Rooted in Root Beer

The family story goes something like this. 
In an attempt to save money and to feed their love for root beer, my grandparents, one spring, took a stab at making their own. They did whatever one does to brew it, then they stored all the bottles in the cool basement. 

The thing about cool basements, especially in un-air-conditioned Midwest homes, is that they are not immune from summer heat.
You can guess the rest.

There came the day when my grandparents heard a huge pop. Then another. Another! 
In the heat, the carbonation took on a life of its own. The bubbles became too much for the bottles to contain, and the remaining batch of root beer—and all that glass—exploded throughout the basement.

To you, this story may seem to have little connection with books or writing. But to me, it has everything to do with perspective, point-of-view, voice, and more. 

I was fortunate to grow up rooted within a larger extended family that provided a lifetime of stories. I don’t use these stories as is (I tried and failed once), but the personalities and the experiences and even the banter continue to supply a vital undercurrent.

In other words, while family may not be at forefront of my books, it’s always there, hidden away in the basement, ready to explode into a scene when I (or my characters) need it.

Award-winning author Jody Feldman has been told that she’s really skilled at keeping the parents from controlling her characters’ stories. But the truth is, they are there as an influence, for better or for worse. (And with fiction, worse is often much more fun.)