I’ve been working on a new character and a new story. It’s times like these when my friends and family need to be careful of what they say around me because I tend to write down anything funny or interesting. I call it my gathering season. Most of them don’t mind, but every now and then someone new will drop into my circle and won’t understand why I’m busy taking notes while they’re talking (sometimes it has nothing to do with them). Anyway, that new person might get nervous about being quoted in a book, but let me put your mind at ease. I will not give you credit for the quote. No one will know you think your boss is a cow, or your mother-in-law is the reincarnation of Cruella De Vil. Those statements will get swept into the story, or not.

I think most authors use what’s around us, and even if we don’t do it consciously, that comment our best friend made when we were 14 suddenly blows out of a character’s mouth and the author is astounded by her brilliance. But when she reads it over again, she knows exactly where her brilliance came from: Barbra Roche during Mr. Reed’s biology class.  

So if you catch any of your own quotes on the pages of my most recent work, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone what you said about dear Aunt Polly. Your secret’s safe with me….

Shhh….
Mary