How Family Ties Strengthen a Story
Thanksgiving is this week, which brings family up front and center as we plan for the holiday and we look forward to spending time together. I thought it would be fitting to share a post reflecting how families are used in stories and how I believe family ties can strengthen a story.
Question: How often do you read books where the parents have any real part in the plot?
With many young adult novels, it’s usually the case that the main character doesn’t have parents. Sometimes the parents are still living, but aren’t involved in the story. Sometimes the parents have died and we learn more about the character with regard to that loss and how it emotionally affects them. Other times, the lack or loss of parents is barely mentioned. Harry Potter’s parents were killed when he was a baby. Katniss’ mom in the Hunger Games pretty much checked out after her husband passed away. And the characters in the Maze Runner don’t remember their parents, much less know if they are still alive or the walking diseased. When I decided to write my young adult novel, Born or Bred, my characters had to learn to survive after circumstances changed their fate and that of their parents.
In many of the mystery books I read, the main character may have parents involved in the story, or they may not. Sometimes a mother is present for the character to bounce ideas off of. Sometimes they are present to remind the character they are looking for trouble if they continue to get involved with investigating murders. I see this more often with mothers, but I don’t often see authors add in fathers for the same purpose. Possibly because a dad would be more inclined to butt in if he thought his daughter was in real trouble? That would add some conflict. But for the most part, parents aren’t involved in most of the novels I read. When parents are involved in a story, it’s usually to give the main character more depth or to give the readers someone else to relate to.
Regardless if parents are front and center, family ties will always strengthen a story.
In the Jorja Matthews mystery series, my main character has parents who are warm, loving and always there for her when she needs them. But Jorja learns in No Mother of Mine that there’s a secret behind her birth and who her birth parents really are. In one moment, her world is changed when she learns the truth behind what occurred on the day she was born. In Best Kept Secrets the story of Jorja’s past continues to unfold when she finally learns the truth about her father. During the series, Jorja has to come to terms with what happened and what her birth mother was capable of, while forgiving the lies told by the only parents she knew. Even if Jorja never fully understands or comes to terms with what she learned about her birth, my plan is to work it out for myself and the readers by eventually writing a prequel to the series to involve the story behind her birth parents. It’s an idea in the works, anyway.
In No Mother of Mine we also met Kat, who hires Jorja to find the mother who abandoned her and her father when Kat was just a toddler. The result of Jorja’s investigation shows us that the past is not always what it seems to be. In Best Kept Secrets we not only get to know more about Jorja’s family, but we follow the stories involving two other families, with mothers who act out of desperation to save their children and fathers who act shamefully. Not all parents are like the parents Jorja grew up with…many are like my other characters; full of rage, hate, greed, jealously, and fear.
Which is why I decided to use parents in the series.
Parents and our family ties are the core of our being…it’s why we’re here, whether the parents we live with gave birth to us or not. Another reason my stories involve parents is that it’s usually family which propels us toward whatever future we finally etch out for ourselves. How we are raised, who we live with, the experiences we’re involved with as children, who we look up to or who we fear…all these things eventually play a part in what we do with our lives, whether it can be easily explained or not. Some grow up with a good family life and continue on in that tradition with their own families; while others somehow turn into something you could only label as a monster. Those who knew only fear as a child might vent their rage on others in an attempt to shed the anger buried deep inside them. Others may face those fears with defiance and a determination not to force the same abuse on their own children or spouse.
Of course, there’s more to family ties than just our parents.
In my third novel, Ties That Bind, family is still key, with one story involving brothers, another a stepson and stepmother and yet another is about an aunt who finds herself in hot water. While I enjoy writing about Jorja as she investigates each case, it is the stories behind the story involving what makes families tick that I like to touch on and what I hope readers also enjoy. As the series continues, there will always be elements relating to family ties, but there will be stories about other types of fractured relationships, as well.
It might seem heavy for just a mystery series but my books have never been just a mystery series. They are a way for me to express myself. To share with others the stories, characters and emotions I believe many can relate to based on their own family and past experiences. I also write what interests me to avoid the risk of losing the passion behind the reason I write, which is to entertain readers with stories and characters I believe they can care about and/or relate to.
And here’s a quote that aptly describes why I enjoy sharing novels with readers:
“I want to write books that unlock the traffic jam in everybody’s head.”
~John Updike~
Everyone needs an escape sometimes and reading offers that. Whether you’re looking for a feel-good novel, a mystery, a romance or a nail-biting horror, there’s more than enough authors to choose from. For those who read my novels and continue to look forward to each new release, I am forever grateful to you and I will continue to share stories I hope you’ll continue to enjoy.
