Eldred Bird: How did you come up with that?

“How did you come up with that?”

This is a question I’m often asked by friends and family. Everyone wants to know where the dialogue, characters and situations in my writing come from. I have to be honest: sometimes I ask myself the same question after reading a particular passage or exchange between characters.

There’s no simple answer to the question. Sometimes I do research on a specific subject, other times the spark may come from someone I saw walking around a store. I’ve even been known to have conversations with my characters to figure out what they would do or say in a certain situation.

One place I draw on occasionally is my own memories. When I’m trying to convey a particular emotion, I search my past for a time when I felt the same way. I can then use that framework to build a more realistic situation for the characters involved and evoke a more realistic emotional reaction.

I don’t usually describe my actual memory, but in one case I made an exception. In “Killing Karma” I gifted James McCarthy with one of the earliest and most precious images I carry in my mind and heart. James’ treasured memory of his father is actually the only memory I have of my Uncle Charlie Pierson.

I described it just as I remembered, changing only the names:

He recalled his earliest memory in the small, bright living room; it was a memory of his father. James could see a picture in his mind; just a snapshot frozen in time.

He pictured a large, dark haired man reaching down to pick him up. He appeared so big and imposing, but his warm smile disarmed James and melted away any fears. He remembered the feeling clearer than the face . . . a feeling of warmth, and of love.

A few weeks ago one of my cousins posted a picture of Uncle Charlie, her father. When I saw the photo, the same warm feeling I had all those years ago came over me like a wave. Before I even read the accompanying text, I knew exactly who it was.

This was the first time I had ever seen a clear image of his face. Growing up, we had very few pictures from that side of the family. I would like to thank my cousin Pat for giving me back the gift I handed over to James. I would also like to thank her son Greg for enhancing the image and letting me see that smiling face again.