What Inspired Me to Write Red Threads
by Stacey J. Mitchell
Put simply, my first novel was inspired by a blog post. It was one that I wrote when I was taking part in the 2012 A-to-Z Challenge. If you're not familiar with the A-to-Z Challenge, it goes something like this: for every day in the month of April (apart from Sundays), you write a blog post on a different letter of the alphabet. You start with A on 1 April and work through to Z, which should be posted on 30 April. Many people write their blog posts around a theme, and this was something I chose to do. I love history and the subject I had selected was mythology. I chose to write about some cultures that I was familiar with (Greece, Rome, and Egypt) and some that I knew less about (the Native American Indians, Japan, and China). Being a challenge that revolves around the alphabet, anyone taking part also has to write posts on those awkward letters at the end of the alphabet such as U, X, Y, and Z—and that was when including Japanese and Chinese mythology really helped me!
When I was reading around the subject of Chinese mythology, I discovered the concept of the Red String of Fate. It states that two people who are destined to be together (soulmates in Western cultures) are connected by a red thread, which runs from the ankle of one to the ankle of the other (or little finger to little finger in Japanese mythology).
This became my 'R' post in the A-to-Z Challenge. It really stuck with me and I started thinking about how I might use it in fiction. What if the red thread didn't just join two soulmates? Perhaps it could be used as a more general indicator of someone's fate, connecting one person to the most important person in his or her life at that time (and not just romantically—after all, we have so many different kinds of relationships).
I thought it would be fun to write about a character who could see these fate lines, but didn't understand what they were. I decided it could become a kind of ability for her, which opened up a door into a completely different aspect of life. I added in beings called Fateliners who help to guide people through the biggest events in their lives, and evil entities who are intent on stopping humans from fulfilling their fate—and in doing so are trying to create chaos in the world.
As you can see, one thought led to the next and I got a little carried away—but the more I thought about it, the more excited I became. I still find it amazing that a novel (and the potential for a whole series) grew out of a short blog post, but inspiration sometimes strikes when you least expect it to!
Giveaway
International
Ends 23rd August
About the Author
I am a tea drinker and history geek who lives in south Wales. I love reading, being outdoors, cooking, and stand-up comedy--but I don't like bananas and insects.I have been writing stories ever since I could hold a pen (I know, I know--you've heard that a million times before). It's true, though, and I love writing so much that I even enjoyed my university coursework.
Red Threads is my first novel (but will be the first of many)
Buy/Add Red Threads
Find Stacey Mitchell
Thanks for having me on your blog today, Jodie!
ReplyDeleteI think it's incredible how many books began with the A to Z Challenge!
ReplyDelete