I think every novelist borrows true elements or circumstances from their own lives in their work and then alters them in some way. After all, as I mentioned in an earlier post, the mantra for all writers is “Write what you know.” So, it makes sense that we draw from our own experiences when we write.

In my case, I have borrowed a few autobiographical elements from my life then fictionalized the context. Without giving too much away, let me give you one example. Early in the story, one of the main characters is in a serious car accident. The injuries sustained are the actual injuries my wife endured from a car accident she was in many years ago. This real-life experience gave me the background I needed to write convincingly about the injuries, the medical treatments and the recovery period.

Naturally, what I describe about Lake Geneva, the picturesque tourist town that is the primary setting, is all true–from the serene Shore Path that wraps around the lake, to the flowers along the path, to the quaint restaurants, coffee and ice cream shops downtown.

Only one character in the book is actually modeled after someone in my everyday life–my wife. I will leave that to you to figure out. If you know me, it will be easy to spot. If you don’t, you may need to do some surmising.