Where Were You When You Wrote...?

Writers: Do you have writing memories?

Meaning, can you remember the approximate time, place, and activity when inspiration struck, or a scene, or a piece of dialogue, or a character, or a plot twist mentally appeared?

I remember Henry Matthews' first bit of dialogue, which was in Bryony.

I was still living in Marycrest, out on my daily power walk (early afternoon when Richard was still home with the kids, before he left for Caterpillar on the afternoon shift). I was coming down Marmion Avenue and turning left onto St. Joseph. That line is older than my two last children, as my fourth was no more than two years old at the time.

I remember when I wrote the last line to a chapter in Before The Blood.

We were living in Channahon, toward the end of our time there, as Ron had already lost his job, but recently, so it must have been late 2019 or early 2011 (guessing the latter), because it was snowing outside. I remember how excited I was to get back to the story. Instead, I went back to work (inside my attic office), never to return fully to that chapter for another seven years.

I remember the first line I wrote in Visage.

I was sharing an attic bedroom with Rebekah. I was lying on my mattress, and she was working at her desktop, so it was night. I had finished Bryony and pitching agents, etc., and the kids had asked me when I would start the sequel.

Well, having written an entire book, a sequel was out of the question, for many years, I had assumed. Then a single, but key, sentence of John's appeared in my head, and my muse took off. I stayed in place, because we had to get up and start out day in a few hours (back in our newspaper-throwing days), but I started the draft Visage not long after that.

I remember the very first sentence I wrote for Before the Blood.

I was sitting at my computer in my attic office when it came to me. Up until that point, I wasn't certain if I wanted to write a prequel to Bryony. I remember opening a file and entering the line. Visage and Staked! weren't written yet, and I had no idea how to begin or construct the prequel, but I had that wonderful line, and it stuck with me for years. It was only a matter of time...

What are some of your memories?

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."