David Frantz asked Erica Cameron:

Hi I am retired and have always loved to read, and have always wanted to write a book. where do you draw your inspirations for your stories and is it a good idea to draw from real life experiences . Also can you describe what it was like when you held in your hands that first copy of your first novel? Thanks and have a great day!

Erica Cameron Hi! Inspiration is a funny thing to try to explain because the answer to the "Where does it come from?" question is "Everywhere." My debut novel was inspired by two songs I happened to hear back to back ("Mariella" by Kate Nash and "Creation Lake" by Silversun Pickups in case you're interested), but I've had other books inspired by car accidents I've almost witnessed, conversations I've overheard, and concepts I've pondered. The one thing that all of these moments have in common is that I asked questions. Why did that happen? What might have happened next? What would someone in this situation do/say/think if (fill in the blank)? The more you get into the habit of questioning the world around you, the easier it will be to find your moments of inspiration.

As for holding my first book for the first time? Indescribable. There may have been tears. There were definitely grins. I spent most of a week quite literally petting the soft, matte cover of my very pretty book! Since each book really is a whole new experience, though, I don't think that it will ever feel less than amazing to see/hold my book for the first time.

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