If you’ve found your way here, welcome. I’m so glad you’re here. This journal is where I’ll share the stories behind the stories. I’ll talk about the places that inspired my novels, the history I uncovered during my research, the people I met along the way, and what it’s really like writing a book. It seemed fitting to begin at the beginning. I’ve always loved writing. When I was in high school, one of my teachers read a short story I’d written and told me I should keep writing. It was a…