~~~
Writers are sometimes asked where they get their ideas for a
their books. There is really no clear answer for every writer nor for every
book. But after writing five novels and one nonfiction, I have come to the
conclusion that, for me, the key to inspiration is waiting for that nudge that
begins to toy with my writer’s muse. In the case of Saratoga Letters, one of
those inspiring thoughts was literally from a key.
My husband and I were visiting Saratoga Springs, New York,
in 2014. We stayed at a 1970s era motel along the main road. It had the simple
décor of most motels from the ‘70s—two beds with nondescript bedspreads, a
slight step-up to the shower area, old white and black tile, and the standard
solid black phone that was the main source of communication for visitors before
cell phones were birthed.
But one of the main differences between modern day hotels
and older motels is the key. In 2016, keys look like a credit card. In the
1970’s, a key was a metal device attached to a plastic key holder that was
inscribed with the room number. It didn’t inspire me at first, until I looked
for my key when we were checking out.
“Where is it?” I searched through my purse, around the floor
of the car, and everywhere I could imagine a key slipping away from my safekeeping.
My husband tried to be patient. We were already so tired from traveling
hundreds of miles, that a lost key became an annoyance. I told the motel owner
that I had lost the key and I was so sorry. I was sure I’d find it tucked in a
suitcase or something. And of course, I eventually did—after I returned home!
But this lost key suddenly became more than a minor
annoyance. It became the impetus for a story idea. I had already heard from a
historian at Saratoga National Park Service about a bicentennial celebration in
1977. It was the commemoration of the 1777 win by the American troops at
Saratoga, New York. So what if the fact that there were two keys to each motel
room during the ‘70s meant that a female visitor to the bicentennial was in danger? What if there were leftover, deep-seated
feuds from the original battle in 1777? What if hatred had sifted down through
the generations to complicate the lives of those in 1977? What if… but wait. I
don’t want to give the plot away entirely.
~~~
It is 1777. The Battle of Saratoga, a turning point of the
Revolutionary War, encourages the American Continental Army with their first
great victory. But there seemed little to celebrate for one patriotic woman
forced to nurse wounded British soldiers right in their war camp. Thrust into
deception by a cruel Loyalist uncle, Abigail is forced to lie in order to
survive, all the while dealing with fears that challenge her faith. Danger
stalks her everywhere, yet her salvation springs from an unexpected source.
Then…
Two hundred years
later, on the anniversary of the Battle of Saratoga, thousands arrive from
Europe and the United States to celebrate the event—including descendants from
the war. One young American, Abby, meets another offspring of a British
soldier. When her life is threatened, Abby turns to the only person she knows
at the event—her British ally. Can she trust him with her life? Or will he
betray her in the same way Loyalist spies betrayed her ancestors? Perhaps
letters from long ago will reveal the truth.
Award winning author Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of Saratoga
Letters, Fields of the Fatherless, Bethany’s Calendar, and the historical
trilogy called the Deer Run Saga. She
has been captivated by the history of the American Revolution since she was
young. She grew up in Massachusetts, the setting for many of her historical
novels.
Her upcoming release is Legacy
of Deer Run (CrossRiver Media, Dec, 2016), Book 3 in the Deer Run Saga.
Cooper has been writing since
she penned her first short story at age eleven. She began researching for her
first novel in 2007. Her writing has also appeared in Fighting Fear, Winning the War at
Home by Edie Melson and the romance anthology, I Choose You. She has
also written articles for Prayer Connect Magazine, Splickety Prime Magazine,
Better Homes & Gardens, and Life: Beautiful Magazine. She began her
professional writing career as a newspaper freelancer.
You can read more at her
website/blog, www.elainemariecooper.com
