BLOGWORDS – Monday 11 November 2019 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – PAT NICHOLS

NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – PAT NICHOLS

 

SETTING: FICTIONAL VS. REAL

 

In 2016 the idea for a story about Emily and Rachel—strangers drawn together by tragedy and a long-held secret—grew into a full-blown plan to write a series centered in a small town struggling to survive.  From the beginning, I knew the two women had to come from different backgrounds and lifestyles. If Emily was raised by middle-class parents living in a small town, Rachel had to be the daughter of a wealthy big-city business owner.

Because I live in Duluth, Georgia—a metro Atlanta suburb—selecting the city was easy. Not only had I visited Centennial Park and the Georgia Aquarium, my husband and I had dined at the Sun Dial Restaurant atop the circular Peachtree Plaza Hotel. Nearly every Atlanta site referenced in The Secret of Willow Inn exists. Including the high-rise building that houses Streetman Enterprise the fictional real-estate development firm owned by Rachel’s father. Using actual locations has advantages. Especially with the existence of Google Earth. I can’t count the number of times I zoomed in on downtown Atlanta to make sure Rachel could see the Skyview Ferris Wheel from her office window or Fox Theater from her father’s office. Or which direction she turned to walk to the park. Of course, as a writer I was also bound by reality.

When it came time to identify Emily’s hometown, I decided to create a setting I could conform to the story. A town on the brink of failure, populated by a cast of quirky, argumentative, lovable characters.

To get a sense of small-town vibe, my husband and I spent several weekends visiting north Georgia locations; tourist destinations—some dating back to the civil war—and quiet little villages off the beaten path. One of those treks occurred on Labor Day. Once we left Atlanta, we discovered an interesting situation. Small towns take the holiday seriously. Other than a few places to eat, stores were closed. Imagine that. No labor on Labor Day. A fact I used in Willow Falls series book three.

Every town we visited had a place to eat, some sort of general store, and at least one inn. Perfect for my story. Because the characters in my fictional town believed the only way to survive was to entice visitors, it needed a few existing attractions—a fifty-foot waterfall and a hundred-year-old general store. Add a colorful history, revealed in The Trouble in Willow Falls, and the town had a fighting chance to survive.

After mentally creating a fictional setting, I needed a visual to guide my scene descriptions and characters’ movements. So, I created an aerial view on a poster board, using a blue marker to pinpoint key locations; Willow Inn, the abandoned hotel, Hayes General Store, Pepper’s café, and Patsy’s Pastries and Pretties. As the story progressed, I added new sites. Recently I created a more professional looking view.

It’s funny how in time the fictional setting seems as real as the one that physically exists, thanks to readers’ ability to imagine and writers’ capacity to paint mental pictures. In some stories the setting serves as another character. During my research about fictional settings, I discovered Cabot Cove, the setting for the Murder She Wrote television series wasn’t real. Who knew?

As an author I’ve found it beneficial to use both fictional and real settings in the same novel. Real settings, especially those that are well known, give readers a sense of authenticity. Atlanta is a southern hub for ground and air travel. I can only guess how many millions have flown over the city or driven on the downtown connector as they pass through to their destinations. At the very least folks might have wondered what lay beyond the skyline.

On the other hand, a fictional setting gives writers tremendous latitude and readers’ the opportunity to let their imaginations soar. By the way, I prefer not to have characters’ faces on my covers, because I don’t want to limit readers imagination to picture the characters the way they want. The same can be said for setting.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pat Nichols is proving it’s never too late to follow your dreams. She draws on a twenty-seven-year corporate career working with amazing women from all walks of life to write emotionally charged stories about women who face tension-laced challenges and heart-warming triumphs as they pursue their dreams. The Secret of Willow Inn introduces readers to Willow Falls, a small southern town on the brink of failure, populated by an opinionated, quirky, lovable, cast of characters. The Willow Falls series will appeal to Debbie Macomber, Ane Mulligan, and Jan Karon fans.

She was born in Illinois, grew up in Orlando and has called Georgia home since the eighties. Pat and Tim reside in Duluth and are active members of Gwinnett Church, a Northpoint Ministries Campus. Although they love dogs, especially black labs, their pets now consist of squirrels scampering across their deck and deer traipsing through their back yard. She is a member of ACFW and Word Weavers International. She was featured on WATC Television Atlanta Alive and in Voyager Magazine http://voyageatl.com/interview/meet-pat-nichols-author-duluth/

Come on over for a visit on her website: www.patnicholsauthor.blog  or Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

 

 

 

 

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