Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Truth or Fiction

I am often asked how much of my own life goes into my writing.

I have to admit, more and more of it as I continue with Black Swamp Mysteries. Here are a few:

(1) I began keeping angelfish when I was writing Vicki's Key. I made Vicki's front as a CIA operative that of an angelfish breeder. Then my own angels began to breed - every time I wrote about it in Vicki's Key.

(2) One of my rescue dogs, a gorgeous collie named Simone, makes a cameo appearance in the Black Swamp Mysteries series as Sandy's dog (the next door neighbor.)

(3) I wrote in Exit 22 several years ago about a woman walking her Jack Russell and inadvertently getting in the way of a hired assassin - a year later, I would adopt my first Jack Russell, Eddie.

(4) Vicki's and Dylan's favorite place to eat in Lumberton, NC is The Village Station, which happens to be my favorite place here, also.

(5) I love the house that inspired Aunt Laurel's home in the series. And like Vicki, I would probably see ghosts there. Which is why I didn't buy it when it was recently for sale.

(6) The information about the tribal leader in Afghanistan in Vicki's Key standing up to the men who repeatedly robbed them "in the name of Allah" was based on a true incident.

Do you prefer a story that is completely imagination? Or do you like knowing the back stories and true inspirations behind the characters and scenes?