On Inspiration

If I had to guess, my inspiration to write fiction comes from my experiences traveling. For example, on the last day of my study abroad experience back in 2007, I sat down and wrote a 2,500 word story that blended together a little bit of everything that had occurred over the previous six months. The story changed very little between that day and when it appeared in Curbside Splendor five years later.

I bring all of this up because I have another travel-inspired story coming out soon at Scout. "The City We Built in Life" wouldn't exist if I hadn't gone to Germany last fall. Even then, I had to choose to spend a day in Berlin. Even then, I had to take just the right walking path to find one of the most moving memorials I have ever seen. Here's how I described the experience in my travel journal:

Leaving the park, I crossed the street and entered the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The 2,700 massive stones create an uneven maze. It is easy to lose yourself inside, and after a few minutes I felt what could best be described as drowning on land.

This drowning feeling stayed with me for many days. I wondered if any other memorial on Earth imparted the same emotional response. Unable to think of any real-life examples, I decided to make one up.

That's all I'll say about the plot of "The City We Built in Life." I just hope the story has the same effect on you as those silent stones had on me in Berlin.

Thomas Broderick - Founder