-time day job as a public sector attorney, it keeps me on the straight and narrow.

The muse isn’t thrilled. She keeps feeding me more ideas. So I started a list of ideas to write. Okay, multiple lists—one on my computer, one on my iPhone. When she comes up with a story, I write it down. And sometimes (sorry Elizabeth North!) she convinces me to shift gears and put down the story I’m supposed to be working on and write the story she wants me to write.

“Oh, hi Elizabeth. Listen… I know I was supposed to write the next book in the Blue Notes Series, but… ah… I’ve got this idea for a story about pirates and mermen.” That’s pretty much how Stealing the Wind came to be scheduled.

Fortunately, I don’t often have to crack the whip. Usually, if I allow my muse a little leeway, she cooperates when I really have to focus on a particular story. Keeping her happy keeps me happy and sane. If you can describe all the above as the thoughts of someone sane. I’m totally not going to weigh in on that one! –Shira

******

Shira’s next release will be A Solitary Man, co-written with Aisling Mancy. You can preorder the book now on Dreamspinner press!

Here’s the blurb: Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Two months later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild meets Dare’s Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine, Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.

Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the thirteen-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.

******

In her last incarnation, Shira Anthony was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children.  When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 35’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Shira can be found on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter (@WriterShira) or on her web site, http://www.shiraanthony.com. You can also contact her at shiraanthony@hotmail.com. You can find all of Shira’s books at Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance Ebooks.