This past summer, I had the honor of participating in an author panel. Never in a million years did I expect to do such a thing. Safe to say, I owe this experience to my first publication—the honor of being part of the award-winning anthology, Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women.
One of the questions the panel moderator asked us authors was, “What inspires a new story idea for you?”
“Setting,” I answered. “Every one of my stories begins with the setting.”
When I first considered submitting to the Feisty Deeds anthology, I thumbed through a variety of story concepts.
About ten years earlier, my mother and I drove down the Natchez Trace for the first time. We got on the Trace in Cherokee, Alabama, and drove south to Tupelo. The next summer, starting again in Cherokee, we drove from the Northern Terminus to Nashville. Now, as I considered inspirational settings for my short story, one stood out to me—Colbert Ferry.
George Colbert, the son of a Scottish father and Chickasaw mother, operated an inn (stand) known as Wilderness Haven. His Chickasaw heritage, passed on through a matrilineal bloodline, afforded him the rights to operate a ferry on the Tennessee River. During the War of 1812, George Colbert charged Andrew Jackson $75,000 to ferry his men across the river. Colbert operated his stand along the Natchez Trace from 1800 to 1819.
My short story, “Tracing the Spirit,” bears no historical resemblance to Colbert Ferry. In fact, the only similarity is that Anna’s (the main character) stand overlooks the Tennessee River. Anna encounters Kaintucks, the boatmen from Kentucky who rode down the Mississippi River with their wares and walked back up the Trace. The supper served at her table is similar to what Kaintucks would’ve eaten 220 years ago. Numerous, carefully chosen, historical details take readers back in time…if only for 3,000 words.
Going to a real place puts me in the mindset to craft a story. I immerse myself, using as many senses as possible. Which kinds of trees grow in the area? What do they look like in various seasons? Which birds sing from the trees? What are the smells—fishy river water or damp earth? How does the slant of the sun affect the surroundings?
I want to spark interest in my readers. I hope they learn something about a place they’ve never visited. Maybe, reading my stories will inspire them to go to those places themselves. They might appreciate the setting’s beauty or discover a piece of history.
Bonus: My October blogpost, Country Churches, tells about these two days-gone-by houses of worship. One of them helped inspire the setting of my current manuscript. *Hint: It’s not the church house in New York.
Book Recommendation: I cannot recommend Mary Alice Monroe’s latest release, Where the Rivers Merge enough! It was my summer read, set in my favorite summer place—the South Carolina Lowcountry. No one pens family sagas or immerses readers in the natural beauty of the Lowcountry like Mary Alice Monroe. If you enjoy books that evoke strong emotions and connections to place, this book is for you.
Save the Date for the North Alabama Author Festival at the Scottsboro Public Library on Saturday, November 15, 9:00am–12:00pm CST. Find your next autumn read and meet local Alabama authors, including myself and co-contributing Feisty Deeds author DW Hogan.
Have a great month and happy reading!
Sincerely,
Beth Anne Hill
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I love this - I learned so much from your conveying this history like a story!