Where do the stories come from?
Welcome to Over a Cup of Coffee
Join me for a cup of coffee and a little writer’s wisdom
Where Do the Stories Come From?
In a recent talk to a group about writing, I was asked, “Where do you get your stories?” Good question. They can come from all sorts of places. Maybe an article in a newspaper. Maybe a story someone has told me. Or maybe a suggestion from someone saying, “You should write about…”
Several years ago, when I was struggling to come up with the storyline for the book that became The Secret of Ravens Valley, I asked my family for suggestions. I said I wanted to set it in rural Minnesota farm country. Ted, my son-in-law, asked, “How about organic chickens? The plot might have to do with the question, Are they really organic?” It was an intriguing idea that sent me on a quest to find out how you raise organic chickens and why you would murder someone because of them. In my research, I found an article in the New York Times about chicken processing plants using undocumented teens in their facilities. The book took off from there.
To find the story that started out with the suggestion about organic chickens, you will have to wait until its release in April of 2026 from Level Best Publishing.
Meanwhile, I’m about to work on a mystery that involves a car that’s been at the bottom of a river for fifty years. The idea came from a news article about a fisherman with a new sonar detection device who came across an unusual reading. What an exciting premise! And after that? Who knows what will pop out for me.
What the Fields Saw
Speaking of where stories come from, the next Sheriff Red, What the Fields Saw, started with a newspaper article about an unsolved hit-and-run death of a teenager outside a rural bar in the early 1960s. I asked myself, what are the secrets people have held all these years? What the Fields Saw is available for pre-order and will be published in March of 2026.
More Book News!
Death of a Starling, from my Cabin by the Lake mysteries, has been acquired by Harlequin Worldwide and will be released in paperback in April of 2026. Look for it on their website! Harlequin is running a pre-order special of 20% off Death of a Starling currently!
Gems Off the Shelf
I love libraries. Wherever I have lived, one of my first trips is to the library to get a card. Sometimes I have a book in mind, but most of the time I roam the stacks and randomly pull one off the shelves. Some I check out and don’t finish. Some I finish and think they were good enough. And every so often, I find an unexpected gem.
Recently, I was in my local branch of the Seattle Library looking for that gem when I found my own book on the shelf. I was so excited that I nearly grabbed it to show the librarian. The reserved Scandinavian in me prevailed. Instead of dancing up to the desk to say, “I wrote this!” I took a photo. It was one of those moments that keep me writing.
You can support the authors you love by asking your local library to order their books (and mine). ☺
Happy Halloween!
Remember to hug your loved one and share a pumpkin spice latte with your friends!
Best,
Linda