Inspiration From My Life

Every now and then someone will say something or something will happen or a memory of something specific comes back to me and I can't help but think of how to use it in my books, because when I hear or remember those things from around my life it starts to form itself into my books' life, taking on a different setting that's appropriate to the eighteenth century.

A random old street in Venice, Italy.

Here's a piece that will go in one of the books following book 1:
      "So what are we looking for?" asked Alexandra.
      "A cat," answered HE. (I don't know who said it yet).
      "I beg your pardon, but did you say, 'cat'?" asked Martha.
       "You will find this male cat in Venice," said HE.
      "Venice?" asked Jane with disbelief.
     "Yes, he is basically brown," said HE.
     "Does he have a name?" asked Marty - Martha's nickname.
     "No-" started HE.
     "What part of Venice exactly?" Jane inquired.
      He opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off.
      "And could you be more specific as to what kind of brown he is?" asked Alex - Alexandra's nickname.
       He sighed. "No, I will not. Now, do you want the rest of your instructions?"
     The girls exchanged glances of surprise, and Marty answered, "Sorry. Please go on." She smiled ruefully.
     "He will be drinking milk from a female cat with her kittens." The gave him an odd look, as he contintued, "The male cat will then go to his owner. So you must follow the cat from a distance. If he knows he's being followed he will not take you to Fabio."
      "Fabio?" SHE questioned. (I don't know which of the girls said this yet...)


You are probably thinking how odd - a male cat drinking milk from a female cat with her kittens. How ridiculous! And unreal!

Actually, it really happened. I grew up on a farm with cats, dogs, horses, cows, and pigs. We had one  adult cat named "Tigger," you know like from Winnie the Pooh.
I had gone out to the barn one day (I was probably around 10 or younger or older), and I saw him in the midst of baby kittens drinking milk from a female cat - the mother cat. It was the strangest sight I'd ever seen. I don't remember if my sister or mum saw it with me or not, but there you have it! That memory had come back to me about a year ago, screaming to go in my book somehow.

No this is not actually Tigger, but it's almost what he looked like. Our Tigger died of old age several years ago, but we've got pictures of him somewhere at home...

Here's another piece that will go somewhere in the series:
      "Alex! Will you get me some bullets?" yelled Jane.
      "Where are the bullets?" asked Alex.
     "I have no idea," said Jane.
     "NAME, where did you put the bullets when you cleaned the room?" asked Alex. (I don't know who she's talking to yet.)
      "In the ______," said HE. (I don't know where he put them yet either.)
       "Why are they in there, you psycho person," said Alex retrieving them. "We need them up front."


Okay, so originally this was a conversation between me, my sister and my brother, I don't remember what was being asked for, but it was something that did not exist in the 18th century and he had put them in some closet I think. Haha, I don't remember, but you get the idea!?!?!

So it's a work a progress, being adapted to the 18th century! ;)