My Cherokee grandmother’s storytelling led to the first six books for Young Readers that I wrote and had published. Anyone who has read Native American stories and myths will attest to the fact that they are mysterious, romantic, and offer the reader a look at fantasy from a different perspective. My passion is creating characters that will portray the stories and myths of my Cherokee ancestors from being lost in the waves of time.

When I first began to write stories for children, they were the traditional fairy tale type stories, which produced only rejection letters. Then I read that each author must find a twist – something that no one else has tried.

After I was married and had children, I flew my grandmother to Connecticut to tell these stories to my children. I recorded them on reel to reel tapes and eventually typed them and placed in a notebook. Twenty years later, I began to draw from the stories my grandmother told me and I found they were the perfect start for my stories for children. Then I began to dig into Cherokee myths new to me – there were a hundred ideas for the basis of stories for children, and adults.

Cherokee Love

The main character in my adult novel, "Cherokee Love," discovers hidden mysteries about her Cherokee ancestors that change her life and goals dramatically. Every good novel, although not necessarily the mystery genre, should have some mysterious or mystical quality. Naturally, when I went to my muse for mysterious elements, she led me to the tales told by my Cherokee ancestors.

The fact that you desire or write historical fiction is to acknowledge that you love the past. Everyone has a story to tell. Weaving in the life experiences of your ancestors, or even your own, will give an immediate interest to your story.

I had no idea when I first began "Cherokee Love" that Deborah’s child would be stolen at birth and adopted out (she was told the child had died). But pulling from an incident that happened in my own life, it was natural to put Deborah in that situation. I knew the things she was feeling: anger, despair, sadness and hopelessness. 

As the scene progressed, it took a turn and direction away from my own life experience, and enlarged to a pivotal and emotional part of "Cherokee Love". This incident threads through the rest of the novel. It does have a happy ending, as did my own situation and you can be assured my daughter will see that this story is handed down to my grandchildren.

This is your passion, and it will be conveyed to your readers. Think about high school, college, and personal friends that meant so much to you. Glean ideas from your life, created from memories you thought were long ago forgotten.

Shirley G. Webb - 2 (continue)