I’m a Regency fanatic. I fell in love with the time period when I read my first one at age 15. As the years went by, however, the stories became more and more predictable (given the fact that the Regency period only encompasses about 15 years in England’s history, it did limit the story lines). But 15 years ago I came up with my own idea for a story, different than I’d ever read, and I wrote it. Basically, I wrote it for me. I was experiencing medical problems and it took doctors two years to diagnose me with Lupus. In my story, the heroine faces struggles in her...
Story Behind the Story: Lynn Squire
How did you come up with the plot and characters for your novel? I was studying the book of Job and developed the plot from it. Since I wanted it to be set in Alberta, I pictured a North West Mounted Police Officer, Sergeant Dixon, and a farmer, Joab Black. Over the course of time, Dixon informed me who he was. Not at all whom I sketched out originally. I didn’t think he’d be so prominent in the book. Then Joab slipped to the background more. His story being Job’s story, he felt that the readers might feel depressed if he played center stage. What inspired you the most...
Story Behind the Story: Anne Mateer
My grandmother was a born storyteller, the kind that could spin a tale and keep you enthralled from beginning to end. But her tales didn’t come from a tangle of imagination. They came from her life. I didn’t appreciate this as much as I should have as a child or a young adult, but when Nanny passed away in January of 2000, one of her stories took hold of me and wouldn’t let go. It was the story of her mother, a young woman with four small children left at home while her husband fought The Great War. As the war drew to an end, the influenza epidemic hit,...
Two Years of Blogging: My favorite posts
What got me into journalism and history at the same time? Hint – An old friend of my grandfather’s and his crazy stories. What legendary horse inspired my first “real” novel? What WWII author tucked me under her wing and answered all my annoying questions via Facebook and email? Two years later, she’s still my idol! 🙂 What book changed my outlook on writing, characters and the meaning of book clubs? Hint – it’s not my typical genre. And the movie comes out March 23, 2012. (Yes, I’m counting down the days.) Finally – what blog series did I start in 2010 that I’m still continuing to this day? Hint...
Story Behind the Story: Christine Lindsey
This story that is set in India circa 1919 is so dear to my heart. Some of my ancestors on my mother’s side were Irish officers who served in the British Cavalry during England’s rule of Colonial India—the British Raj. It’s a glittering, fascinating era that is long gone. Somehow I grew up on stories set in India. MM Kaye’s Far Pavilions and Shadow of the Moon became the most romantic stories I ever read and even after many readings still sweep me away. To cut a long story short, I had the intense joy of going to India last January to observe a ministry that focuses on teaching...