Who is in your story?

Do you write about people you know?

I get asked that question all the time. I always say, “Bits and pieces of people I’ve met meld together.” 
I never say, “Of course, and you’ll be in the next book.”


Many of my heroines have traits that come from the woman in the photo above. My mom. 


Don’t you love the photo? She’d hate it. In fact if it weren’t on my computer she would destroy it. I snapped this on the 4th of July –she saw the camera and popped her’s in front of her face so I couldn’t get a close up shot of her. 


As I look at it I think I understand. You can’t capture a person in a single photo. The woman in this photo has life story that should have knocked her to the ground unable to move. 


Instead she is all about enjoying the life God gave her. She doesn’t put up with whining and feeling sorry for yourself. Okay, she let’s you have a day and then she reminds you that, you have been fearfully and wonderfully made so get up and get going. Enjoy that life. 


My mom loves jokes, she loves to tell them, but she always starts laughing before she gets to the punch line. If I hear a good joke I know I have to call her just to hear her laugh.


She’s been through many tough times, lost all of her sons and yet holds tight to her faith.


On the 4th of July she will grab sparklers and twirl with them, write her name and when it goes out ask for more. I think that sums up who she is bright, fun and ready for what God has to offer. I want to be like her. So yes, I use her in my stories only she doesn’t know it, so if you see her please don’t tell her and please don’t tell her she was on my blog!

So who is your ‘secret’ inspiration for your life?