My Inspiration

Robert James Waller’s novel The Bridges of Madison County, published in 1992, created worldwide buzz due to the common feelings of love, loss, and longing it evoked for the many who were in search of their beloved. When I first read the book in 1994, my reaction was visceral. For several years, I had been writing some of the poetry that would later form the basis for this thing between us, and I was stricken with the familiarity of emotions and the similarity of my state of mind to that of the book’s main characters, Robert and Francesca.

I sat with these feelings for over two decades and dreamed of visiting the covered bridges. In October 2017, I traveled from Toronto, Canada, to Madison County and spent four days photographing and capturing the essence and beauty of the covered bridges. I returned to Toronto inspired, and vowed to transform my passion from words and pictures into a book that would not only honor my personal story, but also allow readers to remember their own experiences, and to pay homage to Robert James Waller’s memory after his passing.

It is my hope that my book this thing between us will inspire you to once again, reflect on and embrace what was the magic of The Bridges of Madison County!