Home of the Bellingwood Series – Nammynools

Easter Eggs

I grew up thinking that Easter eggs were things to be decorated or filled with candyEaster-Eggs1. Nowadays, the phrase has taken on a new connotation – a joke or bonus added to a piece of software or even a movie.

Or … a book.

They aren’t nearly as much fun if I’m the only one who knows about them. Now, while there are stories of mine in every book, both embarrassing and sweet, I tend to intermix them with pure fiction. Unless you know me very well, you may never know which is which.

In Pages of the Past, there are a few that I figured my sister would recognize. We grew up together. When I explained them, she was startled. She’d missed ’em.

In no particular order, here are some fun bits of information I dropped into the story.

When Polly talks about having to go home from a slumber party, I did that in second grade. I was miserable. However, my family didn’t invite friends over later for me. AJ and Dev were two of my closest high school friends, though. Alice is a beta reader / rock star editor and knowledgeable about all things horsey.

The wrestling match between Aaron Merritt and his sister, Helen, actually happened. My horrible, hideous, rotten brother played me big time the year he was learning tae kwon do. The mat was right outside my bedroom and he called me out to help him perfect a move. Wham! I was on my back. I shook it off and went back into my room. He called me out – telling me he was going to try something different. Wham! I was on my back. No, I didn’t wet myself, but I learned a lesson about trust that day. Yes, that’s Jamie McFarlane, the author. He was and always shall be my little brother, the brat.

Lydia and Aaron Merritt’s five month engagement equals that of my parents, as does Lydia’s comment to her friend that if he asked her out again, that was the man she’d marry. While Mom and Dad didn’t go to the State Fair, their first date was at an amusement park. The other little bit of information in there was the name of Lydia’s friend – Nena Mack. Nena was Mom’s mother’s middle name (rearrange the letters to make Anne, by the way) and everyone called Mom’s father – Mac.

I guess I dribble these little bits and pieces of my life into my stories so they stay alive – even if they’re encompassed in fiction.

There are other things within the books that come from my life. Sometimes I work out annoyances at people I’ve experienced, other times you’ll get moments of beauty that I’ve watched occur. Much of the time, it’s just my brain on overload

Now… I suppose I should get back to work on Book 10! Thanks for reading along!

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