Last year, when I was deep into writing 17 & Gone, I discovered an exciting new distraction and way to collect images that fascinated me: Pinterest. What started off as maybe one more thing to keep me from writing turned into a great source of inspiration, and my 17 & Gone inspiration board was born. I’d often write with the images up on my screen, staring at them in pauses between paragraphs.

So I was delighted when Penguin suggested I highlight ten images from my inspiration board and share them on a blog tour. On each stop on the blog tour I highlighted one of the photos that spoke to me and helped me find my way through the darkness of writing this book. Now, I wanted to collect all the inspirations in one place.

Below are details from the ten images—and below that are some lines I wrote inspired by looking at the images.

Images:

(Click the thumbnail to see the story behind each image.)

Lines:

(Click the line to see the image that inspired it.)

Another girl could go today.

Abby Sinclair. There at the intersection.

Soon I’d know this dream wasn’t about anyone dying—it was about living on, forever.

She’d lost herself to that place where the missing kids go, the kids no one finds, even when lakes are dredged and woods combed.

The color was indistinguishable up close, so for a moment it seemed her whole head had caught fire.

My arm, threatening to give me up, was already pointing at the mirror.

Once they touch your skin, you’re theirs.

I could see a girl. Then two more girls. Then another. Another.

The ghosts tonight have already told their stories.

Which is what I keep going back to: the fires.

Thanks for entering my head and taking a peek at my inspirations. Don’t you love when other art forms—and other artists—inspire you? Next, I may share some songs.