The Birth of "Finding Beth"
Every author’s journey is different when it comes to publishing their first novel.
When I started Beth’s story, I never dreamed it would become a novel. At the time, my husband was placed on the company’s to-be-laid-off list and I went back to work for the first time in our marriage. In an effort to continue honing my writing skills I started the blog “An Odyssey in Prose” and my first short serial story, “Finding Beth,” was born. One and a half years after posting one to two chapters a month, I realized it wasn’t going to be a short story, but rather a full-blown novel.
I’m often asked, “Where did you come up with the story line?”
Every day, writers begin stories with a “what if” question. Beth’s story was born out of a desire to explore “what if” a young woman found herself engaged to a guy she considered her knight in shining armor only to begin seeing signs of a darker side? “What if” she became so confused, so distraught, and so scared of making a mistake that she decided to disappear for a while? What would happen if she skipped town? Where would she go? Would she stay away and start a new life? What about her family and friends who would worry about her? Would her fiancé come looking for her? What would happen to this young woman? Where would this decision to leave town lead her? How would it impact her life?
These questions led to the birth of “Finding Beth”.
But that’s not all…
During the years I worked outside the home, I learned of women I knew and loved who had suffered some form of abuse. I saw the devastation this created in their lives even years later in some cases and my heart grieved. I also met women and girls who had either been abused, were being abused, or were heading in the direction of an abusive relationship. What could I do to help them?
As wicked as abuse is, it’s a fact of life.
I decided to explore the journey of this girl who realized before she said “I do” that the marriage she was heading into was suspect. What should she do? Should she...
*For the rest of the post, follow this link to Rachel Skatvold's blog: http://rachelskatvoldbooks.blogspot.c....
I'd love to hear what you think!
When I started Beth’s story, I never dreamed it would become a novel. At the time, my husband was placed on the company’s to-be-laid-off list and I went back to work for the first time in our marriage. In an effort to continue honing my writing skills I started the blog “An Odyssey in Prose” and my first short serial story, “Finding Beth,” was born. One and a half years after posting one to two chapters a month, I realized it wasn’t going to be a short story, but rather a full-blown novel.
I’m often asked, “Where did you come up with the story line?”
Every day, writers begin stories with a “what if” question. Beth’s story was born out of a desire to explore “what if” a young woman found herself engaged to a guy she considered her knight in shining armor only to begin seeing signs of a darker side? “What if” she became so confused, so distraught, and so scared of making a mistake that she decided to disappear for a while? What would happen if she skipped town? Where would she go? Would she stay away and start a new life? What about her family and friends who would worry about her? Would her fiancé come looking for her? What would happen to this young woman? Where would this decision to leave town lead her? How would it impact her life?
These questions led to the birth of “Finding Beth”.
But that’s not all…
During the years I worked outside the home, I learned of women I knew and loved who had suffered some form of abuse. I saw the devastation this created in their lives even years later in some cases and my heart grieved. I also met women and girls who had either been abused, were being abused, or were heading in the direction of an abusive relationship. What could I do to help them?
As wicked as abuse is, it’s a fact of life.
I decided to explore the journey of this girl who realized before she said “I do” that the marriage she was heading into was suspect. What should she do? Should she...
*For the rest of the post, follow this link to Rachel Skatvold's blog: http://rachelskatvoldbooks.blogspot.c....
I'd love to hear what you think!
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