What Inspired The Author To Write 'Before The Morning'?

Hunting for morning glory doodles prints is one of my favorite little quests — it’s like following a trail of charming sketches across the internet. The most reliable places I’ve scored prints are the artist’s own shop (often linked from their Instagram or Twitter), Etsy, and Big Cartel stores. Artists often run limited-run prints or signed variants on their personal storefronts, so if you want something unique or numbered, that’s where to look first. I also keep an eye on print-on-demand platforms like Society6 and Redbubble for more affordable options, though those are usually reproductions rather than hand-signed editions. If I’m honest, conventions and local zine fairs are where the best surprises happen — I’ve found small-run morning glory doodles prints tucked into zine stacks or sold at tables with funky pins and stickers. When buying online, I always check for clear photos of the print, paper type notes (archival matte, giclée, etc.), and whether the artist mentions color profiles or print lab partners. Shipping and international customs can add up, so I calculate total costs before committing. Also, if an artist has a Patreon or Ko-fi, they sometimes offer print bundles or backer-only designs that never hit open shops. I tend to favor supporting artists directly when possible; it feels better and usually means faster customer service. Still, for quick, budget-friendly decor, POD platforms do the job. Either way, I’m always thrilled to find a fresh morning glory doodle to tuck into my art wall — they brighten up any corner in a way that makes me smile every time I pass by.

Tracing tags and sketchbook posts over the years made me realize 'morning glory doodles' didn’t spring from one celebrity artist but from a handful of sleepy, motivated people building a habit together. I used to wake up and scroll through feeds where artists posted tiny, ten-minute drawings under vague hashtags—they were light, quick, often of plants, mugs, or sleepy faces. The name likely comes from the morning glory flower, which opens with the dawn, and the term stuck because these sketches bloom fast and fleeting. People started doing them as a warm-up to art practice, a mental-health anchor, or a way to capture a mood before the day scrambles them. On Tumblr and early Instagram threads, I watched the trend spread: one person posts a tiny sunflower scribble, another replies with a sleepy cat, and suddenly there’s a communal rhythm. For me the appeal is simple: they’re forgiving, portable, and honest. Over time I’ve seen them turn into little zine sections, tiny prints, and collaborative sketchbook swaps. I still make one every morning when coffee’s brewing — they feel like a small, private ritual that somehow connects me to a lot of other people waking up and drawing, too.

Waking up to the last chapter of 'Good Morning, Midnight' felt like stepping off a long, cold ledge and landing in quiet. The book lets you sit with two solitary people — Augustine, stranded at an Arctic observatory, and Sullivan (Sully), an astronaut returning from deep space — and the ending is more about the emotional resolution than a tidy plot wrap-up. Their voices converge through radio transmissions, confessions, and small human gestures, and the final pages focus on connection: the comfort of being heard and the fragile hope of survivors finding each other again. Practically speaking, Augustine’s arc closes in the Arctic with him accepting his limitations and choosing to prioritize human warmth over heroic rescue. He records messages, sends signals, and ultimately faces the physical consequences of isolation. Sully’s return to Earth is framed as dangerous and uncertain but threaded with the promise that she isn’t entirely alone. The novel leaves some concrete outcomes ambiguous, preferring to leave you with the emotional aftertaste of companionship amid loss. For me, the ending lingers because it privileges tenderness in the face of an unnameable catastrophe — a bittersweet, quietly humane finish.

I fell into 'Good Morning, Midnight' with a weird mix of curiosity and sorrow, and I knew Lily Brooks-Dalton was the voice behind it. She published the novel in 2016, and what she wanted to do—at least to my ear—was strip away spectacle and focus on two very human experiences of loneliness: an older man cut off in the Arctic and an astronaut floating homeward into radio silence. She wrote it to ask what people do when all the usual signals vanish: how do we forgive, how do we confess, and how do we hold on to others when the world you knew becomes unknowable? Her prose is quiet and observant, which makes sense if her aim was intimacy rather than blockbuster thrills. There’s also a moral curiosity in the book: it explores grief, aging, and the small rituals that make people feel alive. I think she deliberately set the story in extreme isolation—the polar night and deep space—to magnify those tiny human gestures, and that’s why the book lingers with me long after I’ve closed it.

There are actually a couple of different works titled 'Good Morning, Midnight', so I like to start by separating them in my head. The newer one, by Lily Brooks‑Dalton, is a near‑future novel about an isolated scientist in the Arctic and an astronaut trying to get home. It’s speculative fiction, not a retelling of a real person's life or a documented event. The movie that most people saw — retitled 'The Midnight Sky' and directed by George Clooney — is an adaptation of Brooks‑Dalton’s book rather than a dramatization of real history. The older 'Good Morning, Midnight' by Jean Rhys (from 1939) is also fictional, although critics often point out autobiographical echoes because Rhys drew on personal heartbreak and exile for the emotional texture. Neither book is a literal true story, but both borrow real feelings, places, and scientific ideas to make their worlds feel lived‑in. Personally, I find that knowing something is fiction frees me to enjoy the themes — isolation, grief, the fragility of human connection — without hunting for a factual backbone. It still hits me in the chest, which is what great fiction should do.

Ken Follett's 'The Evening and the Morning' is a prequel to his epic 'The Pillars of the Earth', and honestly, it’s a gripping dive into Dark Ages England. I tore through it in a weekend because the characters felt so alive—ordinary people wrestling with corruption, love, and survival. The way Follett builds tension around a humble boatbuilder’s family against ruthless nobles is chef’s kiss. It’s slower-paced than modern thrillers, but the payoff is rich. If you enjoy historical fiction with layered politics and visceral details (like cathedral-building or Viking raids), this’ll hook you. That said, some fans of 'Pillars' might miss the grandeur of Kingsbridge at its peak, since this is its origin story. The stakes feel smaller initially, but by the midpoint, the threads weave into something massive. Follett’s knack for making you root for underdogs shines here—Edgar’s struggles hit harder than I expected. Bonus points for the audiobook; the narrator’s voice adds gravelly authenticity to the mead halls and muddy villages.

If you’ve ever skimmed through 'The Artist's Way' and wondered whether the famous morning pages are actually spelled out, the short truth is: yes — Julia Cameron gives clear, practical instructions for them, and they’re one of the book’s central tools. She prescribes writing three pages of longhand, first thing in the morning, as a stream-of-consciousness brain dump. The idea is to write without editing, self-censoring, or aiming for polish — just let whatever’s in your head spill onto the page. Cameron frames this as a way to clear mental clutter, uncover blocks, and create momentum for your creative work. She pairs morning pages with the weekly ritual of the 'artist date' and a dozen exercises across the 12-week structure of the book. Personally, doing morning pages changed my mornings more than I expected. I keep a cheap notebook by the bed, scribble for 20–30 minutes, and then walk my dog or make coffee feeling lighter and strangely more focused. The book also talks about variations (typed pages, shorter sessions) and warns against over-analysis. If you like structure, follow her three-pages-every-morning for the full course; if you’re experimenting, try a week and see how your headspace shifts.

In 'The Evening and the Morning,' Ken Follett masterfully crafts characters who evolve significantly throughout the story. Edgar, a young boatbuilder, starts as a naive and idealistic youth but grows into a resilient and resourceful man, navigating the harsh realities of medieval England. Ragna, a Norman noblewoman, transforms from a sheltered bride into a strong and determined leader, fighting for justice in a male-dominated society. Aldred, a monk, begins as a devout but somewhat passive figure, but his journey reveals a more assertive and strategic side as he battles corruption within the church. These developments are not just personal but also reflect the broader societal changes of the time, making the characters' growth feel both authentic and impactful. Another fascinating aspect is how the characters' relationships evolve. Edgar and Ragna’s bond, for instance, shifts from mutual respect to a deeper, more complex connection as they face shared challenges. Similarly, Aldred’s interactions with other monks and townsfolk highlight his growing influence and moral dilemmas. The novel’s strength lies in how these individual arcs intertwine, creating a rich tapestry of human experience. Each character’s journey is a testament to Follett’s ability to blend historical detail with compelling storytelling, making their transformations both believable and deeply engaging.