Please welcome my fellow MuseItUp author, Kevin Hopson, who wrote his new novelette, Delivering Jacob, on a painfully personal topic. I invited Kevin to talk about the transfer of real life into fiction.
* * *
When
Fiction is Reality
By
Kevin Hopson
If
you’re a fiction writer, you know that writing often portrays some aspects of
our real life. Whether these depictions are in the form of names, character traits,
settings, themes or whatever, they all come from a universal comfort in finding
something we can relate to. As a result, we can’t help but include reality in
fiction. However, what happens when an event, especially a devastating one, has
impacted your life so much that it inspires you to write a story about it?
My
cross-genre novelette, Delivering Jacob, is a perfect example of this. It deals
with the loss of a child, which is something I experienced back in August 2010
when my son, Aydin, was stillborn at 36 weeks. Numb and in shock, I couldn’t
imagine ever writing again, yet it crept back into my life only a few months
later as I attempted to grieve and cope with the loss. My writing wasn’t the
same, though. It turned more laborious, and the quality I had come to expect
with my work was lacking. While writing provided a means of release for me, I
had to come to terms with the loss before taking it seriously again.
It
took nearly eighteen months for this to occur. After the birth of my second
son, Skyler, I was motivated to pick up where I left off. That was
three-and-a-half years ago, and I have published nearly a dozen stories/books
since then. Even though I integrated some aspect of my loss into several of
those works, none of them dealt directly with the death of a child, which is
why I felt the need to write Delivering Jacob.
The
idea hit me out of the blue, and everything fell into place almost immediately.
In fact, the topic felt so natural to me that I managed to write the story in a
few days. In addition to the theme, there are many ways I paid tribute to my
experience. For example, the main character’s son, Ken, was named after my
father who passed away in December 2011. I include other names of family
members and even set the story in the Pacific Northwest, which is my favorite
part of the country.
I’ve
been told that Delivering Jacob is my best work to date. I’m not sure if I
agree, but it’s definitely the most personal piece I’ve written, so maybe it
hits the reader in a way that my other stories don’t. Regardless, it’s a
diverse story that has a little bit of something for everyone … mystery,
romance, crime, thrills, and even a hint of the supernatural. The subject
matter is important to me, as well as the characters, which is why I have
already written follow-up stories revolving around the life of Jacob.
* * *
Here is the book trailer for Delivering Jacob:
Learn more about Kevin Hopson on his blog.
Purchase Delivering Jacob as well as Kevin Hopson's other books on Amazon.
The loss of a child is devastating. I hope writing "Delivering Jacob" helped you. My son and his wife went through a year of counselling and they've never got over their loss.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Kevin, on your new novel.
Susan
Thank you, Susan, and I'm sorry for your loss. I don't think anyone ever gets over the loss of a child. They only learn to integrate it into their lives. They never forget and will always wonder "what if."
DeleteKevin...this is your strongest writing. Your sharing of Aydin and your family has been and is a treasure. HUGS
ReplyDeleteWe were all there with Kevin when he and his wife endured the loss of their precious child Aydin...at Muse we pride ourselves that we're a family...as family each of us felt the pain of losing a child and proudly wacthed Kevin and his wife show the true grace radiating out from rising above a pain that could and has brought others to the lowest point of their knees.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of Kevin's writing...I haven't yet read this book but know it will bring me to tears, so powerfully does Kevin share details of events in his writing that always touch the strings of our hearts, souls, and universal eternities.
I have lost three babies in my life and not a day goes by I do not ache for the loss of them, and wonder who they would have grown to be....and in my case I lost mine long before I could be enchanted by the steady thrum of their heartbeats beneath the palm I woulod place upon my tummy. I am marking the release date on my calendar, Dear friend...and before I post this, I want to also take this extra moment to thank you for sharing the joy and pride you take in Skyler. I wish all fathers adored their little ones as much as you adore him. Every picture you post shows that he is your Best Buddy. I bask in seeing such unconditional love radiating from pictures.
I wish you unconditional success with this story and all future Jacob additions.
Thank you for sharing this very personal story, Kevin. I look forward to your book.
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone, for the kind words. So many others have experienced this same type of loss...and some more than once, which I can't even imagine. It was the lowest point in my life. Some people never make it back from a loss like this, but I'm thankful to have endured it and come out stronger.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kevin, for having the courage to write this book. You are an nspiration to all of us. Such a tragic loss could happen to anyone.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I will be able to read your book yet. It's a year today that we lost our adult daughter, and I'm still working through it. But I asked a friend to read it first. Best of luck, and thank you for inspiring me.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your loss, Sherry. It doesn't matter the age of your child or how they passed. Though the circumstances can impact how we deal with it, the loss is devastating no matter what. My heart goes out to you, and I hope you and your family can eventually find peace.
DeleteFirst off let me say how sorry I am for your loss. I can't imagine losing a child. I just lost my father this year and am still trying to get myself together over that loss. I'm finding it extremely hard to concentrate on writing anything. But I'm not going to push myself until I'm ready. Although it took you awhile to gain writing strength again after losing your son, I'm proud of you for doing it and having the courage to tell others about your experience. I wish you all the luck in the world!
ReplyDelete