The Inspiration Behind A Certain Kind of Starlight: ‘Stars Fell’ by Heather Webber

In the face of hardship, two women, Addie and Tessa Jane, learn how to rise up again under the bright side of the stars in A Certain Kind of Starlight, the next book from USA Today bestselling author Heather Webber, “the queen of magical small-town charm” (Amy E. Reichert). Under the bright side of the stars, Addie and Tessa Jane come to see that magic can be found in trusting yourself, that falling apart is simply a chance to rise up again, stronger than ever, and that the heart usually knows the best path through the darkness.

Read below to see Heather’s beautiful statement on the inspiration behind her upcoming novel, A Certain Kind of Starlight!

by Heather Webber:

Stars Fell

In a couple of weeks, I’ll be in a car, headed south to Alabama. Just like I was back in 2007, when I visited the state for the first time. In the way that some things never change, I’m sure I’ll be eating things not very good for me, listening to music and singing—badly—along. I’ll probably groan at the traffic in Nashville and break into a big smile when I see the green Welcome to Alabama road sign.

After I cross the state line, I know I’ll start looking for Alabama license plates that have Stars Fell on Alabama written on them, because there’s a soft spot in my heart for those plates, that phrase.

Back in 2007, when I saw the plates for the first time, I didn’t know the story behind the phrase. I quickly learned it was in reference to a widespread meteor shower in 1833, where it appeared as though hundreds of stars were falling from the sky. I was enchanted with the thought of it.

Although I’ve referenced the celestial event a couple of times in previous books, I knew one day I wanted to write a whole magical story around a fallen star—and I did just that in A Certain Kind of Starlight.

In the novel, the town of Starlight, Alabama, is famous for the field where a star once fell a hundred years before, leaving behind a shallow crater. At night that crater glows with a magical aurora where people can find clarity and guidance in the light. No one needs that clarity more than two sisters who come back to town to help their beloved aunt run her bakery while she deals with health problems.

At its core, it’s a story about broken hearts, literal and figurative, and trying to heal them even while knowing they might not be fixable. And although the book deals with some tough topics, it’s a heartwarming story full of love, forgiveness, healing, and learning that only through darkness can stars shine the brightest.

During my upcoming trip to Alabama, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the skies at night, watching for falling stars. And during the day, I’ll keep hopeful eyes on the road, looking for the license plate that inspired this story, even though those plates were retired in 2009.

Will I see one?

I think so.

Because, as we know, I’m a big believer in southern magic.