Inspiration

by Karen M. Davis

Who inspires you?

Do you have a certain author, or numerous authors, who you admire above all the rest? Do you find them inspirational because you love, love, love their books, their writing style, or the particular stories they write? Do they inspire you because they are just so good? Or does it have more to do with their back-story? How they got to be where they are?

Success seems largely a matter of hanging on, when others have let go. William Feather

I’m inspired by hard work, determination and persistence; all qualities needed to, firstly, finish a manuscript, and then to continue writing manuscripts even when almost buried under rejection letters.

There are many Australian authors I love and find inspirational. To name a few:

Anna Romer,who doesn’t know the meaning of giving up, took fifteen years to land her first publishing deal for Thornwood House and Lyrebird Hill.

Katherine Howell (crime fiction author) wrote for years and did many creative writing courses before she became published, and then eight books followed. 

Even Kate Morton, Australia’s No 1. Best Selling author, took seven years to write her first published book, The Secret Keeper.


Clearly success does not always come easily and almost never overnight. 

Lynne Wilding

But perseverance pays off in the long run.


There are many examples of inspirational authors, and people for that matter. The one person who has had the most influence, and is still a true inspiration to me, is my mother, the late Lynne Wilding.


Of course mothers always impact our lives but what I’m referring to is her resolve and unwavering passion in regards to writing. I remember her sitting at the dining room table with her old typewriter, papers spread everywhere as she tapped away on the keys to all hours. I also remember the look on her face whenever she received a rejection letter. Forcing a smile she’d say, “I must be getting better. They wrote three lines this time instead of one.”

I used to wonder where she found the patience... That was until I started writing and discovered a buried passion of my own. Suddenly it all made sense. It took over ten years for my mother to become published and then twelve best-selling novels followed. She still worried after each book that it would be her last, that she wouldn’t be able to do it again. But even through self-doubt she never stopped writing. She was my inspiration when I was writing my first book, Sinister Intent, and wondering if all the effort was worthwhile.


She is still my inspiration, especially on days when the words are not flowing, or things are not going according to plan. I think we all need a little inspiration at times.

Have you got a story of inspiration? If so please share it with us.

I love to laugh... at anything really; any laugh is a good laugh.

I love to love... my family.
I love to learn... new things about people I know.