I got back my MURDER INK manuscript along with my editor’s comments just as I was getting ready to go to Chicago. What a perfect spot to go over the manuscript since that is where the series takes place. The funny thing was that I’d been spending so much time picturing Veronica’s condo which happens to have a lot of similarities to mine, that when I opened the door, I half expected Veronica to greet me.
It is so cool to be in the spot where I imagined so much to take place. Some rooms I redecorated in my mind and some I left as is. Veronica’s living room resembles mine. Every time I look at the black leather couch in the alcove I can almost see Ben sitting in the middle of it talking to Veronica. He’s one of her students and also the brother of her neighbor Sara. Sara is doing her best to get them together romantically, but Ben and Veronica are resisting it for different reasons.
Settings are always important to me and I love being able to include some of the details of the actual building. It’s over 100 years old and there are interesting touches like the fact there are gas pipes in the ceiling for lighting – of course, they’re caped off now. Apparently, it was very common to have live in help when the building was built. There is a small room off the kitchen meant for a maid with a bathroom complete with small claw foot tub. There is a button on the dining room floor meant to summon her.
One of my favorite touches is the shaving closet. It is a tiny room between two of the bedrooms with a marble sink.
Being here also gives me a chance to notice details I missed when I was writing from my imagination. I had the wind rattling the windows, but today I noticed that there is a whine from the blowing air along with the rattle of the glass.
MURDER INK takes place in October when there are still some leaves on the trees and sort of a golden look about everything. Going outside today was no help with that, the second book takes place in February. It’s barely March, so I viewed my walk to the grocery store as research. The sky was leaden and dropped a few sprinkles of rain. The trees were all bare skeletons and the yards I passed had a brownish aura. Brown leaves on a bush and brown ground cover. The flattened grass was brown and a few wilted blossoms hung on dead stems.
Tonight it might snow. I hope it does so I can pick up some details that are different than my imagined snow storm. Though even if it does snow It won’t last, since it’s supposed to warm up over the weekend.
A little while ago I got a call from the City of Chicago. It was a recorded message warning me of high waves on Lake Michigan that could come up onto the shore inundating the bike path and some lakefront property. Maybe something to use in a future book.
Just a reminder—next Wednesday, March 11, KNOT ON YOUR LIFE will be a BookBub special. Tell your friends.
2 comments:
I'm an avid fan of your work and I'm looking forward to Murder Ink coming out. As a native of Chicago, I can easily picture the apartment you mentioned as well as the cloudy sky with a sprinkle of rain. I live in Florida now, so your words take me back home. I'm enjoying your blog as it helps remind me to look for your upcoming book and gets me ready for the big reveal. Enjoy your time in Chicago. Have a pizza and a hot beef and some nice long walks in the Windy city.
Any idea as yet when Murder Ink may come out ? I always pre order on Amazon so the book arrives on release day. You are really creating a heavy schedule by planning to keep 3 series going. Don't forget we loyal fans who have every book from the first two series--we want more of them too ! I am sure Molly should get involved in something next !
Post a Comment