When we moved to Georgia, I kept hearing about the great beaches on Florida’s Gulf Coast, but I didn’t get too excited because I wasn’t much of a beach girl—probably because I’d grown up in one of the highest and driest parts of Texas. I usually picked the mountains over the beach for a vacation. The few times I’d been to the beach had involved murky water and crowds packed so tightly on the sand that I felt more like a sardine than a sunbather, but despite my lack of enthusiasm we eventually planned a trip to Destin, Florida.
It was amazing.
The pure white sand contrasted sharply with the turquoise-tinted water that stretched to the horizon. Up close, as the waves broke on the sand, the water was amazingly clear. I looked at my husband and said, “I’m ruined forever. This is what a beach should be like.”
I thought that beach would be a great setting for a book, so when I sat down to plot the next Ellie book, I decided Ellie and her family needed to go on a beach vacation to Sandy Beach, my fictionalized version of Destin.
Of course, it’s a mystery and Ellie doesn’t get to spend nearly as much time on the beach as I did—she’s busy hunting for a killer, but I did get to describe the beautiful beaches, the posh hotels, and the kitschy souvenirs. We also had a real-life shark sighting on the beach, and I knew that had to go in the book, too.Except for the shark part and the natural beauty of the Gulf Coast, everything else in the story is made-up—the murder, the paparazzi-stalking media who descend on the town, and the race to unmask a killer.
It’s one of my favorite things about writing—setting stories in places I’ve lived and visited. So far, in the Ellie books, I’ve written about the Inland Northwest (Washington state), Georgia, Washington D.C., and now Florida. My other book series, On the Run, features international destinations like London, Venice, Paris, Pompeii, and Capri. I’ve really enjoyed writing about each of these places.
Do you have a favorite setting/locale you like to read about?
~Sara
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Photo by L. Rosett
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You can find more info on settings and cozy mysteries, in my online course, How to Outline a Cozy Mystery.
USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett writes fun mysteries. Her books are lighthearted escapes for readers who enjoy interesting settings, quirky characters, and puzzling mysteries. Publishers Weekly called Sara’s books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.”
This post first appeared on Girlfriends Book Club blog.
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