Writers often find the best stories lurking as close as the person sitting
across from us at the dinner table. I found this to be true in both the
inspiration and the research for my historical novella, Red Pen Redemption.
I wasn’t close to my father in my youth but he mellowed with age. Since he
turned eighty, he’s begun sharing stories from his past and I’ve enjoyed seeing
a new side to him. It’s been fascinating to observe that he’s now asking as many
questions about life as I did in my college years. So many parallels between
these stages of life – entering young adulthood and then entering senior
adulthood. It made me wonder what would occur if something happened to make a
woman in her eighties question everything she’d believed. From that question, I
created Helen Bancroft and the adventure she encountered one Christmas Eve.
The true time lapse of the book is just a few hours but readers travel back
through every decade of Helen’s eighty-one years and experience her fiery
personality, her quirky family, and her eventful history against the backdrop of
American history from the 1930’s to the present day. Helen was a journalist for
most of her career so that allowed me to explore everything from the ‘38
hurricane to the assassination of JFK to Woodstock and the March on Selma. Of
course, I did hours of historical research but I also asked countless questions
of my parents. Their stories added a texture, depth, and detail to Helen’s life
that has resonated with readers. Even my own recollections make an appearance.
The pivotal event for most of us in 2001 occurred on 9/11. For this portion of
the story, I was able to tap into my own vivid memories as well as those of my
children who were Helen’s grandchildren’s ages when it happened.
There are also portions of the story where I drew on my relationship with my
parents growing up in the sixties and seventies. Life was changing on so many
levels and parents were mystified by the choices their children were making.
Helen raises three children and each of them makes choices that leave her
feeling set aside and sometimes entirely lost. One of the taglines of Red
Pen Redemption is “Helen is not a sweet woman and this is not a sweet
story.” Helen’s spitfire, overly confident personality was also a homegrown
inspiration. My great-grandmother was a salty woman with a sharp tongue and
strong nature. I thought she was a hoot and it was delicious to incorporate her
into Helen’s character. Often, strong personalities are best appreciated from a
distance and this is reflected in Helen’s relationship with her grandson as
compared to that with her own children.
No story or person from my own family’s history made it into the book without
undergoing transformations of details that make them unique to the characters.
This was important so that the novella is truly Helen’s story and not at all
mine. Still, the emotional truth of these tales remained so clear I have to
imagine that’s why I’ve had readers let me know they laughed aloud and then
cried, sometimes on the next page.
I’m happy I was able to recognize the treasure of living research as close as my
dad’s recliner. It not only made Red Pen Redemption a better story, for
me, it’s made it especially meaningful and my father is proud of his
contribution. I now pay close attention at family events to everyone’s stories
and jot them down for my next homegrown novel.
What if God took you up on a dare?
Helen Bancroft's led a good life and feels no need for her daughter's Savior.
When God accepts Helen's dare to edit her autobiography and prove her
righteousness, she's in for a lesson in her own history. One woman's journey
from unbelief to acceptance turns into the Christmas Eve adventure of a lifetime
beneath the red pen of Christ's mercy and grace.
Inspirational
Historical |
Holiday [Elk Lake Publishing, On Sale: November
19, 2015, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781942513711 / ]
Lori Stanley Roeleveld is a disturber of hobbits who enjoys making
comfortable Christians late for dinner. She’s authored an unsettling blog since
2009; a pursuit that eventually resulted in her first book, Running from a
Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus). Her next book,
Jesus and the Beanstalk (Overcoming Your Giants and Living a Fruitful
Life), releases September 2016. Her historical Christmas novella, Red
Pen Redemption, is a quick but satisfying read if you love history and
life’s big questions. If you don’t find her at her website, www.loriroeleveld.com,
know she’s off somewhere slaying dragons. Lori is a retired homeschool mom with
a day job who lives her adventure in Rhode Island with her husband, Rob and
family full of characters.
Oh this sounds like such a beautiful book! I really can't wait to read it! God does work in such wonderful ways doesn't He?
(Bonnie Capuano 7:13am August 20, 2016)
Thanks for sharing your inspiration for Red Pen Redemption. It sounds like a wonderful book.
(Bonnie H 11:13am August 23, 2016)
I could listen to my mother-in-law and my older sister tell stories all day long , but sadly both are gone now . I wish I had 'took notes' from the stories they told . Questions will come-up where I don't know the answer but had my mother-in-law or my sister were still here they could answer the question . Lots of times this has happened and I wish that my memory was as good as theirs had been .I would love to read this book of Helen Bancroft's life , it sounds so much like some of the women that was in my life . They were very strong women ..
(Joan Thrasher 11:31am August 24, 2016)
I don't think I would ever dare God to do anything. That sounds like it would come from a place of anger. He's stood by me through many trials. However, I do ask Him for things. If it's in His plan, he grants my request. If not, then I'll just have to live my life according to His wishes.
(Nancy Marcho 3:51pm August 26, 2016)
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