Where I Wrote Crawling to the Light

The Word of God, the Bible, my favorite book.

It comprises works by over 40 authors, all of whom wrote their books in various places and times.

I read and study this every morning. This is where I get inspiration for everything I write.

This past week, I've pondered on these authors, on where they wrote their books. Moses wrote in the wilderness; Paul, inside prison walls; and Jeremiah in a dungeon.

I then thought about where and under what circumstances I wrote some of my books. Today, I'll put the spotlight on Crawling to the Light .

When did I write this? I started writing it about 2012. 

Where did I write it? In the computer lab at Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge campus, and at the Oak Ridge public library. At the time, I had no laptop. I still remember arriving at the former location early in the morning, even on cold ones, my hands still in gloves, my fingers flying across the keyboard to warm them up, to get myself in a groove, while listening to Foreigner.

What inspired me to write it? Psalm 68:6 (NIV): God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing... At the time, I went to a lot of local Christian hard rock shows. 

What other circumstances were going on in my life? Painful underemployment, unsure where to go next, and unsure where to go with all this writing. My husband had frequent military orders. I wrote a lot while he was gone.

What obstacles did I have to overcome while writing this novel? My long unmet desire--everything short of a need--for my own laptop. A certain personal relationship had also suddenly gone awry. These public computers weren't accessible until 8 or 10 a.m. The one at the public library had a two-hour limit. Nothing like being inspired at 6:30 a.m. and having to settle for paper and pen. I've also experienced being so fired up to write--only for the computers to not be available, for any reason, from federal holidays to them being "down". When I wrote this book, I cried a lot. Sometimes, it was because of the unfolding of the plot, other times from having to go to these great lengths to write this book.

Even back then, I knew to not wait for perfect conditions. This leads to my last question.

What would I change about the novel now? The wordiness, killing some of the characters, and taking out the head hopping.

I'd now like to hear from you, please. What other book of mine would you like to know more about? Please tell me.

I'd also like to hear from my fellow authors. What inspired you to write the book you published? What were your circumstances at that time? What did you have to overcome?