The Stories That Stay
The stories we encounter early in life often stay with us in quiet ways. They shape how we understand family, belonging, and resilience—sometimes long before we have the words to explain why.
How Childhood Stories Echo Across Generations
As I’ve worked on historical fiction rooted in family history, I’ve become increasingly aware of how early stories echo across generations. What we are told as children—about courage, sacrifice, faith, or kindness—often becomes the framework through which we interpret hardship later in life. These stories don’t disappear as we grow older; they mature alongside us.
Memory, Meaning, and Historical Fiction
Writing historical fiction has allowed me to explore this layering of memory and meaning. The characters I write about carry experiences shaped by the time they live in, but also by the stories passed down to me. The family narratives, cultural traditions, and moments of survival become part of who they are, influencing how the characters endure loss, displacement, change, and grow in faith during these times.
One Thread Between Writing for Children and Adults
In many ways, I find that writing for adults and writing for children draw from the same well. Both seek to make sense of the human experience. Both ask how we live with one another, how we carry love and grief, and how we preserve meaning over time.
The Stories We Carry Forward
The stories we carry from childhood do not fade. They settle into us; we carry them always while they quietly shape the way we see the world—and the way we tell our own stories in return.
This belief guides the historical fiction I write—stories shaped by family memory, lived history, and the quiet truths passed from one generation to the next.
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