The Genesis of a Book

ByLynn Austin
12 Comments

Candle in the Darkness IIOne of the questions authors are frequently asked is, where do our ideas come from. My answer? Everywhere! It seems different for me for each book. Since many of my readers have told me that Candle in the Darkness is their favorite book, here’s the story of how that novel came about.

dressesIt started when my musician husband, Ken, performed at a Civil War re-enactment with the “Yankee Brass Band.” I had never been to a re-enactment before, but as I wandered around the camp grounds and watched the mock battles, my creative juices began to flow. I interviewed dozens of participants and asked hundreds of questions. These re-enactors really know their history and are a treasure trove of information. The women gave me quite an education about the layers and layers of mysterious garments hiding beneath their voluminous skirts—and how they manage the privvy.

confederatesFilled with all this information and inspiration, I began researching the Civil War, planning a three-book series from three different viewpoints. The woman in the first book would be from the South, the second from the North, and the third would be a slave. Thanks to my local librarian, I found a diary entitled Richmond. During the War by Sallie Brock Putnam. This young woman lived in the Confederate capitol of Richmond,Virginia throughout the war, cheering enthusiastically for her beloved Confederate soldiers. She offers a day-by-day account of the fear she felt as the Union army advanced and how the sounds of cannon fire could be heard in the distance. Exciting stuff! She provided me with valuable information about which sites to explore on my research trip to Richmond.

wo and daughterAnother great resource was All the Daring of a Soldier by Elizabeth D. Leonard. She describes some of the amazing things that women did for both the North and the South during the war, including becoming spies. The woman in this picture ended up in prison with her little daughter for spying.

Picture1But the inspiration for my two main characters, Caroline and her faithful slave Eli, came from this photograph that I found during my research. The little girl is impeccably clothed in a white dress trimmed with lace; the slave’s clothing is worn and threadbare. Yet the love and trust between the two is obvious in the way they are holding onto each other. I knew I had to tell their story.

I keep all of these photographs on a bulletin board near my desk—the pictures copied from books and the ones I take myself on my research trips. And from all of these ingredients, and the spark of an idea that began at a Civil War reenactment, Candle in the Darkness was born.

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Lynn Austin, a former teacher who now writes and speaks full time. Lynn was recently inducted into the Christy Award Hall for Fame for winning eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into a Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and make their home near Chicago, Illinois.

12 Comments

  1. I’m fortunate Lynn be cause I have Candle in the Darkness in my Kindle Fire library. I haven’t read it yet but this post today has wet my reading appetite to read not only the first book of this series but to read the entire series also. One of my favorite genres is the civil war era. How many books make up this series?
    Thanks for all the work you put into your research before you even start on your books.

  2. Hi Shirley. I love books from this era, too. There are three books in the series: “Candle in the Darkness”, “Fire by Night”, and “A Light to My Path.” There is also a 4th book, “All Things New” that takes place immediately after the war. I hope you enjoy them.

  3. We have all of Lynn’s books in the Church Library including this series. I must say the cover on this book is a vast improvement over the other one.
    Happy Reading!

  4. Thanks, Janet. I don’t know why my publisher decides to change the covers from time to time but they do.

  5. Thanks so much for sharing! This is my very favorite series — I’ve read it at least three times — and it’s so cool to learn about the inspiration behind it! 🙂
    I’ve never seen a Civil War re-enactment, but I’ve always wanted to. Hopefully, someday… And that picture of the slave holding the little girl? Wow. I can see how that would make a person want to write their story.

    1. Thank you for your encouraging note. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed that series–and I hope you can visit a reenactment someday. (I LOVE that picture, too.)

  7. Hello Lynn,

    I’ve been an avid reader of your books ever since I picked up Candle In the Darkness the summer I was twelve years old. It was the first real historical romance I ever read, and from the beginning I was hooked. (I remember thinking, after reading only the prologue, that this was my new favorite book. :-)) It remains one of my favorites, and since then I’ve read almost all your books dozens of times.
    Thank you for sharing the backstory of your novel! Your books have been an oh-so-special part of my life for many years. 🙂

    ~Emma

  8. I absolutely reccomend this book. I have read most of Lynn Austin’s books, and I frequently tell my friends about her work. Thanks, Lynn, and keep them coming.

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