by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
As NaNoWriMo kicks off, I’m thrilled to dive into my YA novel, The Secret Tree, set in one of my favorite campgrounds—Crooked River State Park. For those who may not know, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is a month-long challenge where writers around the world set out to write 50,000 words in November 📅💻. It’s a time of creative energy, late nights, and pushing past writer’s block to get the story onto the page. This year, I’m joining in with The Secret Tree, a story that’s been on my mind since a family camping trip to this very park. 🌌
Crooked River holds a special spot in my heart. When we camped there in 2022, I was captivated by the trails, the live oaks, and the serene beauty of the river winding through the landscape 🏞️💚. Walking those trails with my husband and Liam felt peaceful and grounding, like stepping into a story. But as always, my writer’s imagination started to wander! Beneath the tranquility of those oak-covered paths, I began brainstorming a mystery, maybe even a murder mystery. 🕵️♀️🔎 Those early ideas eventually grew into The Secret Tree, where my main character, Evie, confronts mysteries both external and internal, all while navigating the forest paths I remember so well.
Crooked River has that perfect mix of beauty and mystery that makes it ideal for a story of faith, trauma, and growth 🌿✨. The park’s secluded, almost timeless atmosphere inspired a character who would face her own emotional battles, much like my middle daughter did during our trip. As I watched her navigate her struggles, the idea for a character finding peace and growth amid personal challenges began to take shape. Evie became a way to explore how faith can help us find strength, even in our most uncertain moments.
We plan to revisit Crooked River State Park in the spring 🌞. It feels like the perfect way to bring more authenticity into The Secret Tree—and I’m already looking forward to getting lost in those trails again, with fresh inspiration 🌲💭.
If you’re also joining NaNoWriMo, or just cheering from the sidelines, thank you for being part of this journey with me. Here’s to the adventure of storytelling and finding inspiration in unexpected places! 🌳✨
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#NaNoWriMo2024 #TheSecretTree #WritingJourney #YAfiction #CrookedRiverStatePark #Inspiration #FaithAndFiction #Storytelling #CreativeAdventure #WritingCommunity #NatureAndMystery #NewBeginnings
The Aging English Major 