Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Tuesday Tips and Tucson



I had a cancellation so I thought let’s do a little traveling. Setting is very important in a book. You can set your book anywhere these days with the internet, but if possible it’s fun to visit the location you choose. In Hunted I set the beginning of the book in the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC where I had visited many times. I moved the setting to Montana where I have visited, but not on a ranch, so I had to do more research there.

A Cruise to Remember is mostly set on a cruise ship and I had done a few cruises through the Caribbean at that time.

Right now I’m in Tucson. I haven’t set a book here, but I’m considering it. The sunsets are amazing. I love the desert and the cacti, when they are blooming, are gorgeous. Did you know there are 51 species of cactus in this area?
Do you ever visit a setting when you're writing a book, or maybe write the book and set it someplace you've visited or know well?


And here's a quick and easy recipe for you to try.
Tucson Guacamole
1 8oz package soft cream cheese
3 very ripe avocadoes – peeled and pitted
½ cup chilies
1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Dash of pepper
½ teaspoon salt

In a bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add 2 avocados, chilies, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper; beat until fairly smooth.
Gently mix in remaining avocado, leaving it a little chunky. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

8 comments:

  1. When I wrote Lightning Only Strikes Twice, I made a special effort to search out some ghosts towns. A number of scenes were enriched for that story as a direct result of my boots on the ground visit. - A great post and great advice, Beverly.

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    1. Now that sounds like interesting research and would definitely enrich the story. Did you see any ghosts? :)

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  2. Tucson is absolutely fascinating. I tend to keep the same setting, a fictional town, but change the people. I am usually struck by something I hear which sets the story in motion.

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    1. A fictional town sounds interesting and fun to develop. Interesting it's something you hear that sets the story in motion.

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  3. I love writing about my own hometown and have created a few towns that remind me of it!

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    1. I'm guessing your hometown was a small town, not a big city. Small towns bring an intimacy to a story that I always enjoy.

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  4. Thanks for the recipe, Vicki. I created my own western town and had a blast doing it. The town grew with each book series. It's a 3 book series, but I enjoyed developing the town so much I decided to do 3 more books with new characters moving in.

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    1. That sounds like a lot of fun, maybe a little like Virgin River by Robyn Carr. Thanks for sharing that.

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