Why do we read? Often it’s to escape the everyday grind of the familiar in our lives. Sometimes it’s to envision ourselves stepping into the shoes of another—cheering them on or conversely, shaking our heads when we see them barreling toward heartbreak or tragedy. Writers are often the same in that we like to step into the shoes of imaginary characters. But the fact is that authors will tell you time and again how a character chose a different direction, or a brand new character appeared out of nowhere. It may seem strange for this to occur. After all, it is the author putting pen to paper. But it does happen and its often those new characters that add or change the direction of a story.

Writing The Scent of Gardenias was one such story. While the main characters were firmly fixed in this author’s mind, new characters sprang up who added so much more depth to the story. Other characters that aren’t human but play a huge part in any story are the setting, and the feelings that setting evokes. The same can be true of the time period. Historical events or people pull you into an era that you may have only heard of but never visited. Even small details can pull us into our own memory bank of things forgotten that parents or siblings used to do.

Stories are mean to evoke emotion and it is why it is critical to invoke all the senses that pull you deeper into the story and allow you to “see yourself” standing alongside the main character or others in the story. You can feel the damp air on your skin, smell the fragrance of gardenias, perfuming the air, wipe the dust that’s collected on your shoes or the prick of a rose thorn on your finger. Often we’re unaware of the journey that the author has taken us on to evoke such feelings. We’re no longer sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair in the airport, we’ve been whisked away to waves lapping against a white beach while a cool breeze tickles our skin. Or maybe we’re no longer at home but traipsing through a dense, overgrown forest, the moonlight peeking through branches with every snap we hear letting us know the killer is still on our trail. Reading is a pleasure and writing stories is its own enjoyment of discovery.

The Scent of Gardenias was a story very close to my heart as I had heard the story many times, but it was only until I began to write the story that I realized how little I truly knew. People’s lives—especially our parents—are often things we think we know, yet rarely do. From the bones of what my mother went through, a strong woman emerged, and the story took off. Various factors affect each of us, whether that be the family we’re born into, the choices we make in life, or things outside of our control-whether those be natural disasters, or man-made tragedies. In each of our stories, we can learn from those who have traveled before us. And when we close the last page, maybe it helps us to overcome our own circumstances and live a life that inspires others.

The Scent of Gardenias is available at your favorite retailer.

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