And here we are in old Hollywood, immersed in memorabilia and collectibles. A little bit of heaven, as far as I’m concerned. Add to that the beach, the canyons and, of course, Santa Monica Pier, and writing was a great escape from whatever was going on in my real life.
TJ and Mimi were having the time of their lives, too. At least they were until Mimi once again went missing. TJ was correct. That woman definitely needed a GPS attached to her ass. So now, instead of determining the provenance of a beautiful oil painting, she was desperately trying to find her friend.
If Underwaywas 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 eBook Cover
TWO
I have to warn you, I’ve heard relationships based on intense experiences never work – SPEED
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.
I have not blogged all week because Trixie injured herself last Friday. After surgery I’ve been playing “keep the Dane quiet” and “keep the Danes separated” all week.
Exhausting.
We are still not sure how she managed to get a two-inch gash in her shoulder that was so clean it looked like it was done by a scalpel. No blood, either. The vet and I were stumped. Minor surgery to clean up the edges and staple it shut and she was home by end of the day.
Nora enjoying her watermelon treat
Meanwhile, the next night, Nora was attacked by raccoons. She was uninjured, but the raccoons may not have been so lucky- between the dogs and me evicting them from the yard. The drought has made them angry and unafraid, so it took a bit of effort.
Her coop needs some extensive repairs, which I’ve been doing slowly.
So no blogging this week, although I did get some good writing done. Emotional trauma will do that for me, gets those creative juices flowing. LOL
I also finally got all the books, both ebooks and paperbacks, set up for direct sale on the website. Click here to purchase directly. Audiobooks are still only available through Amazon and Audible.
Below the fold are Trixie’s staples, if you are wondering. Nothing gory. I saved those photos for friends and family via text.
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.
