A frequent question asked by readers at book-signings and online is: How do you come up with the ideas for your novels? All the ideas for my books and short stories have come in different ways, but the story of The Secret Sense of Wildflower is one of the more interesting ones.
Eleven years ago, at four in the morning, I awoke with a clear, resounding voice in my head. It was the voice of a girl who began to tell me her story: There are two things I’m afraid of, she said. One is dying young. The other is Johnny Monroe. A day or two before, I had visited our small family cemetery located in the southern Appalachian Mountains. I spent an afternoon walking among the final resting places of my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as ancestors I had never known. Had I accidentally brought one of them home with me, who needed her story told?
Rest assured, mental illness does not run in my family. But for a fiction writer, to get the “voice” of a character so clearly is really good news. I, however, wanted to go back to sleep. Who wouldn’t, at 4 o’clock in the morning? For a time, I debated whether or not to get up. I ultimately decided that if I didn’t claim this moment, the “voice” might find someone else to write her story.
Needless to say, I turned on the light, picked up a pen and a pad of paper and began to write the story of Louisa May “Wildflower” McAllister. It took days and weeks of listening to her and seeing the scenes of her life play out in my imagination. Then it took years of revising and revisiting the story to polish it and get it ready. Not to mention the tremendous amount of faith I had to generate to keep going all those years– faith in myself as a writer and faith in Wildflower’s story. Now it is time for me to enter into the next phase of the life of this book and this story. I have to help readers find it and with that in mind, I ask your help.
Please consider sharing this blog post or spreading the word to your friends on facebook or wherever you hang out online. If you decide to purchase the book and enjoy it, consider writing a review on Amazon or on Goodreads, et al. (This helps readers from around the world have the courage to try a new writer.) Encourage your local library to order it or recommend it to your book club.
Thank you in advance for helping me spread the word. Also, I’d love to get an email from you after you read it to tell me what you think (email me here). I’d also love to hear what you think of this post, so please consider commenting.
More info on The Secret Sense of Wildflower .
P.S. I am an ex-shrink who writes novels. Check out my other books here.
Our wonderful email subscribers are weighing in:
“Thanks for sharing this Susan. I personally think every creative person, be they writers, musicians, artists, or whatever, hears those voices. I really believe it is part of the creative process. So listen up !!! and write on Sister….write on !!!! 🙂 Trélys”
and:
“Wow Susan, I can’t imagine how it must feel to have a story some to you directly like that! Its fun to know the backstory. I’ll email you when I finish the book. LK.”
Hi Susan,
It’s been awhile but I wanted to check in. I’ve gotten hooked on Pininterest, so of course I pinned your book in my books pinboard and thought, wonder where her writing journey has taken her. I’m excited to hear about this new book. I’ve currently glued and half finished with a book called “Behind the Pine Curtain” by Gerri Hill. It’s exciting you shared you’re backstory for this book. In the world of writing, I can only imagine this would have been quite a gift…a rather spooky spark of inspiration…but a gift none the less. It’s not many times when you get to bring a ghost back to life, so I am intrigued, will read and sow the seeds for more people to pick up your books, because Seeking Susan Summers gives me goosebumps as I’m sure your latest work will. Anyway I just wanted to say hi and please say hi to Anne for me as well. Nameste.
Hi Jen,
Great to hear from you again! I think “goosebumps” is the highest praise I’ve received for Seeking Sara Summers. Thank you. I hope you have a chance to read the latest one. I was aiming for goosebumps with that one, too.
All the best, Jen, and take good care,
Susan
Hi Susan,
I just wanted to say that I truly enjoyed your book, “Seeking Sara Summers”, and am going to order your new book, “The Secret Sense of Wild flower”. I’m not much of a book reader, since I’ve always been one to be indoors or outdoors doing things since childhood, but when I happened on your add from Face Book for, Seeking Sara Summers, I read the free chapters and liked it a lot, so I ordered it. I like your style of writing so much that I’ve read it twice now.
I’m finding that I love stories of true love, that one person that can hold your soul and fill that void that you know is there. If you ever decide to write a sequel to “Seeking Sara Summers”, I would love to read it.
So for now I’ll be ordering your new book thru your site so I can get your autograph. Thank you and keep up the great work.
By the way, the small card inside the book from Seeking Sara Summers, was a nice touch. That touched my heart, because things like this are few and far between in these fast moving times of everything feeling mechanical and inhuman. Happy writing!
sincerely, Holly Schimpf
Hi Holly,
Your comment means a lot to me and you are very kind to let me know. I’m so glad you enjoyed Seeking Sara Summers. The Secret Sense of Wildflower is quite a different story and about a different kind of love–of family and the land–but also has a lot of heart.
Thanks again for stopping by and for sharing your experience with me.
All the best,
Susan