A Novel Based on True Events

I am often asked the question: What is Emily’s Hope? Is it a novel or a non-fiction book?

Novels are most often the product of an author’s imagination and are usually fictitious. Sometimes, an author will use real events or create characters from people he or she knows. Although my book is based on a true story, Emily’s Hope is a fictionalized version of my life and my great-grandmother’s life, so it is considered a novel. Names were changed, characters and events were amalgamated. Some events were added for continuity. My great-grandmother’s life was more fictionalized.

Writing a novel based on true events has its advantages: the story, basic plot and setting are already in place. But it also has its disadvantages. Creatively, I felt limited and I was hesitant to change the events or characters too much.

This is why I decided to write another novel, In Name Only. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this novel and was free to create an interesting story and a wide variety of characters.

To purchase it on Amazon or to read an excerpt of Emily’s Hope, click here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0973673605/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books