How much of your book is real? Autobiographical elements in fiction.

Sometimes people who read my first novel -- St. Peter’s Monsters -- come back to me wanting to know if part of the book, or all of it, is real.

“Is the character Wren based on you?” they ask. “Who is Peter, really?” “Where is Pawpaw Ridge?”

Initially I found these inquiries hurtful. Don’t they think I have enough imagination to come up with an intriguing story and realistic characters? Now I’ve come to realize that readers don’t mean to offend me when they ask these kinds of questions. In fact, I’ve wondered the same thing about authors of my favorite fiction.

When I read a Rita Mae Brown story and recognize part of Charlottesville, it’s exciting to me. I can say, “Hey, I’ve been there or I’ve done that!” The same thing happens when I read a Lee Smith book and identify with a meal she’s described or a saying that’s unique to Southwest Virginia. All writers incorporate some of their life experiences into their work.

When we become immersed in a good book and develop a relationship with its characters, then part of us wants it to be real. To believe that the book is based on real people and events makes it more satisfying, somehow. The reader begins to take ownership of the story.

“How much of your book is real?” Now when a curious reader questions me, I smile. The question shows me that I’ve expressed in my writing some universal element. I’ve connected with another human being.

What could be better?

For more information about St. Peter’s Monsters and where to buy it, visit www.nevabryan.com.