How Research Leads to More Stories

 A story can begin from something that pops into your mind. It can happen while reading. While watching TV or a movie. A certain smell that brings back a memory. It can happen while overhearing a conversation. There's a million and one ways stories are triggered.

One story that I'm working on right now for Kindle Vella, began from a conversation with a woman who was like a second mother to me. She was helping me with my research on the "Unsung Heroes" book. But, there was something that she said that triggered a story. In the course of the conversation, she said she'd lived in a house that was part of the underground railroad. The first blog posts back in May all deal with the house.

Next thing I knew, I was creating characters for a new historical fiction of sorts book, and contacting the kid who designed the cover for my book, "The Ghosts of Springhollow" to see if she wanted to do another cover design.

I began doing side research on the house, and came across a book I mentioned in the last blog post about quilts and coded messages. I knew I had to call Dorothy and ask her if she knew anything about them. But I kept putting it off and diving into other areas of the book. The next thing I knew - her son Mike posted that she died suddenly. 

I was gutted, and still am. I lost someone I loved like a second mom. I lost a good friend. She was a very special woman who was loved by so many. She and my mom were the last of the parents in our neighbourhood. Mom is now the last one standing. It must be a weird feeling. 

There's a couple lessons learned from this moment - stop putting off calling people who come to mind. It may be your last chance to talk to them. 

The second, is this - talk to your elders and record what they say. Some day, you'll wish you had. Once the older generation is gone, their wisdom and the history they've known go with them. It's lost forever. Record it now while you have the chance.