Inspiration, Inspiration, Inspiration
In the years I’ve been writing I’ve taken every possible opportunity to meet readers in person. I’ve found the most often asked question is, “Where to you get your (ideas) inspiration?”
It always makes me laugh. Ideas slap me in the face daily. Everything around me, everyone I meet or know, and sometimes from dreams, ideas come at me faster than I can write them down. It’s a never-ending saga that keeps me awake at night.
My latest mystery novel, The Attic, A Flip or Flop Mystery, published in July, 2025. I decided to create a short summary of the inspiration for this book . . . before the question was asked. This story is near and dear to my heart. I’ve thought about it for years and finally decided to put it in print. I’d like to share this inspiration tale with you.
THE ATTIC INSPIRATION
As a child I played with a friend whose family had inherited an old mansion that had been in their family for many generations. The pre-Civil War home sat high above town about three miles uphill from the Ohio River. The owner of a huge plantation surrounding it built it as his family home. The house was unique for this tiny riverside town. I found its notorious history and many hidden secrets within its walls fascinating.
Behind the building, the steep hill was a perfect location for our toboggan and sled riding, as long as we hit bottom at the right spot and not the small creek. Beyond that lay another hill of heavy woodlands. As a mountain-born child, I was intrigued by the woods instead of fearful. I led many hikes through them to the lake on the other side. Along with all land around it, the lake property had once been part of the plantation. This parcel had been sold off and converted to a pay-by-the-day fishing lake.
Sadly, the mansion had been converted into three apartments occupied by my friend’s family and her relatives. It pained me to see the extravagant building sliced into such mundane sections.
Windows were floor to ceiling leaded glass. Woodworking throughout was elaborate and hand carved. The many fireplaces were marvels to my young eyes with marble, handmade tiles, and unsurpassed craftsmanship.
The only parts of the house not inhabited, by the living at least, were the basement and the huge foyer. It became the playroom for two young girls and our Barbie dolls, decked out in gowns to attend a ball.
A three-story-high ceiling sported a carved round cornice that displayed an enormous crystal chandelier. The room was as large as my home’s living room, dining room, and kitchen combined. White marble flooring and steps on the swirling staircase led to the second and third-floor landings. We dressed our dolls in evening attire and pretended they were strolling down them to meet their dates.
A rock and mortar walled basement occupied space beneath the whole house, but the rooms’ concrete floors were bone dry. Its hilltop location helped with this, I’m sure.
Tunnels had been built with the intention of making it simple for workers to bring goods, water, and ice into the house and remove refuse without disturbing the residents.
My innate curiosity would have coaxed me to explore these caverns; had they not been long since sealed in the 1950s for safety. A gigantic, solid steel door attached to surrounding rock walls with bolts broader than my hand.
These tunnels are part of the fabric of our United States history. Escaping slaves from the south were secretly slipped into the house where they were hidden away in consealed rooms using obscured staircases, until they could be ushered through the other tunnel that led the long distance to the banks of the Ohio River. From there, they loaded onboard boats and were taken across the water to freedom in Ohio.
My fascination with this house and its history has stayed with me throughout my life. It is the inspiration for my latest and thirtieth novel, a mystery called The Attic, A Flip or Flop Mystery.
In The Attic, rehabber, Charli Owens, and her retired rock-and-roll singer grandmother delve into an eerie historic mansion’s notorious history and put their lives in danger. I felt this house’s story needed to be told. Hopefully Charli, Eli and her Gran do so in an entertaining way. It’s available in eBook, print and audiobook.
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Lynda Rees has published 30 mysteries, including historical and contemporary fiction, early reader mysteries, and childrens picture books. She has won accolades from Killer Nashville Silver Falcion, RWA, Golden Heart, Pittsburg Press Best Choice, Imaginarium, NTRW, and PFTHRW.
I am available to speak to your reader or other group and can provide writing workshops on various subjects. If you’re in the need of a speaker, reach out to me at lyndareesauthor@gmail.com. There’s more about my work at my website https://www.LyndaReesAuthor.com, and I would love it if you would reach out to me at any or all my social media links.
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