Last year I went to Spain for a week's break. The break had a purpose however, it didn't matter what the weather was like (it was glorious). It didn't matter what the night-life was life (we had a hot-tub). All I wanted was a whole week with my husband and my notebook (small lap-top).
I went there to continue with the stories about Dusty and Red - I ended up neglecting those two and creating a whole new character - Celtica Diamond.
There are a few things different with Celtica, she's hard as nails - as are Dusty and Red.
She's feisty, kick-ass, takes no nonsense... - same as Red and Dusty... but there's something else.

She doesn't live in England, she lives in a city not a small village/town and she's very happy living at the top of the apartment building - very unlike Dusty and Red.

But back to the title of the blog... where does inspiration come from?
Well, with Celtica, I was lazing in bed in a luxury apartment, chatting with my husband about what I was going to write.
At the side of the bed there were a few switches. I got curious as I was musing about writing.
*click* the lights in the bathroom came on - cool!
*click* the lights in the bedroom came on.
*click* *clunky whirring sound* "What the hell is that?"
The security shutters began rolling up to let in the glorious sunshine and the view of the sea.
Then I started thinking. "Those shutters would stop a zombie attack when the apocalypse arrives. Then I thought some more... they'd not just stop zombies... but what if the shutters were high up in the penthouse suite of an apartment block? Why would anyone need or want such heavy duty shutters? Vampire prevention? Yes, but the shutters wouldn't be enough...
I grabbed my dressing gown and notebook, plugged it in in the dining room and began typing.
The story that came to me is what I was working on when we went to Egypt for a week, in February. I didn't write as many words but I did have more distractions.
Celtica is very different, she has moved away from her family to live a solitary life in a huge city. She misses her family of course, but there are so many things to keep her mind occupied that she doesn't get time to mourn the fact. Too many things, like vampires, werewolves, faeries and other creatures. Her time as a Paranormal Detective is eaten up and she is making sure that she isn't...

Here's an excerpt... I hope you like her as much

The occupant of the penthouse suite, (the one with the full-on security shutters, remember) strolled down the stairs in a long, elegant black gown. She wore her dark brunette hair loose and it cascaded down her back in what seemed like jewelled, silken hanks with flashes of mahogany and red sifted in. Her hair had a deep and healthy shine that drew admiring glances from men and women alike and she had been approached by more than one hair care product manufacturer to pose as their hair girl. She had, of course, declined every offer.

She was athletic and when wearing clothes that were cut to cling to her curves, her musculature could clearly be seen if an observer could tear his gaze from her mesmerising dark eyes. Of all her physical qualities, her eyes were the feature that held attention and kept drawing the admirer back. Some described her eyes as hypnotic, spellbinding, compelling and she always played on her best features. Her eye make-up was dark and dramatic; she was playing them up this evening.

“Good evening, Miss Diamond,” the Security Guy said.

“Good evening Mike. I wonder if you could scare up a taxi for me please?” Her smile was genuine and she knew very well that Mike had a thing for her, but as long as he kept it hidden and never ever tried to make anything more of it, he was a valuable member of the building’s staff and she was fine with that.

“Of course,” he said and pressed a button under the desk to alert the other Security Guy outside.

She stood a little way from the desk that Mike sat behind until she was informed that a taxi was waiting for her. She didn’t want to give Mike any wrong impressions of friendship. He knew the score and didn’t try to engage her in conversation as she waited.

“Your taxi is outside,” Mike said. “Have a good evening.”

She thanked him and went outside. She heard him greet another resident as she left the building. He used the exact same tone as he had with her. She smiled, Mike was a professional.

He probably didn’t realise but her opinion of him was the only one that mattered. He was employed by the security firm that she owned. Miss Diamond was the one that had dreamed up the concept of a building with the security so high that even the mice were screened. She wanted ultimate security in her home and when she couldn’t find a company that lived up to the high standards that she required, she made one.

The taxi arrived at the hotel that she had asked to be taken to. It wasn’t the exact location she needed but she wanted to make whoever it was that was tailing her, work for it.

She slipped past the surprised concierge with a nod and a smile and went to the elevators. She selected three different floors when the doors closed.

When the doors opened for the second time on floor nineteen, she punched the buttons for another two floors and stepped out of the elevator. She walked to the end of the corridor and turned left towards the rear of the building. There was a fire escape there but instead of slipping through that door, she took advantage of another door, one of the hotel’s rooms, opening on her left. She pushed the door wide, barged past a very surprised couple and went through their room to the window. The view was wonderful - if you like a high rise vista of another hotel in front of you and an alley filled with trash cans below. She opened the window, ignoring the shouts of anger from the disgruntled couple. She leaned out of the window and looked down into the alley then turned to throw a couple of hundred dollar bills on the bed, wink at the couple and then she put a forefinger to her lips. “Shhhh!” she said and she leaped out of the window. She heard the shouts of outrage turn to alarm as she dropped, she heard the window close behind her and then she heard nothing but the wind rushing past her ears.

Miss Diamond, wealthy heiress, philanthropist, single, beautiful and a very enigmatic young woman stepped from the trash-strewn alley as though it was a mansion. She walked a few more blocks, making certain that she had lost her pursuer and then went to her real destination.

The charity ball at the Waldorf would benefit tremendously from her excellent humour this evening.

The one that had attempted to tail her would not. His body - or most of it - would never be discovered. Her only regret was that she hadn’t figured out who or what he was.