My Inspiration

As soon as I was asked to write a fairy tale retelling for the Once Upon A Christmas collection, I immediately said, “I want to do Sleeping Beauty!” Two minutes later I was thinking, why did you pick that? A mean, Aurora has always been my favorite Disney princess, but how in the world was I supposed to modernize the girl who sleeps until her prince arrives?

Then my brain kicked in.

It went something like this.

My brain: Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. Sleeping Beauty Syndrome.

Me: There’s no such thing. Why do you keep telling me that?

My brain: Yes, there is. Sleeping Beauty Syndrome.

Me: You’re making that up.

My brain: No, I’m not. Sleeping Beauty Syndrome.

Me: Okay, I’ll prove to you that there is no such thing and then maybe you’ll shut up. (types Sleeping Beauty Syndrome into Google) Oh…

It all came rushing into focus then. I had read an article about Sleeping Beauty Syndrome (Klein-Levin Syndrome) years ago—before I even started writing. And even though I hadn’t thought anything else about it, that little bit had tucked itself away in some hidden part of my brain for just this moment in time.

If that doesn’t tell you that God has a plan, I don’t know what else would.

I am so grateful for the calling and the inspiration He has provided. And I and thankful for the other ladies in this collection. I have really enjoyed my time working with them and getting to know them on a more personal basis too. I think their stories are wonderful and I pray readers will love them for their whimsical look-back to the originals but also come away with a deeper spiritual connection to The One with a plan for everything.