There are some questions I
am asked about the stories that I write I would like to discuss
today. One such question is, “Where do I get the ideas for the
stories and novels?”
As I think back and remember
when I first started to write the novel Life Goes On, I was not
thinking of writing at all. There were so many stories that tore at
the heart that were not just stories, but revelations of the
difficulties so many people were living through. I heard them on the
news, in the newspapers, from friends and relatives and others you
might run across. Almost everyone knew or had heard of some family
who were about to loose their homes. So many people had lost their
jobs or were about to face such a disastrous time in their lives.
You would hear the numbers
or about this one here or there, but what happened to them after
that? Where did they go? What did they do? How did they survive?
If a man got laid off or
lost his job, it is more than his loss. His whole family would feel
the strain. I could only imagine the emotions he would have. It
would be a heavy burden and responsibility to know that the whole
family and future of the family would be in your hands and you felt
helpless.
I could almost picture such
a man, and the story was begun. A family that had life figured out
and felt comfortable in their routine watched in helpless anguish as
their world disappeared. When John lost his job they lost their home
and all that they knew in life. Children may be adaptable but that
does not mean they will like it or go willingly into a new and
unfamiliar world. The will to survive would be strong and as the old
saying goes....Life Goes On.
The only place they could
afford was in a bad part of town with problems they had never had to
face before, let alone live with and adapt to. They made new friends
and learned new ways. The respectful demeanor they may have once
had, was gone with the anger they felt fueling their attitudes and
behavior.
Teenage is never and easy
time in life but it can become more complicated as the choices made
may be ones with far reaching consequences. Some consequences can be
life changing and others may even be life threatening for more than
one person.
I wanted to write it so the
reader could not only understand the characters and situations in the
story but feel the emotions. One review I received was very honest
at how disturbing it was being realistic enough with the disrespect
and attitudes of the children she found it difficult. The rest of
the review reveals she soon understood perfectly why it was written
as it was. I am very proud of her 4 star review.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2AR9F6EYRCNI5/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1453780130&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=
I love all of the reviews on this book. When someone takes the time
to be honest and share their opinion it is a gift.
Another question I am often
asked always makes me smile. More times than I can count I am asked
“Who are they really? I mean who are the real people? I could
tell when I read it that they were not just made up fiction.”
If I am totally honest I
have to say they really are 100% fiction. The circumstances could be
ones suffered by many but the story is actually fiction.
Another question that
usually follows is when will I write the next one? They want to know
what happens next. I had not thought of it as a series to begin with
but now I too want to see what will happen to them all. It will be
awhile but it will one day be here. I have started a new novel and
have a plan to do another children's book this summer with my
grandson. I love his story ideas. We could actually do a whole
series the way he is going but he agreed to let me do the art. I did
the illustrations for The Pumpkin Field.
I titled the blog More Than
Just A Story In A Book and that is exactly what I am trying to do
with each of the stories and books. I want them to reach out beyond
the pages and take on a life of their own where you can get to know
them, see them, hear them and feel with them.
Since all of my covers are my own art I wanted to share this one that I used to make the book cover but also am using in a collection I am making of Art and Words combining my art and words inspired but it.
