The inspiration for every story is different, which is why I like to write a Story Inspiration Page for each of stories (and include it in the back of the book and also here on my blog).

I’ve finally caught up and written my Story Inspiration Page for Brynmor Llewellyn and Lark’s story…

A BRIDE FOR BRYNMOR – STORY INSPIRATION PAGE

I have great difficulties speaking different languages, but I’ve discovered I love the story challenges/complications of including them in my books. I also love the opportunity to link language to a character’s past.

• For my Quebec-born heroine (Birdie Bell aka Bernadette Bellamy), I added French in The Calling Birds.
• For my American-born heroine (Robyn Llewellyn whose ancestors came from Monmouth, Wales), I added Welsh in Robyn: A Christmas Bride.

• For my Canadian-born Irish-Cree Métis heroines (Lark, Oriole, and Wren who came from the Qu’Appelle Valley in present day Saskatchewan), I added Cree syllabics in A Bride for Brynmor.


The Métis are specific cultural communities who trace their descent from First Nations (Native American) women and European (first French then later Scottish, English, and Irish) men who came together with the fur trade in Canada and the United States.

Their unions were often called marriage à la façon du pays which meant “according to the custom of the country.” Written with a lowercase m, métis is the French word for “mixed.”

The Qu’Appelle Valley got its name from a Cree legend about a spirit that traveled up and down the river. The Cree told the fur traders they often heard a voice calling, “Kâ-têpwêt?” When the Cree responded to the call, it would echo back.

In French, “Kâ-têpwêt?” means “Qui appelle?” And in English that’s “Who is calling?” Which is the perfect echo/call back to my story The Calling Birds.

Cree syllabics are a script used to write the Cree language. They were first recorded in the 1800s and include nine glyph shapes. Today in Canada, it’s estimated that over 70,000 Algonquian-speaking people use the script.

To learn more about Cree syllabics and how they inspired my story, visit my website at www.JacquiNelson.com/the-cree-syllabic.

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I hope you enjoyed reading some of what inspired me to write Lark and Brynmor’s story. If you’d like to read A Bride for Brynmor’s book blurb and opening scene, click here.

WANT TO SEE MORE OF MY STORY INSPIRATION PAGES?

• Rescuing Raven – inspired by South Dakota, the Lakota, the town of Deadwood, and its gold rush.
• Between Heaven & Hell – inspired by the Oregon trail, Native tattoos of guardian spirits and more.
• Following Faith – inspired by Marguerite Henry’s San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion, Native legends and more.
• Choosing Bravery – inspired by The Revenant movie, Oregon’s Cascade Volcanic Arc and more.
• Between Love & Lies – inspired by Dodge City, the Time-Life Old West book collection, the longhorn cattle tick and more.
• Between Home & Heartbreak – inspired by Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and by the names Eldorado Jane, Eldora, Dorothy, Dory, Dority and more.
• Adella’s Enemy – inspired by the Hell on Wheels TV series, cutthroat railroad races and more.
• The Calling Birds – inspired by the Fourth Day in The 12 Days of Christmas song, stubborn/determined people and more.
• Robyn: A Christmas Bride – inspired by O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, My Fair Lady and more.

To read all of them together, click here to view my Story Inspiration Pages blog category.

Wishing you happy reading ❤️