Character Inspiration
by Meradeth Houston- 2013

Every once in a while I receive comments on my book about how it has such a great “message.” These always give me pause: I totally didn't’ set out to write a message-oriented book, and in my head that’s not what I was going for. But apparently there’s one in there J. After thinking about it a while, I've decided I kind of like the thought. Here’s why:

My main characters belong to the Sary (I made them up, so don’t worry if you've never heard of them before!), who are charged with helping people out when they’re in need. Usually this is to try and keep people from taking their own lives, but other times it can be as simple as lending a helping hand when it’s needed—giving someone a pen in the grocery line, or even offering a smile, finding a way to make a day a little brighter. I think we've all had an experience or two when someone’s been there to help out when we've been in a jam.

My personal story of someone coming to my rescue was after being in a serious car accident. A beamer blew a stop sign going about 60mph and rammed into my car, spinning us through an intersection, into another car, and eventually into a ditch. My husband and I were supremely lucky we weren't seriously injured (we got away with a broken leg and broken ribs). After being whisked to the ER—separate ones, as hubby looked really bad at the scene—I had no way to contact anyone to help. My family was out of town, I’d lost my cell, and obviously had no car. Stuck doesn't even begin to cover it.

That’s when I received a major helping hand in the form of an old friend who was a nurse in the ER. She happened to recognize my name, and completely took care of me. She helped me find pants (mine had to be cut off—can I just say embarrassing?), get me home, then track down my husband and help him home. I have no idea what I would have done without her. That night, she was totally my Sary.

So, if in any small way through my books I point to ways to help one another out, I’m definitely happy. I also love hearing other’s stories of times they've received a helping hand—I’d love it if you chimed in with one in the comments! I share stories on Friday’s on my blog, too, and am always looking for new voices and tales to share J.

And because I love this (even if it is an add), I have to share:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceTBF1Hik5I#t=19

Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

She’s a Northern California girl, but now lives and teaches anthropology in Montana.When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!

She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It's her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work! If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.