We have author Ciara Knight this week talking about "Where do story ideas come from?" She also has a new book out this month, Christmas Harbor Secrets.
About the Author
Ciara Knight is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author who writes heart-tugging, faith-filled romance with a dash of hope and a whole lot of love. When she's not wrangling swoon-worthy cowboys or crafting small-town drama, she's navigating life as a proud mom of three spirited (and now grown!) boys.
In a major plot twist no one saw coming, Ciara and her tech-savvy husband recently traded in their empty nest for open waters—purchasing a boat to live aboard full-time. Together, they’re setting sail on the greatest adventure yet: the next chapter of life, love, and a few waves of inspiration. Anchors aweigh!
Ciara Knight on the web:
“Where do your story ideas come from?”
Most people expect a mysterious answer—some enchanted muse whispering plot twists at midnight. But the truth? Ideas come from absolutely everywhere… often when you least expect them.
Sometimes it’s an angry driver who cuts you off in traffic (RISE FROM DARKNESS). You catch that flash of irritation on their face and think, What happened to them today? Who are they hurrying to? Who are they running from? (LOVE ON THE PRAIRIE) Suddenly, you’re inventing a character with a secret, a past, a reason they can’t slow down (CHRISTMAS HARBOR SECRETS).
Sometimes it’s a single song lyric that pulls you under. One haunting line can crack open an entire story. Maybe it sparks a memory, or maybe it makes you wonder, What if someone actually lived through this feeling? What if the lyric was their truth?(SPRING IN SWEETWATER COUNTY)
Sometimes it’s a stranger in line at the grocery store, just living their life… until you notice something oddly beautiful: the way they protectively grip their shopping cart, the way they smile at a child, the way their eyes look like they carry a whole novel’s worth of unspoken hurt or hope. Personalities are story fuel. (A CHRISTMAS SPARK)
Sometimes it’s a moment—tiny, unexpected, electric.
Like this one:
With only one word, in that deep charming voice of his, she froze in place, and she hated it.
That line wasn’t plotted. It wasn’t planned. It arrived like lightning—the sudden realization of how a character reacts when confronted by the one person who threatens every defense she’s built. One word. One voice. One gut-punch of emotion. (WINTER HARBOR SECRETS)
Sometimes… that’s all it takes.
Ideas are everywhere. Stories come from paying attention.
They grow from everyday life—messy, unpredictable, ordinary moments that become extraordinary when seen through a storyteller’s eyes.
So the next time you spot a frazzled commuter, overhear a line of conversation, or feel something stir in your chest at the sound of a voice…That might just be the beginning of your next book.
Christmas Harbor Secrets
Isobel Lane plans to sell her estranged father’s old trawler after her ex leaves her penniless—until she uncovers evidence pointing to his murder.
Haunted by the partner he couldn’t save, Rone Archer has spent years trying to outrun his guilt. Protecting Isobel from a danger that mirrors his past feels like his one chance at redemption.
But when a criminal organization tries to silence them, will they survive through Christmas, or will the tide claim more than her father’s secrets?
And get this book free:
This short story prequel offers a glimpse into
Rone Archer’s past—the man at the heart of
Christmas Harbor Secrets, the first book in the
Harbor Secrets series.
He faced down the storm—and his—enemies and walked away alive. But not whole. Some wounds don’t bleed. They linger in the silence…waiting for the next tide to rise.
Click here...
Oh what a great interview I love how ideas get sparked by everyday life like standing in line in a grocery store. That makes life one big pool of inspiration. Love the writer's sense of adventure too to go and live on a boat wow
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. The way she upped and started living in a boat is so adventurous! If you want to check her post where she shares about her journey, please see this post. https://nastravelworld.blogspot.com/2025/10/from-land-to-sea-our-new-life-aboard.html
DeleteSo true that ideas are everywhere! My ideas are so often a mix of things that it's often hard to figure what sparked it.
ReplyDelete