Dr. Seuss said he got his from a little town in Switzerland. Mystery author Tamar Myers says that she subscribes to a catalog, where one can get good plots for less than five dollars sometimes. Both these answers were delivered with tongue firmly in cheek.
I love this question because I can answer it so specifically most of the time. Even my character origins remain clear in my mind (although some details, like how I got their names, remain fuzzy).
I'll write Trey Seaver's origin story another day. But very recently I got a chance to explore Tai's yet again. My rough-around-the-edges, smart-mouthed, Southern by the grace of God protagonist got her start in a mystery writing class lead by crime fiction author and scholar Mary Hadley. Our assignment -- create a hard-boiled protagonist. I created a character named Roxanne Jones (I had to use that name for some reason, I don't remember why) but the voice . . . ah, the voice. It's so obviously Tai, only an alternate universe version of her.
The story I created -- "Lost Causes and Other Reasons to Live" -- went on to win Gulfstream Magazine's Mystery Short Story award. And now the audio crime fiction magazine Crime City Central is featuring this story on their podcast, with Josie Babin as the narrator.
So if you enjoy listening to your murder and mayhem, here's a a link you'll find most rewarding. (PS: There's a new story every week, from writers like Lawrence Block and Steve Hockensmith . . . so if you like what you hear, subscribe and enjoy! And it's all free!):
http://crimecitycentral.com/crime-city-central-no-83-tina-whittle/
I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed writing it!
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