I'm very excited about the release of my new novel, Unraveled. 
When my interview was posted a few days ago, Megan Sayer asked what made me select Moldova for the setting. Some decisions I make when I begin a novel are purely arbitrary. The choice of Moldova was not.
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As I worked on the story line for Unraveled over a period of several months I knew, of course, it would deal with human trafficking. What I didn't know was where one character's abduction would occur. I didn't want to place that part of the story anywhere in Asia, because to me that seemed too obvious a choice. So then, where?
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As a Christian I rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit in so many areas of my life, including my writing. I prayed for an answer to my question, "Where in the world should I set it?" because I felt the location would be an integral part of the story. I didn't receive a clear answer to my prayers until the very week I planned to start writing the novel. I shared my dilemma with my husband, Rick, who, as many of you know, travels all over the world physically and strategically building the kingdom of God. He printed out a newsletter he had just received from a missionary he knows in Moldova -- a country I'd never even heard of. Rick had never been to Moldova, but he had met the Moldovan missionary, Andy Raatz, in Armenia the year before.
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Andy's newsletter that arrived in Rick's inbox that week just happened to deal with the very issue I planned to address in my novel. Just happened. Mhm. He wrote about what a major problem it is in that part of the world, and what he and his wife Nancy hoped to accomplish in ministry there, and I knew I had my answer.
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I contacted Andy and Nancy and told them what I was going to write about and asked for their help. They were an invaluable resource throughout the writing of the novel, sending me photographs of the local community and answers to all the questions I had. They even took time to read the manuscript when I finished it.
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But more than location came out of that answered prayer. Several elements of the story came because of that particular location, elements I hadn't planned, but that rose organically from the setting to add much to the story. That type of inspiration has occurred more than once in my writing life. As I prepare to begin another novel, I can't help wonder what kind of "surprises" are in store for me.
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What about you? How has inspiration affected your work?
