I can’t recall a time in my life when I didn’t write in some capacity. Whether it was creating paper storybooks held together by a seam of staples down the center, posting blogs about Cape Cod during my years as an innkeeper, or composing wedding ceremonies and vows as a wedding officiant, I’ve always had a passion for expression through words.
Recently, I felt a strong pull to revert to my days as a paper book storyteller and create a work of fiction conceived purely from my imagination. I wanted to write something that I wanted to write—not something I was hired to write, or I felt obligated to write to garner a few likes on social media.
So I sat down at my kitchen table and started typing. Hours went by and I realized I hadn’t eaten or tackled any of my usual household chores and my kids were due home any minute. But I didn’t want to stop. I was hooked and from that day forward, I snagged every opportunity to jump back into my imaginary world to see what my characters would do next.
What I learned as I wrote, is that it’s impossible to compose a story that is purely fiction. A person I despise found her way into the book as a bad guy with a bad name. The first inn I owned served as the backdrop for several scenes. Even my favorite bookstore got a shout out.
It also became clear that writing a novel was a natural progression from my work as a wedding officiant, as both roles are fundamentally about telling stories. Whether I'm helping a couple craft their vows or creating a fictional world for a novel, the goal is the same: to touch hearts, and evoke emotion.
Words have incredible power to create something meaningful whether spoken at a wedding or written in the pages of a book. They also have the power to acknowledge positive influences in my life and vilify those who deserve a dose of bad karma. So be nice to me, or you might just find yourself starring as a stuck-up bitch with a bad facelift.
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