Not long ago, at a book-signing, a fan asked me, “Who inspired you along the way?” Well, let's see. For many years, I lived near Bangor, Maine, where Stephen King lives. That’s pretty inspiring! I tend to read anything that my eyes fall upon, so any number of distinguished literary figures could lay claim to being my inspiration, at least in part. I gave my fan’s question a lot of thought before I finally answered, “Ol' Dan. Yeah. Dan Fogelberg.” Why a songwriter? Because he always had the strength to lead with his heart. I fancy myself to be that courageous, but am I? Along with some famous and more than a few obscure writers, my inspiration may come from something as tangible as a sad song, a broken heart, or as intangible as aliens and UFO’s. I grew up near Chatham, New York, not far from Woodstock, and the unorthodox thought processes of the characters that populated my part of the world were a wellspring of inspiration. Okay, granted, a few of them were just nuts and bolts, but even that can be fun, and often a source of inspiration - if you keep an open mind. I knew, even back then; I’m a people-watcher. On any given day, I encounter a wide assortment of people. Any one of them stands a good chance of ending up in the notebook I carry in my pocket, destined for that unique moment of fame where they become one of the strange, powerful, or perhaps wonderful characters populating my books. Sometimes I ask for permission to use their names. The right name can be a powerful character-shaping tool. So, in truth, Dan Fogelberg was really only a partial answer. The unabridged answer is: People. People inspire me, and I doubt there will ever come a day when they cease to inspire me. I’ve recently moved to the Seattle, Washington area, where every day I get to enjoy watching a whole new world of people! Inspiration is a wonderful thing. J.M. Surra