Okay, if you've just stumbled onto my blog for the first time and haven't read TAKEN BY STORM or you've just read the first book, stop reading now. This post is a massive spoiler. But for those of you who've read the whole saga . . .
Here's some pictures of the Spokane Temple, so you can imagine Michael and Leesie coming out of it--him in a black tux and her in a princess-style wedding dress (with sleeves)!
This first one features me with a really red face. We stopped at the temple and my brother, Dave, took some pictures after I spoke at Tekoa High School. That was so cool. You can see photos of that on my website. Notice, I'm wearing a fringy leather jacket. In my presentation, I shared with the students that I kind of strangled the life out of poor Leesie at first--forcing way too much me into her character. Never a good thing. Then I pull out the jacket and tell them the things I did to change her up so she could grow into a fully-rounded, independent character--gave her long hair that smells like bananas and mangos and a cool suede jacket like one of my son's friends wore. When I was getting ready for my launch tour, I found this jacket on-line. It has turquoise beads that match the front cover. I just had to buy it. My kids were aghast when they saw pictures of me wearing it. "What do you have on?" was the reaction. Oh, well. I still love the jacket.
This next photo is the simply beautiful, amazing photo David took of the Spokane temple at night for me. It fits the scene in the middle of TAKEN BY STORM when Michael and Leesie go to the church dance and wander over to the temple. All it needs is snow falling.
Dave and his lovely wife, Jennifer, were amazing support when TAKEN BY STORM launched. I don't know what I would have done without them. I am so excited that Jen's book--oh, I mean--Jennifer Shaw Wolf's book, BREAKING BEAUTIFUL, will be out early next year. Your going to love it. It's gripping and heartbreaking. I couldn't put it down.
Okay, now I need to find some photos of Windy Bay and our old lakefront property. Tune in Monday for that.
Love the photos, Angela. It still amazes me when authors set their stories in real places. I've never been able to do that. I find a lot more freedom in making up my own cities and towns (based on some real places though).
ReplyDeleteI love how you show us the actual places that Leesie and Michael were a part of. Amazing.
And I'm excited about Breaking Beautiful. Sounds so good.
Thanks, Bee. I learned to use real places working with Ron Koertge who just released a sequel to STONER AND SPAZ--the book he had out when I was working with him. His books come alive because the setting is so real and the characters move through it--touching all the physicality. Does that make sense? And as an historical fiction writer, real places are incredibly important. I'm not a visual creator. I begin with voices and have to put them in bodies and places, so it helps to have a real place to use.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited about BREAKING BEAUTIFUL, too. It is SO good.