They say writing a book is a personal thing. That an author has to go so deep into their own world, and remove all outside influences, to create .

But that's not always the case.

In fact, I find that my books are often inspired by real life situations, events, memories, and sometimes even things I overhear at the grocery store. 😁

For example, the Applesauce Cookie recipe in "Once Upon a Library" is my great-grandma Phoebe's recipe. I added a piece of her history to the book, inspired by the love she had for her large (99 great-granchildren at her passing) family. It was that love that went into Grandma Westbrook's character and helped her see Alice's need to belong.

I think being inspired by the goodness in others can bring an added level of reality to a character.

What do you think? I'd love to know. Leave a comment below. 🥰
Happy reading,
Lucy

P.S. If you'd like to read "Once Upon a Library" you can get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FVJW312