My Biggest Writing Inspirations: The Books That Shaped My Stories

Writers can find inspiration just about anywhere: chatting in the grocery line, wandering down a hiking trail, or battling pixelated monsters in a video game. But let’s be honest: books are the ultimate fuel for the creative mind. They shape how we write, spark new ideas, and occasionally make us rethink every word we’ve ever put on a page.

These are the books and series that have had the biggest impact on my writing. If you read my stories closely, you might just spot a few familiar nods and Easter eggs tucked between the lines.

Animorphs

K.A. Applegate

Animorphs has been a favorite of mine ever since a librarian handed me the first book back in 1997. (Shoutout to the Monroeville Public Library: you’re the real MVP.) The series follows five teenagers who gain the power to morph into animals thanks to a dying alien, then use it to fight off a secret invasion by the Yeerks. Casual stuff.

For a “kids’ series,” Animorphs went surprisingly dark, war, trauma, identity, moral gray areas… it tackled them all with honesty and heart. I still reread the entire series every few years, and it holds up beautifully, even with the occasional Radio Shack reference. K.A. Applegate’s writing struck the perfect balance between tension and humor, creating characters that felt painfully real. Her blend of wit and emotional depth definitely shaped how I approach my own stories.

Enchanted Forest Chronicles

Patricia Wrede

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles is an absolute delight of a series. It follows a cast of wonderfully quirky characters who gleefully defy fantasy tropes, starting with Princess Cimorene in Dealing with Dragons, who, tired of embroidery and etiquette lessons, runs away to become a dragon’s princess instead. (Honestly, who wouldn’t?)

The series’ charm and wit are downright addictive, perfectly balancing the more serious moments, like collapsing kingdoms or the absurd prejudice faced by Fire Witches. Patricia Wrede cleverly weaves in classic fairy tale elements, only to turn them on their head as her characters roll their eyes at what “everyone knows” to be true. Beneath the humor and hijinks lies an every-important message about embracing who you are, even if it means rewriting the storybook rules.

The Lord Of The Rings

J.R.R. Tolkein

Via Wikipedia

Can I really call myself a fantasy writer and not include The Lord of the Rings? I fell head-over-heels for Middle-earth at an early age. My dad used to read the books to me, starting with The Hobbit and Smith of Wootton Major & Farmer Giles of Ham. By the time we reached The Fellowship of the Ring, though, Dad was getting a little punchy. I finally drew the line when he decided Aragorn should sound like Homer Simpson. After that, I took over the reading duties myself, the Silmarillion included.

The earliest draft of If I Die Before I Wake was full of songs and poems, clearly inspired by Tolkien’s “And then Legolas sang” moments. Archer, a ranger-like character, had a surprisingly strong tenor voice. While those musical interludes didn’t survive later drafts, Tolkien’s influence absolutely did. His worldbuilding, layered lore, and willingness to leave some stories unfinished taught me that sometimes mystery is what makes a world feel truly alive.

Jurassic Park

Michael Crichton

One of the first things people learn about me is that I never grew out of the dinosaur phase. I still devour dinosaur books, hunt down paleontology exhibits, and proudly sport a dinosaur tattoo. So, it should come as no surprise that Jurassic Park is one of my all-time favorite reads. I’m one of the rare few who actually read the book before watching the movie and, spoiler alert: the book is way bloodier.

Michael Crichton had a real gift for blending hard science with edge-of-your-seat storytelling. His mix of fact, theory, and just enough imagination gave his work that delicious “what if?” quality. Sure, we know now that cloning dinosaurs from amber-trapped DNA isn’t exactly possible, but Crichton’s confident, detail-rich writing makes you believe it could be. For a kid who never stopped loving dinosaurs, that blend of science and wonder was pure magic.

Legends & Lattes

Travis Baldree

It’s hard to beat a cozy, feel-good story, especially one with magic, Dungeons & Dragons, and coffee. Travis Baldree has a real gift for quietly building his world, making it feel lived-in as you follow the characters opening a café and introducing coffee to a city that has never tasted it before.

What I love most is how effortlessly Baldree develops his cast, you feel like you’ve stepped right into Legends & Lattes alongside them, sipping your own cup of magically brewed coffee. It’s warm, charming, and just the kind of story that makes you wish your mornings came with a side of adventure. Not to mention, Legends & Lattes validated my belief that every one of my stories needs to have a hot cup of coffee for the characters to enjoy.

The Cosmere

Brandon Sanderson

Via Tor.com

This one was tough to narrow down. Brandon Sanderson is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I’ve devoured every book he’s written. I debated which series to feature, but ultimately decided to spotlight his entire universe: the Cosmere. This expansive, interconnected world includes stand-alone series like Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive, all subtly weaving into a larger story.

While my own books don’t reach quite the same scale, Sanderson’s work inspired me to develop The Keepers, an organization that maintains the balance of dimensional energy and pops up in nearly all of my stories. If you look closely, you might start spotting little hints of my broader universe tucked between the lines, gradually converging into a narrative centered on The Keepers, a humble nod to the master of epic worldbuilding.

Into The Drowning Deep

Mira Grant

I picked up Into the Drowning Deep at the library on a whim and was instantly hooked. This sci-fi/horror adventure throws its cast onto a research vessel in the middle of the ocean to film a mockumentary about mermaids… only to discover that the mermaids are terrifyingly real and very, very bloodthirsty.

While I don’t usually write horror, this book inspired me to lean into the darker elements of my own stories. Facing fears, both for characters and readers, can reveal hidden depths, push character growth, and add tension in ways nothing else can. Plus, it’s a reminder that sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones you never see coming… or the ones that want to eat you.

Sir Callie And The Champions Of Helston

Esme Symes-Smith

A good friend introduced me to Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston a few years ago, and I’ve eagerly awaited every new installment since. The story not only features a richly diverse, non-binary protagonist, but it also tackles social injustices head-on, exploring gender norms and inequalities in ways that feel both meaningful and engaging. Sir Callie is an inspiring hero, and it’s impossible not to root for them as they fight to be accepted as a knight of the kingdom.

Growing up, I didn’t see many heroes who looked, or felt, like me. Seeing the impact of Sir Callie on readers has inspired me to weave diversity into my own stories, not as a box to check, but as authentic, organic characters whose truths enhance the world they inhabit.

Bones Of Paradise

Jane Laswell Hoff

If the first thing people learn about me is that I love dinosaurs, the second is that I left my heart in Hilo, Hawaii. I adore everything about Hilo, from its fantastic local museums to its amazing beach parks. (If you ever can’t find me, I’m probably at Carlsmith Beach Park.) So when I came across Bones of Paradise, a mystery set right in Hilo, I was instantly hooked. Add in a non-traditional detective, a forensic anthropologist, and it’s no wonder this book made my favorite-books list.

Beyond the setting, Bones of Paradise is a masterclass in weaving familiar places into a story while still subverting expectations. Jane Laswell Hoff drew on her own experience as a forensic anthropologist to craft a narrative that celebrates her home while keeping readers guessing. It even inspired me to start a new project of my own, this time using my experience as a dog groomer as the story’s central setting. More on that soon!

Cemetery Sea

Toni Wilder

I’m lucky to have an amazing group of writing friends, including Toni Wilder, who published her debut novel, Cemetery Sea, in 2017. By then, I’d written a handful of novels and short stories, but I wasn’t seriously chasing publication. I didn’t think my writing was “good enough.”

Then I read Toni’s book and thought, If she can do it, why not me?

That spark pushed me to revisit If I Die Before I Wake, a book I’d first written in high school. My writing had come a long way since then. I rewrote the manuscript, went through multiple rounds of edits with my friends and my mom, and, on a whim, submitted it to Terran Empire Publishing. And, well… the rest is history.

So here’s my advice to fellow writers: if I can make it happen, you absolutely can too. Seriously, no excuses!