We are so thrilled to feature author of Don’t Leave Yet, Constance Hanstedt in this week’s edition of Inspired By. 

Here, she shares the five books that inspired her to be an author.

Constance by Jane Kenyon

When I spotted Constance in my local bookstore in 1993, the year my dad passed away, I thought it was calling my name. Not only because my name is Constance, but because Jane Kenyon’s poems capture in meticulous language the grief of depressive illness and the death of loved ones.

The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor

O’Connor’s prose is vivid and precise. It is a perfect example of literature at its best: descriptive, insightful, and original.

The Grapes of Wrath  by John Steinbeck

I am inspired by his compassionate, realistic, and important treatment of his times. The structure suits the fragmented lives that are drawn together, emphasizing how we are all part of a bigger whole.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

I envy his spontaneous expression, the freedom he must have felt during the process of writing. He capably combines sensory detail, humor, and even tenderness to create breathtaking moments.

 

Blackbird by Jennifer Lauck

Blackbird is one of the first memoirs that influenced me to write my own. It creates a real world where a girl’s life is upended. The message is emotional, painful, and true.