As much as I love reading books, what I love even more is the stuff that isn’t on the page: the journey that the author took to creating their finished work.

In so many cases, this story can be just as dramatic as the works themselves–such as with this one, about how a pair of antique opera glasses Ruta Sepetys recieved as a present, along of course her very inquisitive mind, inspired her new novel Out of the Easy.

Makes me want to go buy things on eBay.

Flamingos, lots of flamingos.