Readers: The Start Of A Story

 

The question I am most often asked is: “Where do you get the ideas for your novels”? While there is no single answer, there is a source that never ceases to inspire me— my readers.

To understand such an answer, you first have to know that I am a Facebook Fanatic. The same is true of Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram. I love social media. It’s my local coffee shop; it’s where I can stop in for a few minutes of chitchat while I’m still in my pajamas or dressed in sweat pants. For me, these places are exactly what their name implies—social. They are spots where I can connect with the women who read my books.

In a no-pressure social environment, readers are eager to say what they loved and didn’t love, what they’d like more of, what touched their heart, and what caused them to connect with a character. Often it’s a case of art imitating life. When a novel mirrors something they’ve experienced, they’re anxious to tell me about it.

And not surprisingly, my readers are much like my characters—ordinary people dealing with extraordinary circumstances. That’s why they relate.

As they share their stories, I also share mine. In time, this interaction turns a fan into a follower and ultimately into a friend. It is the kind of relationship an author dreams about.

With friendship comes a bond of trust. The kind of trust that assures a reader the author will tell a story with the heart and sensitivity it deserves. Trust is the open door a reader goes through in sharing a story they believe needs to be told. It might be about a lesson learned, a warning to be heeded or a joy experienced, but it is almost always something with a high degree of poignancy.

Baby Girl, winner of the 2017 International Book Award, and named by Huffington Post as best Chick Lit of 2016, was based on just such a story, one shared by a Facebook friend.

She messaged me and said, “I’d love for you write my story, because I think it might help other young girls in a similar situation.”

We spoke on the telephone, and after I listened to her story, I warned that I write fiction. This meant I’d be taking a few liberties with the basic facts, possibly even skipping over details that were important at the time, but slowed the story.

“I know,” she replied. “But I trust you to tell it in the way it needs to be told.”

Here is where that all-important trust comes into play. It has to be there, in the heart of every story. When someone becomes a dedicated reader, a fan or a follower, it’s because they trust that author to give them a satisfying story. They are confident that even though the character may experience pain and heartache, the story will find its way to a heartwarming conclusion.

This was precisely what happened with Baby Girl.

This follower’s story was only one of many that gave birth to a novel. There are several more—tales with a less happy ending, but ones that inspired me to wonder what if it happened a slightly different way?

Some of the ‘what if’ stories might never have come to mind were it not for the generosity and trust given to me by readers.

On hectic days when I’m buried in edits, and don’t have time for an evening out with the girls, I jump on Facebook and socialize with friends. It’s always fun, and who knows… the next conversation may be my inspiration for another bestseller.

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Bette Lee Crosby is the USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels, her newest, The Summer of New Beginnings, released in March 2018 from Lake Union Publishing. She laughingly admits to being a night owl and a workaholic, claiming that her guilty pleasure is late-night chats with fans and friends on Facebook and Goodreads. To learn more about Bette Lee Crosby’s work, stop by her website at www.betteleecrosby.com.

 

About THE SUMMER OF NEW BEGINNINGS

One family learns that love is the greatest miracle of all—from USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby.

Aspiring journalist Meghan Briggs has always been the responsible one in the family. So when her father passes away unexpectedly, leaving behind his at-risk business, she steps up to save his legacy—even if that means putting her own dreams on hold.

Tracy couldn’t be more different from her sister. She’s always been the rebellious type, without much direction in life. But in the wake of her latest romantic disaster, she finds herself moving back home as a single mother.

As Tracy experiences the difficulties of new motherhood, Meghan faces her own struggle: trying not to fall for the stray puppy she rescued. This is no time for attachments—not to the adorable “Sox,” whose owner is bound to turn up any day, and certainly not to the handsome new vet in town. But as the summer unfolds, she discovers that, like Sox, she may need rescuing, too.

As both sisters navigate unexpected challenges and exciting new relationships, they’ll find that putting the past to rest can make way for beautiful new beginnings.

 

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Category: On Writing