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

Inspired by Wooden Shoes

My passion is the Netherlands. I was born in Michigan, the state with the highest Dutch population in the United States. But several objects in my childhood home are what inspired my love for Holland. In fact, a pair of miniature wooden shoes that belonged to my mother found their way into my novel.

I began writing and telling stories as a child, and wrote poems to my mother, enclosing them in May Day baskets and Mother's Day gifts. When I was a teenager, the neighborhood kids would gather in our backyard at the gym set, and ask me to tell them a story. Sadly, I don't remember any of those tales. Later, I made up stories for my children on our long trips out west.

In fifth grade, my interest turned to romance. When I read about the building of the railroad across the nation, the caption, "The two met in Utah," brought no image of eastern and western teams meeting to connect their rails. Instead, I envisioned a young couple's rendezvous. But this scenario never developed into a story.

I can even claim a Dutch relative, though I never knew him. My mother's great or great, great grandfather came to America by ship in his wooden shoes. I would have loved to have known him and to hear him tell of his life in the Netherlands.

If you are Dutch, or have visited the Netherlands, or are interested in or intrigued by this country, I would love to hear from you and have you share your knowledge and experiences with me. And even if you're not Dutch and you have no Dutch-related adventures to write about, I'd still love to hear from you.

                  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.  Proverbs 25:11