A recent book feature includes a couple of interview questions about the inspiration for the book and the characters. I thought it would be fun to share those here too.
Read the whole feature at BookGoodies
What Inspired This Book?
The original inspiration for this book – the beginning of the idea – started from a single word, pyxis. The dictionary definition of pyxis is somewhat dull, but it made me think. What if it wasn’t just a clay vessel in ancient Greece? What if it was a living vessel, holding something far more interesting, like another life form? The idea isn’t new. After all, we’re all vessels housing a plethora of symbiotic bacteria in our bodies. And while that might sound gross, we couldn’t live without them. It’s a win-win relationship. So what if that was bigger, grander, and more magical?
That was the story idea. The inspiration to write it, and the characters who tell this story, came later, after a long session of daydreaming on a very boring 3 hour bus ride. Mostly, I needed a break from my day job and a creative outlet. I also wanted a sense of purpose that wasn’t being fulfilled in my life. So that’s what this book is about. It’s about finding and embracing the differences that make us who we are, and learning how to contribute to the world in a positive way by using those unique strengths.
What Inspired These Characters?
I love group dynamics, but I’m a bit of a lone wolf at heart. I chose a main character who has been on her own, and enjoys her alone time, but also wants to be included. I like the idea of mirroring the experience of the main character, Cara, in a different way. So we have another two characters who travel a similar journey to Cara’s, but they do it together and share the different aspects of what Cara has to endure alone. The trio of characters made a nice contrast in that way.
The main cast of characters grows over the course of the series, and some of my favorites are actually side characters, but the core three will always have each other’s backs.
None of my characters are based on anyone I know, but they probably all have some aspects of me in them. I tend to see the world in a hopeful way, so they’re generally nice people, but all incredibly different from one another in a lot of ways. I think they complement each other well, and hopefully you’ll agree.