“No story lives unless someone wants to listen.” ~J.K. Rowling
Someone once called me a storyteller and I have ever since thought it was one of the nicest compliments I have ever received about my writing. I want to tell stories or at least write them down. But as the J.K. Rowling quote says, if nobody listens/reads then a story never comes to life.
The spark for this post came from the following storyteller quote from All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum.
Storyteller’s Creed:
I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge.
That myth is more potent than history.
That dreams are more powerful than facts.
That hope always triumphs over experience.
That laughter is the only cure for grief.
And I believe that love is stronger than death.
Whether his listed beliefs are always true or not in life, it can be true for a storyteller. We can imagine. We can embrace myths and follow dreams. We can hope and laugh and love. And I can let my characters do all of that. Other writers can too, and that’s why we as readers or listeners are able to experience so many emotions and enjoy so many adventures while making those stories live by hearing them or experiencing them through reading.
As a writer, one of the fun things I get to do whenever I have a new book coming is to pick out some story quotes to share with readers/listeners in hopes of enticing them to get the book. I picked ten quotes out of my nearly 100,000 story words to make graphics. I try to pick quotes that will give a feeling of the story to come and that will bring my characters to life even before the reader picks up my book.
The ones I picked out to share with you tonight all highlight my main female character, Elena Bradford, and the challenge facing her in the story. She even made the title, The Pursuit of Elena Bradford. That might make you wonder who exactly is pursuing her. And of course, if you’re wondering, I’m hoping you will read the book to find out more.
Elena’s mother has brought Elena and her younger sister, Ivy, to the Graham Springs Hotel, for the main purpose of Elena finding a suitable match that might rescue the family from a financial disaster that threatens their way of life.
The Pursuit of Elena Bradford will release on May 6th. A few early reviews are showing up here and there. So far, happily favorable. Right now, the book is available for pre-order at most internet booksellers.
One great place to look for it is the Baker Book House. They have a fun promotion going for those who pre-order a copy. You get the book at 40% off and free US shipping. Then on top of that you will receive a matching bookmark and a signed bookplate (while supplies last.) I signed a lot of bookplates. So they are well supplied right now.
Did my quotes help you get an idea of Elena?
Comments 12
Yes, and I can’t wait to read the book! I can just imagine how she feels, thinking it’s up to her to do something for her family, and all she can do is “hope” to make the right match.
Author
Great, Trudy. I hope you will enjoy going along with Elena to search for fortune and romance at Graham Springs. She will find some adventure along the way too and be part of a mystery that was never completely solved.
Yes. So beautiful. Excited to read. Blessings
Author
Thank you, Lucy. Revell did come up with a beautiful cover for my story. I so appreciate your help and encouragement.
Ohhh I can’t wait to receive my copy!
Question…does the Graham Springs Hotel still exist, or was it based on an actual place? I know there were once several hot spring hotels around Kentucky. One was right up the road from me in Dry Ridge.
Author
It was a real place, Lavon. Stay tuned. I’m going to do a post about Graham Springs soon. It was considered the Saratoga of the West for the first half of the 19th Century, but was sold to the government mid-century and the hotel burned. I used it as part of my setting in my Shaker book, The Gifted.
The quotes you picked do give me an idea of Elena will be like as well as her mother and sister and I am excited to read your newest story. You are a storyteller with the knack to pull readers into your stories and make them want to stay for a while. 🙂 One question, do you pronounce her name like “L-N-ah- or E-lane-ah? I was thinking the first way but wasn’t sure.
Author
I’m thinking El – en – a. Not El lane a. But both sound good. I just listened to the audio of my book, In the Shadow of the River. They didn’t ask me about names for that recording and the narrator says Jackie instead of Jacci (with soft c’s) as I imagined it while writing. But she did a great job on the narrating and after a while I got used to Jacci being Jackie.
Thank you so much for your kind words about my story telling. Encouraging words as I’m working on a new story and wondering if the story has gone off the tracks. 🙂
I can’t wait to find out if Elena finds love before the need of marrying because of money worries.
Author
She does have some worries in that respect, Linda. Are the right gentlemen pursuing her??
Yes, they did. I can’t wait to read the book!
Author
So glad the quotes have you interested in reading the story, Lee.