Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Switcheroo by Herbert Holeman

Why did you pick the setting you used in your story? I'm not looking for -- "because I live there". I want you to dig deep and tell us...Why you chose that particular setting?

Well, San Francisco is my hometown and where I grew up and spent my career in law enforcement. Also, part of my motivation to write this story was to present an argument for protecting our national park system. And I wanted to do it in a non-pedantic way and in a manner that would not cause the reader’s eyes to glaze over. To that end, I incorporated the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite as a character in my story.

What does the setting add to the story?

I set the story in a real place that reflects the storyline and actual locales in which story events occur. A visitor to the story setting can easily feel the ambience and visualize the what and where.

Could you write the same story in a different setting?

Certain places and events, such as the Hetch Hetchy water supply system and the controversy surrounding it, are essential to the storyline.

Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?

The actual locales in which events take place are unique to the present story setting.

Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting?

Yes. The visitor would find the streets and locales in San Francisco are as described in the story. So too are the eateries, although they are otherwise named. The redwood forests on the San Mateo coast are also as described in the book and the raging controversy over Hetch Hetchy remains ongoing.

Or, did you create the setting from scratch?

N/A

Tell us some specific details about your setting. What would we see? What sort of people are there? If we were traveling to your setting, what should we bring with us? For visitors, what do they need to know to visit your setting?

I would say to the visitor, bring your appetite. My story follows the tradition of the Golden Age of the detective story where meals run "like a doughy thread" throughout the narrative. In the words of H. R. F. Keating, "Your really implacable sleuth could never go far without pausing to eat the appropriate meal." This tradition lives on in Switcheroo and in the City by the Bay in particular.


Echoes of Silence by Nadene Carter



Echoes of Silence

Why did you pick the setting you used in your story? I'm not looking for -- "because I live there". I want you to dig deep and tell us...Why you chose that particular setting?

My story, Echoes of Silence, is built around a historically factual incident. Outside this kernel of truth, it is an entirely “made up” story. However, because it is based on fact, the setting needed authenticity.

What does the setting add to the story?

The setting becomes almost like one of the story characters. You see the setting in your mind’s eye, you feel the anger and tension played out in this setting, and the setting provides a vivid backdrop for the story.

Could you write the same story in a different setting? Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?

No, this story couldn’t happen in a different setting. The setting and the story are dependent on each other. One couldn’t exist without the other.

Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting? Or, did you create the setting from scratch?

It is a “real” place, but other than the general area, I fictionalized the setting. If you drove to this area of Malheur County Oregon, you wouldn’t recognize my fictional town of McGregor, Oregon. I gave the town and surrounding towns different names to protect the innocent and the guilty. Tell us some specific details about your setting.

What would we see? What sort of people are there?

In this story setting, you find the local residents of McGregor, Oregon. The area is a melting pot of sorts, with many immigrant families having moved there from England, the Scandinavian countries, Germany, etc. Enter … a small group of Japanese-Americans who have agreed to work in the sugar beet fields of Malheur County rather than sit out the remainder of World War II in the Minidoka, Idaho internment camp. This, by the way, is the kernel of truth in this historical fiction novel.

Thank you for sharing details about your book setting. Now, what's the title of your book and where can we buy it? Thank you for allowing me to tell you about my book. This was the one that begged to be written. The title of my book is Echoes of Silence. You can read more about the story and purchase the book at this URL: http://epress-online.com/CARTER/Echoes-Of-Silence/sales-page.htm

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Kennalyn Describes Modern Day Misty Cove




Kennalyn is the heroine in my novel Stormy Shores which is being re-released by Write Words, later this year. My fictional town of Misty Cove is located along the Cape Ann coast of Massachusetts and very close to Rockport and Gloucester.

Here's what Kennalyn has to say about her home town --

Misty Cove Background

Misty Cove is my fictional setting for a series of novels. The first is Stormy View and its a contemporary romance. Widow's Walk is a historical which is set in Misty Cove between 1841 and 1862. Rebels and Rogues will begin in the opening days of the Civil War and the main character will travel from Misty Cove along the battle lines of the war.
This narrative is my description of Misty Cove. Geographically the location is a few miles south of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Its a beautiful area and I hope to convey some of the history and beauty through this fictional piece.

Kennalyn's Misty Cove

Cape Ann is a beautiful section of the Massachusetts coast. It’s not as well known as Cape Cod, but the residents like it that way. They appreciate the quieter beauty of our area. Cape Cod bustles with people and that includes a lot of tourists. Cape Ann has a lot of history and tranquil beauty without the tourists.
There’s a rich history of hard working and hard living people. Misty Cove, like neighboring Gloucester and Rockport are fishing towns. Fishing isn’t a peaceful pastime. Commercial fishing is hard work and requires separation from loved ones. There’s a sense of danger involved in it. The “perfect storm" hit the coast of Cape Ann with great strength and determination. But that's another story.
Storms have hit this coast for centuries and led to a need for lighthouses and lifesaving stations. There are the twin lights of Thatcher Island. There’s also our lighthouse on the tip of Misty Cove. It’s called Stormy View Light and my father, Captain Bart is the keeper. My family members have been keepers of the light for generations.
The history of heroics in my family is great and we’re proud of it. My great grandfather led several large lifesaving missions, as did my grandfather and my father. My great great great grandfather Duncan Jones was involved in 1848 when Congress passed the Newell Act which provided for the construction of structures which would house life saving and rescue equipment in areas which were traditionally known as shipwreck areas. Duncan wasn't involved in Misty Cove, but moved there soon after.
The Lifesaving Service was being phased out as my grandfather was taking his place in the family business. In 1915, the Lifesaving Service became known as the US Coast Guard. My grandfather chose to take his place as keeper of the Light instead of joining the Coast Guard. In 1939 the Coast Guard merged with the US Lighthouse Service. Captain Bart succeeded him as Keeper of the Light when he died.
My grandmother and great grandmother were behind the scenes protecting the injured. They provided warm food and drink to help the men through the long rescues. Some rescues could take long hours and sometimes more than a day to search for the survivors and to retrieve the bodies that could be saved. The men needed to keep up their strength along with a warm fire and supplies. Sometimes the breeches buoy would break or the tow line for the rescue boat would snap and more often than not, one of my grandmothers was there to help. The women also tended to the injured. Like the future women of the Red Cross, they helped the sick, provided aid and comfort in these situations. It’s a rich and satisfying family history I want to share with my daughter one day.
As with most small New England towns, Misty Cove people hold strong views about most everything. Our friends and neighbors stand up for what they think is right. Travelers coming through our area, find it friendly and tranquil.
Misty Cove has the look of a quaint centuries old fishing village. There are piers by the water and all manor of fishing boats and paraphernalia. This includes lines, buoys, traps and fishing shacks. It’s funny how people never feel the need to repaint the fishing shacks. In the spring, summer and fall there are too many fish to attend to. And, in the winter it’s too cold.

The winters in New England can be bad. The water looks intriguing with snow falling against it and with the snow piled on the boats. Many a fishing shack has been almost covered with snow during a blizzard.
A big blizzard shuts things down in Misty Cove. For this reason close attention to the weather forecast is critical and we must stock up ahead of time. The women can and freeze food to get us through the long, lean months.
The town has many old clapboard houses and houses covered with shakes. Their paint peels and the shakes are weathered. Some houses overlook the ocean and have widow’s walks and huge bay windows. These bay windows and a large number of other windows in Misty Cove have weathered window boxes. Any paint is long since gone but the petunias and snapdragons and so on, bloom each spring.
The windows helped the women and children keep an eye out for their men returning home from sea. These areas also gave a fairly unobstructed view of the incoming storms. Many times this would only cause the families to be more concerned about their loved ones at sea. The men would sometimes fish for a couple of months at a time and with little or no communication. This would leave the collective imaginations of their loved ones to run wild.

Downtown Misty Cove area has the old lantern style street lights. These are much nicer than the harsh street lights in the big cities. Some of the windows on the downtown stores have colorful awnings which accentuate their stores and draw the customers to the windows to see their wares.
Many of the store and business owners have the shingle type signs which blow on their chains in the breeze. When a nor’easter brews, it’s a smart move to take the signs down.
There’s an old cemetery on the hill at the far northwest end of town. It’s set off by itself, but there are several hundred years of ancestors buried there. The old grave markers crumble and crack. The years of cold and storms have eroded the lettering which marks who lies beneath. Each of my ancestors are buried there and the gravestones make mention of their contributions to the town of Misty Cove.
There are many beautiful wild flower gardens. Some planted by loving hands and others the work of birds flying overhead. These plants and flowers are hardy like the residents and the beauty of each is appreciated.
It sounds like a rugged life, but Misty Cove and Cape Ann residents thrive on it. A fishing village isn’t the place for a cushy life. The only people who have a life which is a step above, are the men who live on the far hills and own the fishing boats. He has more money to work with, but he has
a lot to loose when the boats go out.
The boats and the equipment needed on fishing boats are expensive. When one of the boats sink, they loose their livelihood. This includes the boat, whatever catch was hauled in, and the supplies purchased for the trip. This is financially difficult for him, but the families of the fishermen loose their husbands, fathers and sons. Everyone on the coast pays a price when anyone is lost at sea, that’s why the lighthouse and the Life Saving Service are important parts of the community.
Walking down the streets of Misty Cove, feels like being in an old town. The passage of time seems to have missed us. That is one of the key reasons why getting away seems so intriguing to many young people.
Misty Cove is not a place to make big money. Bartering has been popular for many years. Why pay cash when you can trade something you don’t want, for something you do? Even the General Store doesn’t make its’ owners rich. They have a house furnished with a variety of things, but his bank account doesn’t bulge.
One thing that’s not tolerated in Misty Cove is crime. These things include burglary, breaking and entering, destruction of property and certainly harming another individual. Judge Stone is a third generation juror and he doesn’t put up with foolishness or maliciousness. He hands down strong punishments and that discourages repeat offenders.
Most of the young people felt the need to push Judge Stone at least once, and that’s usually all it takes. The last three Judge Stones have all ruled the bench with a strong hand and it makes Misty Cove a better place. Judge and Mrs. Stone would do anything for you, outside the courtroom. But, inside the courtroom, every criminal is at his mercy.
The soft sounds of the bird’s songs fill the air as they soar off the coast. The pelicans fly along the edge of the water and dip down from time to time to pick up their latest meal. The gulls love to see the children because they usually bring food of some kind. They fish for their own meals sometimes, but the children supplement that with bread crumbs. It’s a strange diet, but they love it. Life is different here, but that’s the way Misty Cove residents like it.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

WIndwalker by Donna Sundblad

Donna will be the first author to be featured on It's All in the Setting. Her novel is a fantasy, let's learn more about her setting...


Why did you pick the setting you used in your story?
The setting takes place in a pre-industrial setting in a fantasy world one culture calls The Land, because their belief system teaches that they are sojourners in The Land. When people name a land they tend to think it belongs to them. On the other side of the plot is a second culture who arrives at the shores of the land which they name Ranaan. And guess what—within a few hundred years they think they own it.

Why you chose that particular setting?
This fantasy story line deals with issues of discrimination and differences in belief systems. I set it in a fictional place to avoid anyone thinking of am talking about a certain place that would allow discrimination and prejudice to lead to genocide.

What does the setting add to the story?
The setting plays an important part in the story. One place in particular is the Fortress of Stone. This place is foretold to hold the answers needed to bring peace to the Land. Laws are enforced to make sure no such place exists, but within this setting we learn that it is a natural rock formation within the Valley of Rocks.

Could you write the same story in a different setting?
I could write a similar story, but not the same story. The setting provides the pieces that make the plot work. Things like the Sacred Stairway, the Cage of Ice, and Yolk of Inspiration are all part of the setting within the Land. Without them, the story could not take place.

Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?
I explained this above, but let me say here that the setting provides the elements necessary for the magical powers of the antagonist to make the plot thicken with tension. The setting also includes elements that allow the protagonists to find the solutions to the problem if they just have the faith to do so. If they don't the entire civilization (both cultures) face destruction.

Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting?
I did research on various places to understand things like volcanoes and flooding, but the setting itself is a mixture of places and experiences in my life. The Land has mountains, valleys and a coastline.

Or, did you create the setting from scratch?
Yes, I created it from scratch and developed a map as I went along to make sure things came together in a realistic way.Tell us some specific details about your setting.

What would we see? What sort of people are there? If we were traveling to your setting, what should we bring with us? For visitors, what do they need to know to visit your setting?
As I said, it's a pre-industrial society. At the start of the story you'll see dark-eyed indigenous people living in the Land awaiting the ships their prophets had predicted would come—along with a lingering menace.You'll see kind people among the indigenous Stygian people and the fair-eyed Jonnick who come to shore with a disease fatal to many of both cultures. But among them is a white stone tied to a different spirit and with it a curse that follows the Jonnick. Both cultures learn to work together to survive, but eventually part ways. Beyond that you'll see villages, secret caves, the Valley of Rocks and the Valley of Blades. It's a one-of-a-kind world and one worth visiting.Thank you for sharing details about your book setting.

Now, what's the title of your book and where can we buy it?

WindwalkerAvailable at epress-online
http://www.epress-online.com/SUNBLAD/Windwalker/sales-page.htm

Thank you to Donna for telling us about her setting. Will your's be posted next?

Nikki Leigh
http://www.nikkileigh.com/

Lilah and the Locket in the Kitty Hawk Free Press

This is an example of a way that I got exposure for one of my books and it was free and easy.

Kitty Hawk is one of the towns along the Outer Banks and I have "Kitty Hawk" set in my Google alerts. I saw an article about Cape Hatteras on the Kitty Hawk Free Press this morning and I emailed the editor about my book.

Click here - http://www.kittyhawkfreepress.com/ and scroll down past the picture of the motorcycle at the lighthouse. He posted my “behind the story” piece about Lilah which offers some background information about how the story came to be.

I always say that it doesn't hurt to ask -- many people say "yes".

Nikki

Nikki Leigh – Fiction Author – www.nikkileigh.comBook Promo 101 – www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm“Coastal Suspense with a Touch of Romance”

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

HOW TO SUBMIT

Why did you pick the setting you used in your story? I'm not looking for -- "because I live there". I want you to dig deep and tell us...

Why you chose that particular setting?

What does the setting add to the story?

Could you write the same story in a different setting?

Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?

Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting?

Or, did you create the setting from scratch?

Is there anything else about your setting that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Please provide your website link.

What is the link to buy your book?

Tell us some specific details about your setting. What would we see? What sort of people are there? If we were traveling to your setting, what should we bring with us? For visitors, what do they need to know to visit your setting?

Thank you for sharing details about your book setting. Now, what's the title of your book and where can we buy it?

Feel free to email your answers to nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com and I'll add your information. They will be posted, but not all at once. That will give everyone an opportunity to get plenty of exposure.

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm