Mella
asked
Elizabeth Spann Craig:
What made you decide to use an army of gnomes as punishment for Red's misguided attempts to tame Myrtle? I think the army is my absolute favourite part of making Myrtle such a unique character. Particularly when Dusty has to cut around them :)
Elizabeth Spann Craig
Hi Mella! Thanks for the question and for reading my books.
There were a couple of things that influenced that. I first started drafting a book in this series in 2003ish. A neighbor of mine at the time was *extremely* upset about some "yard art" that another neighbor had. It was actually a very frou-frou wishing well (with no function as a working well) and some small statues.
Soon after, Parade magazine in the Sunday paper featured an elderly couple with a collection of yard gnomes. Something clicked in my head at that point. :) Their collection wasn't as extensive as Myrtle's, but I figured she could put her collection into overdrive.
At the time, my grandmother (my original inspiration for Myrtle's character) was regularly exasperating my father over her antics. It all came together!
There were a couple of things that influenced that. I first started drafting a book in this series in 2003ish. A neighbor of mine at the time was *extremely* upset about some "yard art" that another neighbor had. It was actually a very frou-frou wishing well (with no function as a working well) and some small statues.
Soon after, Parade magazine in the Sunday paper featured an elderly couple with a collection of yard gnomes. Something clicked in my head at that point. :) Their collection wasn't as extensive as Myrtle's, but I figured she could put her collection into overdrive.
At the time, my grandmother (my original inspiration for Myrtle's character) was regularly exasperating my father over her antics. It all came together!
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