 Stead drew inspiration from many sources in order to create the novel . As a child growing up in a big city , she was interested in the small towns which made her think " that in smaller places , everybody , even the kids , had special identities , where as in a city people are pretty anonymous " . An idea began to form for a hidden society that also served as a small town . 
 Stead drew inspiration from many sources in order to create the novel . As a child growing up in a big city , she was interested in the small towns which made her think " that in smaller places , everybody , even the kids , had special identities , where as in a city people <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>are</mark></a>pretty anonymous " . An idea began to form for a hidden society <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>also served as a small town . 
Stead drew inspiration from many sources in order to create the novel . As a child growin up in a big city , she was interested in da small towns which made her think " that in smaller places , everybody , even tdakids , had special identities , where as in a city people pretty anonymous " . An idea began to form fir a hidden society also served as a small town .