My Dream, A Reality

Arriving in the Netherlands

May 14, 1989 finally arrives. When my husband and I reach the Charlotte Airport, gray clouds fill the sky, but sunshine fills my heart. We change planes in New york and again in London. As we fly toward the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, farmland, like patchwork squares, greet us. This is the Netherlands! We're flying over Dutch soil. My dream has become a reality!

Our First Windmill

The Schiphol Airport is the world's only underwater airfield, thirteen feet below sea level. After landing, we claim our rental car and set off to see the sights. We spot our first windmill in Rijnsaterwoude, a village in North Holland, just fifteen minutes from the airport—a stately windmill, but, sadly, no longer working. I know it would wave its wings to us, if it could. The windmill had belonged to the deceased grandmother of a woman we visited.

Holland, the Flower Garden of Europe

The homes here and across the Netherlands have very large windows with opened lace curtains. Plants and potted flowers fill the windows. Flowers are very important to the Dutch. In fact, Holland is called the flower garden of Europe. In spring, you'll see the countryside covered with rows of tulips in myriads of colors. Hyacinths, daffodils, and other flowers also grace the fields. Most of these will be harvested, and their bulbs shipped around the world. Many flowers will be auctioned off at the famous Aalsmeer Flower Auction, located near Amsterdam.

Keukenhof Gardens, the Pride of Holland

There's nothing more beautiful than the Keukenhof Gardens in South Holland. Eight million bulbs blossom here in the 60 acre garden. Vibrant tulips of all colors dance in the breeze on the velvet, green lawn. They circle the base of the trees like wreaths and border the placid lakes and ponds. Graceful swans float on the water, a proud peacock flaunts his fan of emerald feathers, and a carillon with twelve bells fills the air with music, adding magic to this dream world.

Keukenhof means Kitchen Garden. In Medieval times, a countess owned these grounds and often searched the fields for herbs and vegetables with her kitchen servants. Thus the place took the name of kitchen garden or in Dutch, Keuken-hof.

An impressive stage windmill on the grounds beckons us. Dan and I enter—our first time ever to set foot inside a Dutch windmill! We climb a flight of stairs, and step out onto the stage. The windmill's blades are massive, as are the gears and all the mechanisms inside. As we walk around the stage, circling the entire structure, I treasure these moments, hardly believing this is reality, wishing I could stay longer. 

I still marvel how God made my dream a reality.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:4 & 5

What Can Spark An Inspiration?

You'd be surprised. The answer is: "anything." The most mundane object in your home or a person you see in a crowd can trigger an inspiration.

How about that shifty-eyed guy you saw, lurking around at the mall? He might be the perfect character for that mystery that's been playing in your mind.

A song of dancing tulips, I'd learned as a child, blossomed into my first published children's story, Tulips of Love. A Christmas ornament of an angel child, seated on a guitar, sparked an idea for another story.

Royal Delftware Shop

And a scene in my third published story came from a calendar, showing a row of Dutch buildings crowned with elaborate gables. In my mind, I envisioned a young girl running down that street, searching for a china shop. She'd broken her mother's favorite porcelain dish and had to replace it before her mother discovered it missing.

When paging through my Indian scrapbook, I knew, as soon as I saw her, the little Indian girl painting pottery belonged in another story of mine.

A picture file is very useful for finding your characters. When I began writing my novel, I'd pictured both my hero and heroine with dark hair. However, my sister suggested, since my story was set in the Netherlands, at least one of the main characters should be blond. Good point. But I felt at a loss. I already knew Anneke as a brunette. I had to get to know her all over again, which was hard. So I went to my picture file and, voila! There she was, with her long, blond hair and beautiful smile. I knew her at once, and now I can't even imagine Anneke having dark hair.

After finding Anneke's true identity, I searched my files and found the perfect picture of each of my characters. The collage now hangs on the wall above my computer desk so, as I write, I can see these characters. They're so real to me, I know them personally. And that makes writing all the more fun.

So, look around you and find that person, picture, or object that intrigues you. It just may be the inspiration for your first book.


But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.   James 1:5