A Little About My Characters...Guy Witherspoon

He's a lot like my dad ...

Guy Witherspoon is a pivotal character in Claire’s journey. He filled an empty space left by the death of her father.

He fills that space for me, too.

My dad was a friendly guy who accepted my friends as his own kids. He was the best grandpa. He exuded love. He was a woodworker. Guy is an amalgamation of the best parts of him. Sadly, my dad passed away eight years ago. I miss him every day.

I wrote Guy based on another real-life character, too: “God bless you guy.”

Many years ago, I ran every morning with a friend. We’d jog two and a half miles, and about a mile in, we’d pass a bus stop. There, a man in a suit, overcoat, and hat—the classic executive-type always hollered as we ran by, “Good Morning, ladies. God Bless You.” And we would holler a breathless, “Thank you, you too!” and continue on. Inevitably, when we were out of earshot of the man, one of us would add, “I love God bless you guy.”

He offered us a blessing every day, and it meant more to us than he knew. It’s funny how a simple phrase, spoken in sincerity, can make someone’s day.

So when I wrote Guy Witherspoon, I turned him into a combination of my dad and “God bless you guy.”

He is easy to love, and everyone in Walters Bluff adores him.

I hope you love Guy Witherspoon as much as I loved writing him into being.

God bless you!