Choosing
the Right Setting.
(Or
does it choose you?)
At the end of May, AGAINST THE TIDE, the twelfth novel in my
AGAINST series is being released. This
is the last of three books about the rugged Brodie brothers of Alaska.
Being plot-oriented, I usually work through a story in my
head then figure out the best place for the story to take place. Sometimes, as happened with the Alaska
Trilogy, AGAINST THE WILD, AGAINST THE SKY, and AGAINST THE TIDE, the setting
was an essential part of the stories before they were even conceived.
The concept for the trilogy began with a month-long trip my
husband and I took to Alaska--a place that has fascinated me since
childhood. Even before we set out, I knew
I wanted to write an Alaskan trilogy, but had no story concepts until we set
out on the five thousand mile journey north.
It was my second long trip, both of which involved traveling
cross-country, staying in a tiny pickup camper.
Every day and night spent out in the open filled my head with story
ideas. By the time we got home, I had
rough outlines for three high-action romantic suspense novels about the rugged Brodie
brothers, Dylan, Nick, and Rafe, and the women who loved them.
In AGAINST THE TIDE, Rafe Brodie is the owner of a charter
boat fishing company in remote Valdez. Liv
Chandler, the beautiful new owner of the Pelican Café, has fled to Valdez,
fearing for her life. Liv can’t trust
anyone, not even Rafe, the one man who makes her feel safe.
Rafe finds Olivia an intriguing mystery. He's determined to uncover her secrets, but
the woman has a past more dangerous than Rafe can guess. When murder strikes in the tiny town, he begins
to believe something terrible is coming.
And even in remote Valdez, Alaska, Rafe may not be able to protect the
woman he loves.
Though I was comfortable writing Alaska from the months I
spent up there and was familiar with the wildlife and mountainous terrain, since
I live in Montana, the trip added vistas, sounds, smells, and ideas for some of
the interesting characters who appear in the novels.
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Setting is always important to a story, in some books more
than in others. To help me with the
different locales, I use Google Maps extensively. They have street maps, street cameras, satellite
views, terrain maps, and still photos, all of which help me see what an area looks
like. What an amazing writers' tool!
Going to the location, of course, is the best way to chose a
setting. There are places I couldn't write
about without having been there. Alaska was
one of them.
Driving all the way from Montana through Canada, over the
Top of the World road, we took a side trip to Valdez. It was raining there, but the scenery was still
spectacular. Valdez is the shipping
terminal for the great Alaska pipeline, which gave me the plot line for AGAINST
THE TIDE.
I try to choose locals that are fun for readers, enhance the
suspense, and give insight into the characters.
I hope you enjoy my Alaskan he-man, Rafe Brodie, along with
the mysterious Olivia Chandler in AGAINST THE TIDE.
Till then, very best wishes and happy reading, Kat
Secrets—and
safety—melt under a midnight sun…
Liv Chandler is running for her life, and the cops haven’t been able to do a thing to help. But there’s one man who makes her feel safe, no matter what…rugged charter boat captain Rafe Brodie.
To Rafe, Liv is a beautiful mystery, one he can’t ignore. He means to unearth her secrets, and in the process, if luck is on his side, maybe the spark between them will ignite.
But Liv’s past is more dangerous than Rafe could guess, and when his first mate turns up dead, she fears that she’s next. That there’s something else coming she can’t see. That even Rafe and the remote village of Valdez, Alaska can’t protect her forever…
Liv Chandler is running for her life, and the cops haven’t been able to do a thing to help. But there’s one man who makes her feel safe, no matter what…rugged charter boat captain Rafe Brodie.
To Rafe, Liv is a beautiful mystery, one he can’t ignore. He means to unearth her secrets, and in the process, if luck is on his side, maybe the spark between them will ignite.
But Liv’s past is more dangerous than Rafe could guess, and when his first mate turns up dead, she fears that she’s next. That there’s something else coming she can’t see. That even Rafe and the remote village of Valdez, Alaska can’t protect her forever…
LINKS
….
Netgalley
Link: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/63760
Kat, nice to meet you. Your Alaska series sounds great. Alaska is on my bucket list. Thanks for the tip about using Google Maps.
ReplyDeleteGoogle maps is a great idea. Thanks for joining us today and best luck with your Alaskan brothers. :)
ReplyDeleteKat,
ReplyDeleteI love romantic suspense and rugged settings are always a plus! Your Wild series sounds amazing and I can't wait to read it!
Sounds like a wonderful series, as always from you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the advice. I like that you were able to visit the site of your stories. I think it makes your writing more realistic. :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best!