The Inspiration for My Debut Novel and Its Connection to My Life Perspective

The Inspiration for My Debut Novel and Its Connection to My Life Perspective

The inspiration for my debut novel, Out of the Crash, emerged from my sideline view of what happened in my hometown after a pair of tragic bicycle accidents. The facts surrounding each incident shared some similarities but essentially differed. The nuts and bolts go something like this: 

Distracted driver meets innocent cyclist traveling along a narrow bike path—a collision that leaves families torn apart and numerous relationships tested. 

I watched the aftermath of each incident unfold and read comments on social media in awe of how bold (and cruel) people could be. As quickly as the local media reported on the stories, people formed conclusions about the alleged offenders. What they were doing at the time of the accident. What kind of people they were. And what type of punishment they should endure. Despite a legal system built on the principle of innocent until proven guilty, the drivers of each car became targets of public scrutiny. Ultimately, some of those conclusions had merit; others did not. But it made me sad how easily people jumped to the worst-case scenario. I felt compelled to speak out but didn’t know how. 

I also couldn’t help peppering myself with questions about how I would feel if wrapped up in similar circumstances. What if someone I love had sustained injuries in one of those crashes? Or someone close to me had been behind the wheel of one of those cars?

My imagination went wild. As a mom, I pictured myself trying to defend one of my kids if they’d been responsible for someone else’s grave injuries or even their death. Would I wholeheartedly support my child’s actions under any circumstance? Would I accept the truth even if it destroyed the future I’d foreseen for my family? And how much consideration would I give to the pain suffered by the victim and the victim’s loved ones? This last question generated further reflection. 

I pondered the countless contexts where I see people taking unyielding sides. It’s black or white. Right or wrong. Us versus them. Life doesn’t seem that clear-cut to me. I wanted to explore the moral grey area and give voice to those who might be misrepresented or misunderstood. 

That’s when Out of the Crash truly began to take shape. I set out to convey how multi-faceted the human experience can be. To debunk any suggestion that there’s ever only one side to a story. In a time when the media bombards us with compelling headlines and summary talking points—typically just scratching the surface of a news event—it’s more important than ever to at least avoid passing judgment until the whole story becomes clear. 

But that’s only part of where this novel took me. Unbeknownst to me, my deep dive into an external situation led to an analysis of how outside circumstances can trigger self-reflection. As I got to know my characters, I saw them reacting to their challenges by looking within themselves and trying to fix things they weren’t even aware had been broken. 

For instance, my female protagonist is a breast cancer survivor, a successful author and speaker, and a tireless advocate for those battling critical illness. By all accounts, she has it all. A loving family. A thriving career. A happy ending to her long battle against a life-threatening disease. But when her son’s negligence upends her family, she stares at the brokenness of her closest relationships. She’d been coasting on autopilot until a fork in the road forces her to reexamine her priorities and make changes for the sake of her husband, her children, and herself. 

Could this part of the story be autobiographical? Perhaps. We write what we know. And I am a breast cancer survivor. While my protagonist’s life is purely fictional, I learned a lot about myself by crafting her behavior and inner thoughts. 

Something else worth mentioning is how adamant I became about representing both sides of the situation, which led to my decision to write this story in dual POV. The mother of the driver on trial for vehicular homicide shares equal page-time with my second POV character, the victim’s son, who’s left grieving and fighting with his dad after the tragic loss of his mother. During the revision phase of this novel, an editor suggested that I consider eliminating that second POV. She believed there was enough happening to focus only on the mom’s perspective. 

If you knew me, you’d understand what a people-pleaser I am, often to my detriment. I can definitely be described as someone who succumbs to the recommendations of others, even when I’m not sure whether I agree with them. In that instance, I met my editor’s suggestion with a hard ‘no.’ The moral grey area can’t be adequately explored without giving equivalent time to the “black” and the “white.” 

This commitment to delving into the middle ground reflects my author brand and illustrates how I generally view life. Some of my friends jokingly refer to me as “The Diplomat” for this reason. I’ve even completed two unpublished novels with entirely different plots that explore the reasoning behind people’s actions. At first glance, it may seem impossible that a serial killer targeting young women shares anything in common with an overly ambitious reality TV contestant. However, a closer look at their backstories reveals the root of their behavior, much like how we ultimately understand the decisions made by both protagonists in Out of the Crash.

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OUT OF THE CRASH

After a fatal hit-and-run devastates their close-knit community, author Caroline Beasley and high school senior Ethan Shawver find themselves at a crossroads as their lives intertwine in unexpected ways. Both are left reeling as they try to make sense of the tragedy that has irrevocably changed their lives.

Caroline struggles with the dark implications of her son’s role in the crash, feeling the weight of guilt and despair. Meanwhile, Ethan grapples with the sudden loss of his mother and stumbles upon a disturbing family secret that threatens to upend everything he believes. As they each search for truth and healing, they must confront their deepest fears and regrets to find a way forward.

PREORDER HERE

Susan Poole is a mother, lawyer, freelance writer, and nonprofit professional. She was awarded the 2023 Rising Star Award from the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) for her debut novel, Out of the Crash, which is set to be released in July 2025. Susan’s essays have been featured on popular parenting websites such as Grown and Flown and Scary Mommy. Additionally, she has published two nonfiction pieces: a memoir in Neighborhood Voices and an article about her experience as a wrestling mom in Grapple Alley.

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https://medium.com/@shppoole – Medium blog

 

 

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Category: On Writing