It's my pleasure to have a guest here today talking about visiting places she's written about! What a fun topic :) Be sure to say hello in the comments!
Through the Eyes of a Character
I had the opportunity while writing The Bone Treaty, book one in The Seal of Solomon Series, to travel to the locations I’d based my story on. Each year my husband and I try to take a few trips, some short, some longer than others. Anyway, we were making plans to go on a short trip when my husband suggested Charleston, South Carolina. I was ecstatic. I mean, after all, my book starts out at a little coffee shop on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston. I should totally have coffee there, right?
East Bay Meeting House
They were out of coffee. Swear.
The Street my MC, Addie grew up on.
We took a long walk along the Battery, gazed at gorgeous Antebellum homes, and I tried to map the scenes out in my head so that I could later make sure they were true to life on paper.
And then we took things further…Like to Bermuda.
We had no choice. The island had been written into the story. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, right? It’s research. Can’t be helped.
Ah—the rough life of a writer.
By the end of our trips, lots of Beta’s, an awesome editor, and a lot of rewrites, The Bone Treaty finally debuted on August 11th, 2014.
I just wish we could have visited some of the other locations in the story for a true feel. Maybe later.
So what about you? Have you ever gotten to visit some of the places you’ve written about? Do you plan to? Do tell.
Thank you Meradeth for allowing me the opportunity to be a guest on your blog!!! You are awesome TO THA BONE!
I’d love to have you visit me on:
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a free copy.
What an awesome cover! I wish I had a moment to read books aside from the ones I'm teaching this fall. Sigh... And, heck, yah! Charleston is a magnificent city--like a southern Philadelphia, full of urban civility and history. I'm writing a historical paranormal set in Asbury Park, and I just got back from that beach. Nice place to do research.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Meradeth, nice new banner!!!
Thanks Catherine. Charleston was amazing and the food was even better. I still have the pounds to prove I was there.
DeleteI love that you went to Charleston and Bermuda. The additions the visits made to the story were wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mare! Nothing like getting in the zone.
ReplyDeleteA very striking cover, T.C.
ReplyDeleteI haven't gotten to the places I've written about in my manuscript- Britain, Ireland, Israel, and Greece, but I'd love to someday.
Love the cover, congratulations!
ReplyDeleteOh, Charleston!! I just commented on another blog tonight how I've dreamed of going there. And knowing this book has some of that as a setting is super intriguing to me! Congrats to T.C. on her debut!
ReplyDeleteI'm always drawn to the coast.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fantastic.
Congrats to T.C. I love the cover. How cool is it to travel to the places we write about? I tend to stick to Florida and New York, since I've lived in both states, but I'd like to expand my settings.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of visiting locations to set your stories in. What awesome research!
ReplyDeleteHow cool that TC got to visit the places she wrote about. It sounds like such fun! Great pictures too. Wishing her the best of luck. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of The Bone Treaty.
ReplyDelete~Jess