Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library: The Graphic Novel

Chris Grabenstein is an author who believes that stories often emerge unexpectedly, much like a ghost slipping through a wall. He describes how ideas can sneak up on you during everyday activities, seizing your imagination and demanding to be told. He likens these stories to Frankenstein’s monster, “aliiiiiive!”

Grabenstein often finds inspiration in “What If?” questions that arise during mundane moments, like walking his dog or doing the dishes. He elaborates on this process with an anecdote from a morning jog in the Berkshire Mountains. He encountered a simple roadside memorial—a weathered wooden cross nailed to a large oak tree with faded artificial flowers.

This observation sparked a series of “What If?” scenarios: What if the ghost of the person memorialized eternally haunted that road? What if the spirit was trapped within the tree, its deep roots anchoring the soul to the earth? What if the deceased, having died suddenly in an accident, wasn’t ready to leave?

These questions led to further “And Then” developments: A boy with a vivid imagination moves into a house bordering the tree. The ghost in the tree isn’t the only haunting presence on that stretch of highway. The boy begins encountering real ghosts, and they all need his help with something dangerous.

This chain of thought is how Grabenstein’s first middle-grade book, The Crossroads, began. He states that this “What If? And Then” method is also the origin of his award-winning adult mysteries and thrillers. He suggests that everyone develops their storytelling skills early on, evident in the enthusiastic “And then… and then…” narratives of young children.

Grabenstein encourages aspiring writers to find a captivating “What If?” question and follow it with intriguing “And Then” developments, believing that stories will then flow effortlessly.

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