Ask the Author: Foster Henderson
Answered Questions (7)
Foster Henderson
The sequel to The Sunshine Stone. Watch this space.
Foster Henderson
Sorry, it's nothing I've done deliberately! If there's a technical problem, please let me know and I'll contact the good folks at Goodreads!
Thanks for accepting my friendship request.
All the very best, Foster
Thanks for accepting my friendship request.
All the very best, Foster
Foster Henderson
There were two strong inspirations for The Sunshine Stone, both from my childhood.
When I was 7 or 8 years old my father bought me, a book called “Bohemian Fairy Tales”. It was a collection of magical stories but the last story, “The Sunshine Stone” was, by far, the most powerful. It’s about a little girl who suffers unimaginable cruelty and deprivation but always remains cheerful and brave. One night, she falls asleep and dreams of a beautiful stone. When she awakes, she is gripping the same stone in her fist. The girl must then discover why this mysterious gem appeared to her – and when she does, it changes her life irrevocably.
Maybe 2 years later, came the second inspiration. I watched an old cowboy film, made around 60 or 70 years ago. In the film, a real magician performs magic tricks for the town folk, producing wild animals out of thin air and levitating members of his audience. Yet the surrounding crowd are completely unimpressed and boo him off the stage, even though he is not performing illusions but genuine magic.
This made me think how even 150 years ago, people were so absorbed in their own drudgery and reality, they could not recognize genuine miracles even when they were performed directly in front of their noses. These days, we are even more hardened and cynical.
On a deeper level, it shows how we fail to recognize the miracles that surround us all the time. Every time, we see, feel, breathe, love or hate, we are experiencing the wonder and miracle of living. The animals that surround us, the astonishing natural scenery, our amazing human ingenuity, even the darker aspects of life are all miracles. Miracles are everywhere. Yet they pass us by.
The Sunshine Stone combines my two childhood inspirations to create a fast-paced thriller that also intends to make you think.
When I was 7 or 8 years old my father bought me, a book called “Bohemian Fairy Tales”. It was a collection of magical stories but the last story, “The Sunshine Stone” was, by far, the most powerful. It’s about a little girl who suffers unimaginable cruelty and deprivation but always remains cheerful and brave. One night, she falls asleep and dreams of a beautiful stone. When she awakes, she is gripping the same stone in her fist. The girl must then discover why this mysterious gem appeared to her – and when she does, it changes her life irrevocably.
Maybe 2 years later, came the second inspiration. I watched an old cowboy film, made around 60 or 70 years ago. In the film, a real magician performs magic tricks for the town folk, producing wild animals out of thin air and levitating members of his audience. Yet the surrounding crowd are completely unimpressed and boo him off the stage, even though he is not performing illusions but genuine magic.
This made me think how even 150 years ago, people were so absorbed in their own drudgery and reality, they could not recognize genuine miracles even when they were performed directly in front of their noses. These days, we are even more hardened and cynical.
On a deeper level, it shows how we fail to recognize the miracles that surround us all the time. Every time, we see, feel, breathe, love or hate, we are experiencing the wonder and miracle of living. The animals that surround us, the astonishing natural scenery, our amazing human ingenuity, even the darker aspects of life are all miracles. Miracles are everywhere. Yet they pass us by.
The Sunshine Stone combines my two childhood inspirations to create a fast-paced thriller that also intends to make you think.
Foster Henderson
Films, books, plays, conversations, ideas, dreams and always asking "what if".
Foster Henderson
Keep going, never give up. Read as widely as possible, as much as possible and always consider what you liked and didn't like about what you read.
Foster Henderson
Freedom, flexibility and the ability to vent your creative voice. Also, when someone enjoys what you've labored so hard to write, it's a very rewarding experience.
Foster Henderson
It's not easy but you just have to force yourself to write a certain word count (usually 1,500, in my case) every day. No matter what.
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