How do you write a story? I hear this question all the time, and I never know how to answer. I don’t know that there is only one answer. I just know how I write stories.
The old advice is to write what you know. So when I decided to start my first book, I gave the characters a home in a place I knew well–Georgia. I’m an Alabama native, but Georgia is our neighbor. Our landscape, culture, weather, and history are closely linked. It helped me understand what might be going on in the characters’ lives. If it’s summer, they’re gasping for air in the humid three-digit temps. On the weekends, men are likely huddled around the TV watching college football or NASCAR.
Along the same lines, the characters and events in my stories are sometimes pulled from everyday life. When I wrote Keeping the Cowboy, Levi was five years old, and many of the funny things he says are from my nephew.
A few months ago, my grandmother called me. She wanted me to stop by so she could show me something. When I got there, she opened an old tote that was full of quilt squares. Each square had a colorful bonnet girl stitched on an old flour sack.
She told me that my grandpa’s grandmother and aunt started this quilt over a hundred years ago. When they died, my grandmother and her mother worked on it some more. Now, my grandmother has arthritis in her hands, and she can’t finish it. She knows my mother-in-law sews, and she asked if I wanted it.
Of course I wanted it! I didn’t know how to sew, but I was going to figure out how to finish it.
Last weekend, my mother-in-law and I pulled out the squares and started working on it. I love my family, and to know that so many generations of women had worked on this piece made me realize how blessed I am. One day, I hope my daughter cherishes everything from our ancestors. Quilt, knowledge, or memory, I hope we leave only good things for the generations to come.
When my grandmother gave me these quilt squares, I was in the middle of writing my newest book, Truth is a Whisper. The main character, Ava Collins, is visiting her grandpa and learning about the grandma she never knew. Guess what I had to include? A quilt.
The quilt that Ava finds is similar to the one I was gifted. The difference? She didn’t get the chance to know her grandma, and she cherishes everything that holds a memory she missed.
When I write stories, they’re a mix of things I know and things I don’t. I know the love of family, but I don’t know what it’s like to search for that connection. All four of my grandparents are just a phone call away or a fifteen minute drive. I can ask them about being raised by immigrant parents. I can see old photos of my great great grandparents.
When I was young, Nanny taught me how to cook and nurture flowers (sorry, those skills didn’t stick). Gran taught me to paint with oils and use aloe to treat burns. I watched my Paw Paws fix cars and bale hay.
Fiction isn’t real, but when you read a book, you’re venturing into an author’s mind. Reading allows us to crawl inside each other’s imaginations and explore the beauties we hadn’t thought to dream.
Stories are wonders. I don’t know about you, but I’m glad there will always be new and amazing tales to read.
Now, time for the giveaway! One winner will receive either an ebook or an early audiobook copy of Truth is a Whisper. To enter, comment below and tell me about your hobbies. Do you sew? Do you like to garden? Or do you like to spend your free time reading?
I’ll choose a winner on Tuesday, February 15th.
Mandi Blake was born and raised in Alabama where she lives with her husband and daughter, but her southern heart loves to travel. Reading has been her favorite hobby for as long as she can remember, but writing is her passion. She loves a good happily ever after in her sweet Christian romance books, and loves to see her characters' relationships grow closer to God and each other.
When I was younger, I loved doing crafts. Now I enjoy reading and doing puzzles.
I’m the same way. I love puzzles, and I hope my daughter will like putting them together with me one day.
Hi Mandi! In my 70+ years I have tried many things. My German mom was an excellent seamstress. She sewed all my clothes. She was raised on a farm and loved to garden. She always had a vegetable and flower garden. She could knit and do needlepoint. I can’t do any of that. When I was younger, I loved to crochet and worked with plastic canvas. Besides reading, I enjoy working with photography. In the past I made scrapbooks for family and friends. Now I make photo books for my granddaughters ages 8 & 5. They love remembering the fun things they do as cousins and enjoy Oma’s tales of Sammy the Squirrel. Also enjoying making crafts with my 8 year old granddaughter. We paint with watercolors, color holiday cards, and more. I also enjoy cooking. Before Covid, I took cooking classes sponsored by a local grocery store. Best wishes. Enjoy the weekend.
Wow. You have so many interests and know so many things.
Hi Mandi. I do sew and quilt. When my kids were younger I sewed most of their clothes. My husband was a school teacher and I was a SAHM with lots of littles. Fabric was cheaper then so I sewed, now it’s easier and cheaper to buy clothes. I transitioned into sewing quilts as my kids got older. Now I have enough fabric for a small store haha. But I transitioned again as I bought a large quilting machine and finish the quilts of others. I often have 6-7 on hand waiting to be quilted. My other love is reading and I stay up late way too many nights reading one more chapter. I also have 16 grands, but sadly only two live close, so we try to visit them as much as possible.
It’s wonderful that you have so many skills! I bet many people appreciate your help.
I used to do a lot of crafts and sewing projects, but with my vision problems in recent years, most of that has gone by the wayside except for making felt Christmas stockings for my grandkids. With a new baby this year, I had to do it again (such a hardship LOL) though my stitches aren’t as neat as they once were because I can’t see as well. My 9yo granddaughter decided she wanted to make felt ornaments, too. Thankfully, she can thread needles for me while we work together. And now she is making a monster stuffie for her baby brother on my sewing machine, so that’s been all kinds of entertaining, too.
I love that you’re teaching your grandkids those skills. I learned so many things from my grandmother including painting and cross stitch.
Home Ec and my mom taught me to sew, but it wasn’t my favorite. In the 70s and 80s I did a lot of cross-stitch. Now I usually have some yarn and a crochet hook to keep my hands occupied. Afghans, baby blankets and coasters make good gifts 😁
They do make good gifts. When my daughter was born, I got some wonderful blankets from talented friends.
Mom taught me how to sew when I was young and I never appreciated that gift. Home Ec instilled a great dislike of it. We had been married over 20 years before hubby realized I could sew lol . I have quilted and enjoyed it, or perhaps the enjoyment really came from the fellowship while quilting. I have a Cricut that I’m determined to conquer, although I’m scared spotless of it. I attempt to garden and golf but my greatest loves for a pastime are listening to music, reading and walking.
My mother-in-law used a cricut, and I feel like she cam make anything. I was very overwhelmed when she tried to teach me!
I learned to cook from my mother and bake from my grandmother. Those skills still stay with me today. I always liked to draw but had no idea my grandfather drew until I came across and old drawing of his. Nowadays when I have time I make digital art using old photographs, civil war era being my favorite.
Wow. Those are some wonderful gifts from your family. My great grandfather was an amazing artist, but I didn’t get nearly enough talent from him.
I love to read and do puzzles. When I was younger I loved to sew and garden. I still love to cook and bake but cannot do what I use to do.
I love to bake, but cooking a meal is tough for me!
This is a wonderful post. Oh what a great quilt to have passed down from generation to generation. Thank you for sharing. I love to read (of course), but I also sew and quilt. I also love to make my own greeting cards and count cross stitch. I also love to can when the season comes.
My mother-in-law cans and makes her own cards. Her cards are beautiful, and I always love seeing them.
I spend most of my free time reading; however, I also make my own cards and do embroidery. I’m working on a tablecloth I actually started over 26 years ago, before my Daddy passed away. I’d put it away, then I got it out and couldn’t do some of the stitches after my numerous wrist surgeries, so Mom did some of it for me. I got it out this year since Florida finally decided to participate in Winter, and have gotten quite a bit done. I’ll be putting it up when it we start getting warmer. Until then, I’m enjoying working on it!
I hope you get a lot done! Maybe you’ll finish it soon, though I hope the weather warms up for you!
My hobbies are building puzzles year long I have a collection of about 50 or more puzzles I haven’t built yet I started building puzzles at age 4 now I’m 23 I would build puzzles with my grandma but she passed away suddenly on March 24 2020 she loved doing puzzles she was 90 when she passed my grandpa is 94 years old but he doesn’t build puzzles with me cause he doesn’t have good enough eyes to see. Also I like to read I have a whole library in my room cause I have so many books.
Your library sounds amazing! I have lots of shelves at my house, and I like to think of it like a library filled with books I’ve already picked out to read.
I am an avid reader. I love to exercise (pilates/walk). My goal this year is to start an art class.
I’ve taken a few art classes and loved them! I always learn something new. What kind of art would you pursue?
Reading. The quilt is beautiful!
Thank you!
Hi, I love to garden and I plant the flowers, my husband plants the veggies. I also love to do different crafts especially with my 3 grandchildren, they love doing crafts also, ever since they were little they liked doing crafts with me. What a beautiful gift you received , the quilt is beautiful and that is really nice that your are finishing it. Have a great weekend and stay safe. I enjoyed your post.
Thank you! And I’m so glad you love to plant flowers. It’s something I can’t do AT ALL. I kill everything I try to grow.
What a treasure that partially made quilt was! Wow!
Yes, it was!
I love crossstitch, which is so relaxing. I’ve made birth samplers for all my grandchildren and quite a few gifts, plus hung some favourites around the house. But I also love reading and movies – and I can stitch while watching television. Easy to entertain, I’ve always got something to do. Your quilt looks lovely, I do hope it gets finished.
Thank you. I love activities I can do while I also watch TV.
Wow, Mandi, that’s awesome! The thought of all the history in those quilt squares blows me away!! So glad you and your mum in law can finish the project!
Also glad you could incorporate some of that into your story….
Thank you! I look forward to seeing it finished.
I love crafting, sewing, crochet, etc but since my mom passed I just haven’t done much.
I’m sorry for your loss. I hope you find the motivation to create again.
Great blog. Thank you for sharing. I cross stitch, with a bit of quilting. crochet, as well as sew sequin and beads on calendars. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.
Wow! You have so many talents!
I don’t have a lot of hobbies. I sometimes do the crossword puzzles in the local newspaper, I also like fill-in puzzles. I used to do a ton of jigsaw puzzles and want to get back into it.
Mostly, I read :-)
Reading is a great hobby!
I love to play some video games, camp,walk, do outdoor things as a family, write, & read a lot.
Those are a wide variety of interests!
I enjoy to play video games & play hockey. I like to do things with my family outside as well we camp & I like to read alot.
All great hobbies!
Hi! ilike to crochet 🧶😁
What a lovely hobby!
My hobbies all have to do with fiction, I love reading books, comics, webtoons or manga whatever has a good romantic story! although the books are the only ones with the advantage of being Christian and not just clean. I also love watching animated movies or series. I have always liked cartoons.
And writing of course, if I want to publish a book one day I have to practice hahaha. My mom has done some things with her but we have different talents: she likes gardening, painting and crafts, she also prefers movies to books. My maternal grandmother is very similar to my mother, but her hobby was sewing… my mother did not inherit it. My paternal grandmother likes to make jam and cook. I inherited that from her, I like confectionery.
I love anything sweet too! Baking=yes. Cooking=no. haha!
I enjoy reading and watching Hallmark movies.
Both wonderful hobbies.
Beautiful!
I love scrapbooking but don’t have much time for it nowadays 😔
I’ve always wanted to scrapbook, but it’s very involved even if you don’t want to dive into the whole thing.
I haven’t sewed since my youngest daughter was about 3 years old. I have been thinking about taking it up again.i have just started gardening over the last year and have really enjoyed it.
I enjoy doing cross-stitch projects. My mom taught me. I also crotchet once in a while but I do it so little that I usually forget how until I get started again.
I enjoy reading, crafting, and baking. Although, to be be honest, lately I’ve been pretty uninspired and have been watching too much TV. I keep meaning to pull my current embroidery project out but haven’t gotten back to it since Christmas. Maybe this weekend…