My novel is set in Philadelphia, PA. Not because I adore the so-called City of Brotherly love, but because it was convenient. When I first started Blood in the Paint, I was living in Philadelphia. I now live not too far from it. Therefore I can just hop on over the bridge and scout locations for scenes, such as UPENN hospital. The rest of the series will undoubtedly take place in the same city, however, I think I want to spread my wings a little. Why?
- I follow a lot of fellow authors on Facebook. A few of them have mentioned the settings of their new books. I’m jealous.
- The last few books I’ve read have been set in Spain, Bavaria, Boston, and Italy. Reminds me that possibilities are endless.
- I recently watched an episode of Drugs, Inc about the heroin epidemic in Alaska. (apparently Alaska has a worse rep than Detroit. Who knew?) Not only did I suddenly want to write a story about the grittiest areas in a corner of the world that gets half a day of darkness for part of the year, but I also wished I had seen this particular episode before my grand heroin search.
So where are your WIP’s set? Do you have a dream setting for a future project?
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I usually set my stories in fictional towns, so no one can complain that someone is driving the wrong way down a one-way street (although it could simply mean that my character is a bad driver).
Philly is a good all-purpose city for storytelling, though, since it’s got a good mix of urban hip and blue collar neighborhoods. I feel like people are less likely to get bent out of shape over minor geographic alterations, like they would for Manhattan, for example.
The setting of my recently published novel is Boston, because I just couldn’t bring myself to use Cleveland (which is the city I live near). As for my current WIP, I’m still deciding. I want to stick with a city I’m familiar with, but again, Cleveland? Not so exciting…
Boo Boston! (I’m a Yankees fan.) I never thought of Cleveland as boring. I thought it was like Cinncinati?
Well, I don’t think it’s boring, but it’s not the typical city one reads about in their novels. I suppose I could change that…
That’s the spirit!!
New York, London, all over, which is funny because it required quite a bit of research on my part. I doubt I will ever want to set a story in Vegas though. If I can help it.
I like that you did research for your settings. If I do my next series in Alaska, I’ll have to ask you for tips…since I’m obviously not going to Alaska any time soon. At least not the gritty, shitty parts.
Google Maps Street view is your bff. 😀 and maybe Google Earth too.
Oh, that makes sense!
Novels 1 and 2 have been set in Kent, but the Nano novel is set in Sorrento Italy lol. The WIP or novel 4 is New York and London 🙂
Xx
Oooh, Italy! I’d love to do a setting there. Let me know if you need any NYC tips, specifically in nailing the smell of the subway. 🙂
Ooooo, thanks honey, I might just pick your brains. Better still I might just have to visit! Lol
Xx
I’m here to help! And a visit would be lovely. I could acclimate myself to your accent, haha.
Lol, I’d have to bring a translation guide 😉
Xx
Sadly, you’re right. I suck.
Fictional city but will have Chicago-like feel. I would love to scout out Spain for a location.
Spain would be lovely!
One takes place in New Orleans, China, New York, New Jersey, and Dallas. All places I am very familiar with.
Current WIP takes place in Miramar, California – never even been. I think I need to go on a scouting trip so I can get the details right during edits.
Wow, what a menagerie of locations! You’ll have to blog about your scouting trip if you go!
Number One was set in my own backyard – Baltimore and suburbs north of the city near the Pennsylvania line. The second book was set in Capri. Which I’ve never been to, so that was a challenge. The Internet makes researching a place you’ve never visited a lot easier – I was able to look up YouTube videos of some of the popular attractions and read blogs from people who’d visited. I also interviewed some friends who’d been there and they said afterwards I did a good job with it.
For my next one, I’m writing a jewel heist caper set in Monaco, which is turning out to be a lot harder to get into than Capri was. I don’t know why, and I suppose I could change the setting, but damn it – the bookmarks that say, “Coming Soon The Monaco Mission” are already printed!
I never thought of youtube and bloggers as a location scouting resource. Nice.
I wonder why Monaco is proving more difficult. I hope that looks up for you. (You have to commit if the bookmarks are printed.)
My WIP in set in NW Arkansas, where I’m from. However, I’ve consolidated two small towns into one fictional locale. I do have plans to write a book about an Egyptologist. I’d love to visit Egypt! The instability in the area makes me hesitate though.
Blending towns works well too. Jonathan Maberry did that for his Pine Deep trilogy.
I’d love to visit Egypt, too. My mother went many moons ago. Maybe by the time you begin writing that book, things will have simmered down. We can only hope.
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