My latest WIP (work in process) is based on a real-life mining town turned ghost town turned tourist town. I fell in love with Jerome, Arizona years ago. In order to have more flexibility with the lay of the land and the history, I've renamed it Joshua. All the people in Joshua are purely from my imagination. This Romantic Suspense Series should keep
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| Hanging on the side of Spirit Mt. |
Chapter Eight is in the hands of my critique partners. I'm working on nine and ten. FDW and I took a drive to Jerome a couple of weeks ago, which is where the setting my imaginary town is modeled after. Now that I’m this far into the book, I found myself seeing the town as if it really was Joshua. The street names were no longer what the street sign designated them. At one point, I told
A section of town call The Ravine plays a big part in my book. As
in real life (the Gulch), the inhabitants of that area do not welcome visitors. This section was where the first hippies mainly settled in the 60s and many of them still live there. Through flashbacks, I tell a story set in 1969 about some of those first hippies who ended up making Joshua what it is today. We drove a few yards into the area so I could snap some photos. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a good feel for it. My fictionalized edition is much more vivid to me.
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| Looking down into The Ravine. |
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| Stairs take you up or down to the next street. |
Until then, be sure to read my last series, The Love and Murder Series. You can find all of my books on my Amazon Page and on my web site. You can read the first chapter of all of my books on my web site. And you are welcome to email me with questions or comments whenever you'd like!
10 comments:
Sounds like a fascinating story and area, Brenda, including the hippy enclave that doesn't welcome visitors! Intriguing. I'm picturing people peeking suspiciously at you from inside their homes/businesses as you and FDW drove by. I loved your Love and Murder series and am looking forward to this book!
This new series of yours is going to be fantastic. Story within a story within a story books would be hard to write, but I’m sure you’re up to it. I’m looking forward to reading them when you’re done. Love the idea of the hippies who still live there. Having grown up in those fabulous sixties myself, I can almost feel your characters now. LOL
Love this, Brenda! I understand the challenge...in my Lie Catchers, I juxtaposed a 1932 crime with a recent crime. It's tough to keep the reader enticed by a cold case and a 'hot' case...unless the two entangle deftly. But this keeps our brains afire, right. Thanks for the pics, too. Love the idea you have a 'better' image of Joshua than the real Jerome. You've got this one, girl!
Definitely a challenging concept you've provided for yourself. But you can give yourself a huge pat on the back once you conquer this series! Also, the setting looks unique and very cool, which will only enhance the story.
I'm really looking forward to this one, Brenda. It sounds like the setting is a character unto itself, and I love that. I'm hoping to do the same thing with my new series that's set here. It really helps to be able to visit the scenes in person.
Thank you all. Sorry late responding. I've been stuck out of town helping son's family move. Will be a couple of days before I get home. But at least Internet as of today. Just not much time to get on.
Sounds great Brenda. And I love those old mining towns. Good luck with this challenge��
Thanks, Andrea!
This sounds so interesting, Brenda. I had a chance to go to Jerome the last time we were in AZ and passed it up. I thought we could go "next time". LOL Maybe we'll get back there someday. The town sounds fascinating.
Oh, Brenda, I love this and can't wait to read the finished product. Jerome is one of my favorite day trips. There is just something about the town, perhaps the crazy climbing road with rugged splashes of civilization clinging to its death-defying ledges, that tickles the imagination. I've visited many times and have also used the setting in one of my early (unpublished) stories. One of my favorite visits included a freak winter storm. It was raining as I began climbing the staircase across the street from the visitor's center. Halfway to the top, the rain suddenly switched to snow (VERY cool experience) and by the time I rushed into the Haunted Hamburger for lunch with a friend, a blizzard had taken over. It's always an adventure in Joshua...er, Jerome! ;-)
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