Story Behind the Story #1

Within the last few days, I received the first hot-off-the-press issue of my newest book, Whisper on the Wind. Tyndale sends me one in advance of the rest of the author copies (because it gets here quicker) just as they prepare to distribute orders to booksellers. I don’t care how many books I write, this will always be an exciting event! During the next few weeks, it should start arriving in bookstores and be available online.

Every book an author writes is like adding a new member to the family, each with its own unique story world and mood. I’m eager to say Whisper on the Wind is my favorite family member so far. Of course, it may not be viewed by others as exactly fun because—although it’s a romance—the characters still face some serious challenges. But as I wrote this story, the entire process kept a smile on my face. From the first page until the very last. In the next few blog posts, I’d like to share why. So here is Part One of the story behind the story of Whisper on the Wind.

The original idea for “Whisper” was conceived years ago, during a time in my life when I wasn’t even writing. Although I’ve always loved writing, there was a phase when I couldn’t indulge in it because other priorities took precedence. Eventually the passion for writing that I seemed to have been born with grew so cool that I believed I might never write again, even though I’d had three books published and knew that dream was possible. Instead, my life back then was full of other demands: single parenthood, family, friends and living the life God gave me. This period of my life taught me something about the balance I need to write. I can be neither too happy nor too sad to create—or, obviously, have too many other demands. For me, writing is only possible when I’m in balance.

Once married life settled into a comfortable routine for me, things began to change. My family and I had moved into a new home with no plans to leave any time soon. My children were still pretty little, and as every mother knows they claimed the best of my energy. But I still found time to read, and reading, for me, is the foundational reason that I write.

One of the periods I loved reading about was the First World War era. It’s a time on the brink of change—one foot in far-removed history and the other in a more modern era. Inventions we still enjoy today were introduced back then: telephones and airplanes and cars. Women’s roles were changing, too—attitudes were becoming more “modern.” The First World War intrigued me, mainly because I kept looking for the reason it all began and couldn’t find one.

While reading about the war, I kept coming across a reference to a “valiant” little paper called La Libre Belgique. Why would a paper be valiant? Why was it “little?” I knew I had to investigate, and what I learned didn’t disappoint me. I found a book that recounted the origins of this newssheet—its message and the sacrifices of those who were first involved in producing La Libre Belgique. It fascinated me! I knew the story needed to be told, but how was I going to fit it into the kind of book I wanted to read—and write? A romance, of course!

Whisper on the Wind is the result. It’s full of history, suspense, and romance. But along the way of writing this I had my own journey, one that included spiritual growth, hope, disappointment and ultimately joy.

I hope you’ll stick with me to read about the rest of the journey!