The Story Behind The Story – Part 1

Guess what?

I sent The Last Bathing Beauty off to my agent so she could have a final look-see before my April 1 deadline with my publisher. (yes, THIS April 1!!)

After wrapping up Boop’s history with South Haven, I started digging into my own. I had lived in the suburbs of Chicago for a total of 15 years when I discovered Southwest Michigan, thanks to my friend, author Lori Nelson Spielman. (Have you read her books? You should!)

On my drive to meet Lori, I pulled off the road at a scenic spot and couldn’t believe I was a couple of hours from home. It looked like the Carribean. NO JOKE.

Why had no one told me this area existed?

Lori and I met in St. Joseph that day in June 2012 and followed with a few multi-day trips in the next few years.  We solidified our friendship and I fell in love with area. I knew right away in 2012 I wanted to set a novel in a Southwest Michigan beach town. And so it began. After some fits and starts and dozens and dozens of pages and characters that will never see light again, The Last Bathing Beauty was born four years later, in 2016. (More on that process, in time.)

I’m grateful for his short break and some distance from the novel, but it’s the first time ever I think I might miss my story and characters. Therefore, I’m going to blog about researching and writing the book, and about the area and the story itself.  I hope that just makes you even more excited to read it!

Amy xo

Catch our fab temporary tattoos in the 2014 video below! AND new editing and book coaching openings (and a secret discount)! xo

2012

 

 

http://womensfictionwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_2335.mp4

 

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