I’ve done a few interviews recently for podcasts and subscription boxes where I’ve been asked several variations of the same question: where do I get the inspiration for my family relationships? If you’ve read my books, you know they almost always have strong ties to siblings, or build those strong ties within the confines of the pages.
Full disclosure: I use my own amazing siblings as my inspiration. I have two sisters and three brothers (only one biological, the rest by marriage… though we’re all really close and refer to each other without the “in-law” titles). We talk frequently on the phone, get together almost every year for holidays, and travel to visit each other regularly (pre-pandemic, of course).
When I’m writing about siblings, I draw frequently from the very real interactions I have with these phenomenal humans. From the way we celebrate each other, to the regular catch-ups, to the silly everyday interactions. I pull from my own mistakes and poor word choices, from the teasing that sometimes pushes too far, and the times we pre-judge or overcorrect each other.
Every day, I am thankful that I get to live life knowing Caitlin, Kevin, Cheyenne, Mike, and Jordan. They are smart, ambitious, supportive, loving, fun and kind, and I am not only a better person because of my relationships with them… I am a better writer, too.
