Have you ever wondered what inspires stories for authors? Where do they get their great ideas? The answer? Sometimes in the strangest places.
Shortly before I wrote Oslo Overtures (working title Pink Skies), I was listening to the radio on the way to work one morning. The presenter was discussing female pilots and listeners were invited to call in and give their opinions. One caller, I think it was actually a woman who clearly was not in favor of female pilots, commented that if women were meant to fly, the skies would be pink. And so the seeds were planted for my story of a woman in the testosterone-heavy environment of wingsuit pilots.
One evening, Autumn Macarthur and I were chatting over Facebook Messenger about creating a multi-author series. It didn’t take us long to realize that we each had a secondary character in one of our books who had something in common … Tuscany. And so the idea formed for a series of books about one Italian family, and A Tuscan Legacy was born.
Last week, I asked another author friend, Ashley Winter, if she had a “seeds of a story” story to share. This is what she said:
As a writer, I get asked the question now and then, “Where do you get your ideas for all your stories?”
Now, if you’ve met a fiction author, or have an author friend, you‘ll know we love to talk about our novels like parents love to talk about their children. Truthfully though, I have only one book where I developed the storyline from a seed, and that title is Rachel’s Blessing.
A few years ago, I heard a bittersweet account of a young woman who’d left her home country for an adventure on the other side of the globe. While she was there, she fell in love and had a whirlwind romance for a few months. Then came the heartbreaking goodbye and her return home. After a short while back, the woman realised she was pregnant and the discovery left her torn between the life she loved with her family, and a brand new one on the other side of the world with the father of her coming child – the man she was starting to love.
This real life story and its intense emotion intrigued me for years, and I imagined how the same scenario would play out between an unmarried Christian couple, considering the additional dynamics of regret, shame, grace and healing that it would involve.
And so began the sprouting of the Rachel’s Blessing seed, Book One in my thirteen book series, Love in South Africa.
(PS: Moral of the story, be careful what you share with your author friends! You might find yourself the main character between the pages of their latest book!)”
I loved reading about where Ashley got her idea for that first book. Thanks so much for sharing that with us, Ashley. Several of my books, too, have been the product of something that happened to someone I knew. Not their stories, but rather my stories were sparked by their lives.
The idea for my most recent story, In an English Vintage Garden, now available on preorder in the Mosaic summer anthology, Before Summer’s End, and releasing on June 3, was literally sparked by seeds. I had been scrolling through news feeds on my phone when a headline caught my eye: “Calgary woman finds heirloom seeds in attic, hopes to grow vintage flowers.” As I gazed at the image in the article of the dusty old wooden tray with its bottles and seed packets, a story idea began to grow. And this is what happened:
An unexpected inheritance unlocks secrets from the past.
Jack Lancaster. A name Ellen Oakley has never heard before, and yet the old man has left Ellen an English seaside cottage in his will.
With a catastrophic year behind her—a broken engagement, the sudden death of her father, and more recently, lay-offs at work, she being one of the casualties—the only thing standing in Ellen’s way of flying to England to claim her inheritance and make a fresh start, is Lillian Oakley, her mother.
It takes some convincing, but Ellen manages to get her mom to agree to accompany her to England for a time. As the quaint English cottage on the Norfolk shores offers up its ghosts and skeletons in the closet, one woman finds closure, the other a new beginning.
Here’s what some early readers are saying about In an English Vintage Garden:
Wow, this book was everything I thought it would be and more. I was definitely not disappointed. A beautiful seaside cottage in England with very lovable characters and a lot of mystery. I would really love to see a series come from this book. ~ Sherry Weaver Ferguson
This was one of the best books ever. ~ Terry Weaver Silva
In closing, I thought you might enjoy peeking at the part of this story where my heroine finds her vintage seeds …
EXCERPT:
Standing outside the plant-filled structure made mostly from glass, Ellen clutched the seed tray underneath one arm and opened the door. She could tell her mother was going to spend a lot of time in here. “Mom, I’ve something for you that’s going to make you freak out.”
Mom set her tools down as Ellen plunked the tray with its dusty bottles and packets down on the table beside her.
“What’s that?” Mom asked.
“Vintage seeds,” Ellen announced, proud of her find.
Her mother’s face lit up. “Goodness gracious, where did you find those?”
“In the attic.”
Mom lifted a bottle, then another, her hands trembling. Her jaw dropped in wonder. “These are so old. They must be valuable.” She examined the contents then shook a few seeds out into her palm.
“Do you think they’ll still grow?” Ellen asked as she stared at the tiny seeds.
Mom shrugged. “I doubt it. They’re so old, but I guess I could try to cultivate a few seeds, see what happens.”
In an English Vintage Garden is available on preorder in Before Summer’s End.
I will be giving away a free copy of my story, In an English Vintage Garden to one commenter on this post, and Ashley Winter will be giving away a free copy of Rachel’s Blessing to another reader who comments below.
USA Today bestselling author, MARION UECKERMANN’s passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa and are setting their sights on retirement when they can join their family in the beautiful Cape.
Its interesting to hear where you get ideas for a book. The one you wrote Oslo Overtures sounds interesting. The comment about if God wanted women pilots the skies would be pink condescending, my first thought was it’s so wrong on several levels one being it assumes pink is a colour all girls love. (I hate pink). Then I thought the sky often is pink at sunrise and sunset etc.
When I was in America I had lunch with a few authors and then 2 of them were taking me to the airport. Well we took a couple of wrong turns and the comment this could end up in a book
Lol. I’ve often used things that have happened to me in my stories. I mean, why waste a good experience? Or a bad one 😊
Love the idea’s for both books.
Thank you, Kim.
Both books sound like books I would love to read.
Thanks, Pat. Hope you get to read them. All the best in the draw.
I am so looking forward to reading your newest book! Thanks for the insight into how the seeds are down!
Thanks, Paula. Check your email 😁
Hi Marion! Always enjoy reading a backstory on upcoming releases. Sounds interesting to a person with a brown thumb. My mom had the green thumb. Best wishes.
From one brown thumbed person to another…glad you enjoyed the read.
Oh my gosh. You had me at seeds. I worked in the vegetable seed industry for years. I am so looking forward to reading this book. And a story set in the English countryside to boot. I do love reading your books, the way you weave your stories.
Thank you so much, Cindy. Hope you get to read In an English Vintage Garden soon.
I loved reading an early copy of In An English Vintage Garden! Coming to terms with an old love, finding new love, and a few other surprises along the way!! Rachel’s Blessing sounds really good, too!!
So glad you enjoyed the story, Trudy.
All the books in this post sound so good! That’s interesting how you get story ideas from so many different situations. I admire the fact that you can take an idea and make a whole story from it. That truly is a gift from God. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Megan. It is fascinating the way God works 😊
Interesting how you can get ideas. Both books sound good. Happy Memorial Day.
It’s quite amazing how the smallest thing can spark an idea. Happy Memorial Day to you 😊
Thank you for your post. I admire authors that write Christian fiction and romance. I do not like it when an author promotes foul language, sex before marriage and vivid sexual scenes. Yikes!
Thank you, Linda. Glad you enjoyed it.
It’s so interesting that a story can sprout from a small, random thing. My mind definitely doesn’t work that way but I’m glad that there are authors out there whose minds do.
I do wish ideas always sprouted so easily, Jessica :)
In an English Vintage Cottage sounds delightful! I’m totally curious as to who Jack Lancaster us.
Hopefully you get to find out soon, Patty :)
These books sound so good! I have asked Alana Terry before how she gets her all of ideas for her books and she has an over active imagination to begin with (not to mention the strangest dreams I could ever imagine!) She tends to pick characters in other books and make the next about them. But still she has to figure out what to create for them.
I love the way Valerie Bodden gets excited about the ideas for each new couple in her books but has to continue writing about the others lives too as they are all in the series as the time continues on for all town members! How she keeps it all straight while there are so many lives and expanding families I couldn’t ever do. You ladies have such an inborn talent and I appreciate it every time I read another amazing book!
Thank you, Deb. And thanks for sharing. In my last Chapel Cove book, about 5 secondary characters demanded their stories are told LOL.
Both books sound very intriguing and like good page turners! I Love the covers also. Thank you for sharing about these Awesome sounding and looking books! Have a Great week. Stay safe. God Bless you Both and your families.
Thank you, Alicia. Hope you get to read them soon. Stay safe, too.
I always enjoy hearing how authors got ideas for books! Both of these mentioned sound intriguing.
Thank you, Margaret. Glad you enjoyed reading about our story ideas.
Love getting to know authors.
And we love getting to know our readers, Jane :) Win-win :)
Thank You so much for sharing sounds like both books are great reads!
Thank you, Sarah. Hope you get to read them soon :)
I think stories are, perhaps, less like seeds and more like leaves on trees. We all come across them in various states: just forming, full and colorful, dried and blowing about on the ground. The storytellers are those who make regular trips to the park or even the forest. They see leaves by the thousands. Some are from trees they don’t recognize or maybe that they don’t even like. But they walk the path regularly, picking up leaves. They take them home and turn them into works of art and craft to share with others. The leaves by themselves might not be all that appealing. However, once the artist chooses a setting, creates a shadow box or a collage, then the appeal, the power of the story is put on beautiful display. Which is why we hold our IR authors in such high esteem, they are the ones who bless us with the results of their artistry and craft. So, from all of us who are grateful readers, thank you again and again!
That is an awesome analogy Lincoln! So true, thanks!
My pleasure!
Absolutely agree, Deb :)
What a beautiful way of looking at it, Lincoln. Thank you :)
It’s always interesting to learn the inspiration for an author’s story.
Thank you, Denise. Glad you enjoyed the read.
Great author – great stories! I love your stories Marion! <3
Aw, thank you so much, Natalya ❤
Congratulations to Jessica B for winning an ecopy of my latest release, In an English Vintage Garden, and Pat Tomlinson for winning an ecopy of Rachel’s Blessing from Ashley Winter. Please be on the lookout for emails informing you of download instructions. Enjoy the reads, ladies.