Work Wednesday – Page 2 – Annie DeMoranville

The Evolution of TJ Wilde: Full Sail, Pt 2

If Underway was a love letter to Boston, Full Sail was my love letter to Los Angeles and Hollywood. Once I finished the first Duxbridge Mystery (Recipe for Murder), I made my third pilgrimage to LA. This time I decided to go alone, much like when I moved to LA decades ago.

The hotel I had stayed at previously was closed for remodeling. While looking for another beachfront hotel, I stumbled across an absolutely charming motel, right on the beach in Santa Monica. From the moment I stepped onto the property, I knew it would become a location in Full Sail. Everything about that trip renewed my sense of what the story should be, from the dolphins on my walks to the sunrise photo at Venice Pier that would become the book cover.

Lunch and dinner with old friends gave me some Hollywood stories to incorporate, and drives through the canyons reminded me of the beauty and mystery in those hills. This was the Los Angeles I loved.

Welcome to Hollywood!

Full Sail cover Golden Fishing Pier with sailboat and dolphin in the background — Full Sail eBook Cover

TWO

I have to warn you, I’ve heard relationships based on intense experiences never work – SPEED

The Evolution of TJ Wilde: Full Sail, Pt 1

And here we are, in the final chapter of TJ Wilde’s journey. This was a hard one to write. Not because I didn’t know what to write; I did. I’d known before I even ended Run Aground how TJ’s story would end. And the unfolding mystery had been in the back of my mind for years. The Hollywood-ness of it all.

Unfortunately, a few things happened along the way. One was Covid, which threw all of us off our game. But for TJ and me, it meant I couldn’t wrap up her journey. So I pivoted to the Duxbridge series, which felt a little lighter and more accessible. It also meant I could write with one of my Covid bubble buddies. Win-win for all of us who needed connection back then.

I kept up my research and plotting. I had an entire notebook of scribbles when it was finally time to begin. Still, I struggled. Trips to LA for locations were hit or miss, until the third trip, which I’ll detail more next week.

But probably the biggest hurdle? I wasn’t ready to let go of TJ, Colby and Mimi. So I lingered.

Work Wednesday: New Duxbridge Novel

I am heavy into the second book in the Duxbridge Mysteries. I don’t have a title yet, but do have a solid story.

Because of that, I haven’t written the first installment of the Evolution of TJ Wilde: Full Sail, yet (you can see the stories about Run Aground and Underway here).

1950 typewriter, 1940 Art Deco phone and Italian cat sculpture on a desk

How about a few photos of my birthday thrift store finds to make up for it? The 1950s Royal typewriter (with the green keys!) absolutely stopped me in my tracks. I didn’t even hesitate to grab it. It works great, was clearly well taken care of or restored. Types great, looks even better.

The Evolution of TJ Wilde: Underway, Pt 3

This was our view from a second floor restaurant in Havana

One of my favorite parts of writing is the improbable puzzle of it all. I usually set up an idea of what I want to write, create a compelling (or at least I hope it’s compelling) opening sequence, and generally know where I’m going to end up by the final chapter. Then the magic happens.

The Evolution of TJ Wilde: Underway, Pt 2

Boston skyline with tall ship in the harbor

Location, location, location. As important in fiction as it is in real estate.

So I had SoWa. I had Long Island just off Boston Harbor. I had a unique Cuban gallery that participated in a Cuban artist exchange program. All that was left was a quick trip to Cuba. Once I had the locations, the artists’ community, and the historical context I needed to craft TJ’s Boston world, then the mysteries began to unfold.

Long Island viewed from Quincy MA — Long Island in Boston Harbor

Before she even unpacks, TJ finds new friends in SoWa, thanks to an abandoned kitten, and is quickly thrust into another mystery, thanks to a break-in and a missing gallerist. A Cuban art gallery, with a Cuban exchange program, and an abandoned hospital on a mostly abandoned island, offer a tangled web of intrigue. And she still needs to navigate her new job, along with suddenly becoming responsible for a rambunctious kitten, all while actively avoiding Colby’s many texts.