Instead of my usually scheduled 'Books I've Read' post, today I'm excited to have Patricia Josephine on the blog, talking about the real life inspirations for her new book, Mistakes of the Past. Over to you, Patricia...
Four real life inspirations in Mistakes of the Past
1)Rose’s cleft lip
My nephew was born with a cleft lip and palate. By the time he was five, he had five different surgeries. He still has more to go, but is getting a break. When I created Rose I wanted her to be a cleft lip baby. There really isn’t any reason and it has no impact on the plot. It’s just one of those things that affected my life, and I know it affects others, so it’s nice to see a character with something I can relate to.
2)Josh and his grandma
There is a scene where Luc is comforting a young man at the hospital about his grandma. The thing is, she is still alive in this scene. Still, Josh asks Luc why it hurts already when she’s not gone yet.
I have one grandma left. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, and every illness saps her severely. She’s in her 80s. That’s where the scene came from. I’m aware that I have less time than more with my grandma. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye and I doubt I’ll ever be ready. This scene is coming to term with that fact.
3)Rose’s memory of her teacher at the funeral
My main memory of kindergarten is getting in trouble with the teacher. My bestie of 30+ odd years and I met in kindergarten. We sat next to each other, and instead of listening to the teacher, we were talking. That got us in trouble. For the longest time, I was not endeared to that teacher.
4)The Gerrish farm and Rose’s landlord
Both those I drew from my own landlord. His last name is Gerrish, and I needed a one-time name and that popped in my head. When Rose gripes about her landlord not fixing her toilet and having to reach in to flush. That actually happened with my toilet. Although, my landlord fixed it really fast.
And as a bonus, here is one inspiration that isn’t based on real life.
Rose’s hair loops in chapter five. Anyone watch Avatar: The Last Airbender? Katara has hair loopies and I recall her brother poking fun about them. That’s the picture I had in my head when imagining Rose.
Blurb:
Luc seeks
atonement for the actions that banished him from his home. Living as a priest
in a small town, he strives to show how much he’s changed with the hope that
one day he can return to his family.
Haunted by the
guilt that destroyed her family, Rose has shut her heart off. She vows to never
let anyone near again lest she hurt them. When she meets Luc, she can’t deny
the draw she feels to him.
But the past is
not easily forgotten. When Luc’s past finds him, Rose is caught in the middle.
Forced to face who he used to be, Luc must decide if he’s willing to give up
his chance at redemption to save Rose. But doing so means he won’t be able to
hide who he is. Will Rose be able to reconcile the man she knows with the devil
he used to be? Or are the mistakes of the past too damning?
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About the Author:
Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer. In
fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. She was
all about art. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was
the start of it and she hasn't regretted a moment. She writes young adult under
the name Patricia Lynne.
Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day
to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, has a fondness for dying her
hair the colors of the rainbow, and an obsession with Doctor Who.
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