Category: Full Sail

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.

TJ’s quiet life was in the rearview mirror.

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!

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.