Last week marked the first birthday since my book Checked Impressions released to the world, so I thought it’d be fun to talk a little bit about some of the real life inspiration behind this book.
Back in 2010 I was a bit of a hockey fan. Okay, I’m still a hockey fan, but not like I was back then. I followed the Chicago Blackhawks, who were having a stellar few seasons, ultimately resulting in them winning the Stanley Cup that year. Now I’d dreamed about visiting Chicago (this Aussie dreamed about visiting anywhere in North America, actually) so when the opportunity arose to go see some east coast USA & Canada (with some bonus trips to places like Montreal, Quebec City, Muskoka, Toronto, Niagara Falls & Chicago) I was so excited!
First thing: planning where to go, what to do. This avid Anne of Green Gables fan had to somehow make Prince Edward Island and Muskoka work, because these were settings used by LM Montgomery in her books. But another place also called: the Art Institute of Chicago.
I like art. I’ve always been a fan of both watching and trying to create something of the images in my mind (and much like writing it doesn’t always measure up!). So when I dragged my husband to see this museum filled with art, including the largest collection of Monets outside France, it was heavenly.
We loved our visit there, along with other Chicago must-do’s, such as enjoying deep dish pizza, seeing Navy Pier (back then the stained glass museum was there – such artistry is fabulous!), and taking an architectural highlights cruise down the river. (I’ve got pics on my website here) In fact, many of these scenes made their way into my original version of the first book I ever wrote, Love on Ice, as I love incorporating real life places into my fiction. And thus they stayed, until I realised that 155,000 words was a tad too many, which saw my beloved book chopped and changed and basically become two books. Checked Impressions saw a new couple, but the original setting of Chicago, while Love on Ice shifted to Detroit. I wanted to make my heroine an art lover and base her in the Art Institute, so I could demonstrate some of my love for the art there.
So Checked Impressions has an Impressionist art-loving heroine (like moi) whose job as a public engagement officer means Allie has a super awkward encounter with Chicago’s home-grown hockey hero Jai, as she stumbles over her words (also me) and blurts out some cringeworthy things. (Yep, that’s me).
Including these moments of utter embarrassment – as well as the visits to various places my husband and I visited – help make the story feel real (please note: not everything in this book is autobiographical). But it is fun to write what I’ve known, and even more awesome when readers tell me they relate to a character. Like when Allie gets convicted over her first impressions of one of the hockey players’ girlfriends. I had a reader tell me they were convicted about the same, which was awesome because God has challenged me about this too. (That’s actually why I included this scene)
It’s one of the most awesome things about writing Christian fiction. We can start out with a vague idea of what to write, but God can breathe His life into mere words and shape our thoughts into His intentions and work His truth into fiction and touch hearts.
Most of my books stem from real life inspiration, and are based on places I’ve visited or are about situations I’ve either experienced or have happened to people I know or are about the God truths He’s teaching me. Real life inspiration makes a book more relatable, and I hope readers enjoy picking up those little moments of authenticity that help ground a book into feeling real.
So let’s chat:
I have an ebook copy of Checked impressions to give to one commentator. Pick any or all of the following questions for your chance to win! (ebook, worldwide, winner picked Saturday 4th 9am AEDT)
Do you ever stumble over your words? Got an embarrassing moment you think would make a great scene in a book? Are you an art fan? Have you been to Chicago? Do you enjoy books that ‘feel real’? What kinds of things help make a book feel real to you?
Grab your copy of Checked Impressions here (on sale for a limited time!).
Absolutely stumble over words. Since a brain injury words come out of my mouth in strange order, with parts in a mish mash. In chair yoga now everyone does chip pivots my attempt at saying chair hip pivots. Sometimes it’s hilarious and other times it just leaves everyone confused. Glad you were able to live your hockey and American dream. Happy book birthday!!
Happy Wednesday Carolyn and Happy meteorological spring to readers in the northern hemisphere. In SW Michigan the birds enjoyed the warm temperatures and sunny weather yesterday. Rainy this morning. Carolyn no need to include me in the giveaway. I read the book last year.
I lived in the Chicago area in the 1980s, so I am familiar with the sites. Now I live in SW Michigan – the other side of Lake Michigan. Always enjoyed visiting downtown Chicago – the museums and Navy Pier. As a German teacher, our language classes had yearly field trips to Chicago – The German Christmas Market, the Art Institute or The Museum of Science and Industry. This year the classes went to China Town.
While I am not fond of hockey, I have attended hockey games in Kalamazoo, Michigan when the Detroit Red Wings play there. Maybe a scene for a book. I believe it was March 1990 our church youth group went to a hockey game in Kalamazoo. Our older sons were 12 and 9 (March is their birthday month). The Detroit Red Wings were playing. I was cradling their two month old brother, when a hockey puck hit the glass. WOW! Baby slept through it, but this momma jumped.
Happy Book Birthday and best wishes.
I’ve spent the majority of my life living in Illinois so I’ve been to Chicago numerous times. I’m glad it was so special to you! My favorite things to do there are going to Second City for a comedy improv show, cheering on the Cubs at Wrigley Field and walking the Magnificent Mile for window shopping!
I’ve been to Chicago a few times but not recently. Some of my favorite memories include visiting American Girl Place (I was a huge fan of the dolls when I was growing up) and getting to rollerblade on Navy Pier. And yes, I have totally been known to stumble over my words, especially if I’m a little nervous or uncertain about a situation.
My Grandpa was an Irish immigrant who came to America as an 18-year-old teenager. He married my grandma, they had 4 kids, then divorced. He moved to Chicago and bought a bar and he lived above it. He did that for 35 plus years. We loved visiting, but he only let us come in the bar at lunch time where he served us hamburgers. I miss him still.
Stumble over my words a lot. Love Art but never been to Chicago. I love real life moments in books and I think that’s what makes the stories and characters a draw to the reader.
I have to say, like you wanted to visit places because of books, that’s why I had to head to Savannah! I’ve read all of Eugenia Price’s books, even most of her nonfiction, so I HAD to go to Savannah! It was so neat, and made the books seem even more real. I’ve never been to Chicago, I have stumbled over words before. I like Thomas Kincaid paintings, and have been to one of his galleries, and I’ve been to a few museums.
Yes I stumble over my words don’t really like art but I do like Thomas Kincaid pictures that are used for puzzles. I have never been to Chicago.
Happy book birthday today is my brother’s 19th birthday
Good morning, yes, I love books that feel real, it is so soothing to know that I am not the only one with a problem like what might be in a book that feels so real. I enjoyed reading your post. Have a great day and a great week. Please don’t enter me in this giveaway as I am not tech savvy at all and I don’t read ebooks, but thank you. Your book sounds and looks like a great read.
I stumble over words a lot. What is in my brain never comes out of my mouth the same way. I have had many, many embarrassing moments, but none that are noteworthy. I have never been to Chicago although I don’t live that far away. I live in central Ohio. I like art, but am not an art lover.
What makes stories real for me is the definition of the characters and the setting of the story. I enjoy the Amish romance genre and have read some very enjoyable books set in Holmes County, Ohio. I live about an hour away and have been to that area a number of times. So I could visualize where things were happening.
Thank you for your blog today. Enjoy the rest of your week.
I am an art fan. I love impressionist paintings and have seen some in museums. I’ve never been to Chicago but I hope to get there one day.
I’m not an art fan, but I’ve been to Chicago. My uncle took me to the Natural History Museum, and we also had deep-dish pizza.
Thanks for taking the time to write books that feel real and speak to the reader. :)
Are you an art fan? Yes, not a pro but enjoy it.
Have you been to Chicago? Not yet.
Do you enjoy books that ‘feel real’? Yes!
What kinds of things help make a book feel real to you? Things I can relate to.
I’m am art fan, but I’ve never been to Chicago so I haven’t seen the gallery there, it sounds great. I’ve never visited the USA at all – my husband has a half-sister in Alabama who came to England to visit a few years back, so maybe when our kids are older we can take a trip to visit her.
I’ve been to downtown Chicago several times, years ago, and I always enjoyed it. It’s quite a pretty city and was a fun experience back then.
I stumble over my words all the time, but thankfully I have people around me who can help me.
Thanks so much Dianne. I’m sorry about your brain injury. I totally get the others misunderstanding me (& this is without a brain injury!)
Thank You for sharing no entry as I don’t do ebooks only print !
like art
I never stumbled for words until I developed Fibromyalgia. There are many times that I just cannot come up with the word. My husband, bless his heart, can figure out most of the time what I am trying to say. I have never been to Chicago. I can take or leave art. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I am not an art fan never have been and I find going to an art gallery is up there with going to the Ballet or Opera. (they are some exceptions). Haven’t been Chicago..
Real is good depending on what it is. Don’t enter me.
Thanks so much!
Ooh, obviously I need to return and add some things to my new to-do list!
I never really trust a person who is too smooth in how they talk :)
Oh, Audrey – sounds like so many fabulous memories there. Thanks for commenting today.
Exactly so! I hope you’ll enjoy reading this one day x
It’s so fun when you find an artist you love and can many expressions of their work!
Happy birthday to your brother! A good day for celebrations.
Thanks so much Alicia – realistic books are the best, aren’t they?
Thanks so much for commenting, Bonnie. I think many of us stumble over words, and it’s reassuring to know we’re not the only ones. And it’s so good to read about a place you can visualise, isn’t it?
Ooh, well do I have a book for you.,. ;)
Love deep dish pizza – yum! Thanks for commenting today.
My family and I visited Chicago once when I was in high school. It was such a fun trip and we built s lot of family memories on it.
I wouldn’t count myself a professional either, lol. Thanks for commenting, today!
Ooh, I’m guessing from your comment you’re in England? My sister is there (in Reading) and I’m planning to see her this May.
Right? I thought the downtown area was fascinating. So much great architecture!
God bless the kind people of the world!
Thanks for dropping by!
It’s cool isn’t it?
God bless you, Debra – and your lovely husband!
Okay!
Yes! Love those holidays when the family can look back on it and remember fun times!
Yes, we’re in England near Bristol so not far from Reading. Enjoy your trip!
I enjoy character friendships that are close, and you feel like they could be your own real life friends.
that should have said there are some exceptions. (shows one shouldn’t type when exhausted and still getting over an anestric). I would go to see a photography exhibition and love phantom of the opera but something like Carmen nope. Its the same with art I wouldn’t choose to go to an art gallery normally. And real life is good depending on what it is. There are some real life things I would rather not read about while others are good. And everyone will be different. While I am not an art lover or opera lover I can still read about with it in (and will often identify with the hero who is dragged along) Its the same as having a book featuring antics of a cat would interest me but would bore others but they may like the antics of a dog. When it comes to real life it depends on the subject. Very much like some of Gilbert Morris’s house of winslow books. I loved the detail and information although if it was a movie I may not have wanted so much info but I had friends who found some info to graphic. Some of the war scenes while I didn’t find them graphic or to much I know others would rather have just read which battle it was and skip details. I hope that makes sense. I am still in the not sure what day of the week it is and wondering where I can get some ice cream for Lunch as that and jelly are about all I can eat right now.
Yes!
Thanks so much!