A Bottle Half Full of Facts:
- In chapters 11 through 14, I wrote about a couple of menacing ghosts, Eerie and Baritone.  Although much of their mischief was a product of my imagination, the idea to write about ghosts was based on the experiences of my husband's family while living in an old home in Bourbon, Indiana. During an overnight visit, I saw first hand how apparitions demand we take notice.  It was apparent that a source of energy was present.  It remained unseen to the human eye, but not invisible to the dog who was barking as if someone were invading its territory.  We all watched as the dog followed the invisible presence through the dining room and to the sun porch where the ghost made a racket by slamming into the doors.  As soon as the burst of energy was released, the dog fell silent and the room became flooded with fear from everyone there.
		Back

- In chapter 23, Messy and Bland, Melissa begins to recite the multiplication tables of six.  Originally, when
writing, I flip-flopped the six times tables with the seven multiples and every answer was incorrect. (I suppose I
could have used a dust particle of knowledge blown in my direction.)  The first person that read the story,
Stephanie, pointed this out and we shared a good laugh at my error.

-In the photo collage, I used a photograph of a woman.  (a relative from the early 1900's.)  My mother received
several family albums from her brother's estate a few years ago and for some reason that particular photograph
stood out.  To this day, I have the original image framed on my desk. I am uncertain who exactly she was, but I
feel an uncanny tie to her as if she has always been watching over my shoulder.  

-In chapter 2, For the Love of Sisters, the character of Rene was based on my Godchild who happens to be
autistic.  I noticed that she does in fact see things differently from the rest of us.  She may live in her own world
with unique interpretations of reality, but I believe she is content in many ways that we are not.  I am proud of my
Godchild; she has overcome many obstacles and is an amazing athlete who has won several awards in the Special
Olympics for swimming.

-I currently live forty five minutes from Three Corners on Lake Michigan.  It is a stretch of property that many
locals are unaware even exists.  I've been known to visit the lake shore and climb the sand mountain.  If I close
my eyes and concentrate, I can feel the presence of Robert searching the beach.  In the crash of the wake I've
noticed a hint of salt from his tears as he grieves for his true love Elizabeth.  (Three Corners is not an actual
place, but I imagined the area of fine mansions lining Lake Michigan along the great eastern shore.)

- The first few pages of Jeanne's Bottle were written from the waiting area of a physical therapy rehab center.  
My child and I were victims of a coward, a drunk driver who smashed into the back end of our car then drove
away.  We were fortunate to be within the enclosure of a car and wearing seat belts. I was grateful that we were
not pedestrians crossing the path of a drunken fool. We very well could have been riding our bikes like the boy in
the story.