Rebecca asked: "I'm looking forward to reading your new series! I'm curious about its genesis, and hope you talk a bit about that. Was river rafting something you always wanted to write about?"
I've always been interested in the outdoors and outdoor activities: skiing, hiking, biking, swimming, snorkeling, and whitewater canoeing and rafting. That's why I live in Colorado, after all, to avail myself of all the outdoor recreation activities here!
And, I found that adventuresome outdoor activities kept creeping into my mystery books. In To Hell in a Handbasket, my second Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery, there are winter sports scenes including downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. So, I decided to develop a new series where I could indulge in my love of outdoor activities as much as I wanted.
I was a "river rat" in the 80's, plying the whitewater rivers of Virginia (where I lived) and nearby states in an open-boat canoe stuffed full of floatation bags. After my children came along, I took a break from running whitewater rivers until they had become strong swimmers and my husband and I could take them whitewater rafting on the rivers of Colorado, our new home by then. I still go whitewater rafting, usually on the upper Arkansas River, a few times a year.
So, choosing whitewater rafting as the theme for my new series was a natural choice for me. The benefit is that now, all my rafting trips are "research" and are business expenses on my tax return. :)
Is the RM Adventure series your primary focus now or will the Claire Hanover series continue as well? (I hope!) :) [And, if you need help convincing publishers, just let me know! LOL]
I've always been interested in the outdoors and outdoor activities: skiing, hiking, biking, swimming, snorkeling, and whitewater canoeing and rafting. That's why I live in Colorado, after all, to avail myself of all the outdoor recreation activities here!
And, I found that adventuresome outdoor activities kept creeping into my mystery books. In To Hell in a Handbasket, my second Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery, there are winter sports scenes including downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. So, I decided to develop a new series where I could indulge in my love of outdoor activities as much as I wanted.
I was a "river rat" in the 80's, plying the whitewater rivers of Virginia (where I lived) and nearby states in an open-boat canoe stuffed full of floatation bags. After my children came along, I took a break from running whitewater rivers until they had become strong swimmers and my husband and I could take them whitewater rafting on the rivers of Colorado, our new home by then. I still go whitewater rafting, usually on the upper Arkansas River, a few times a year.
So, choosing whitewater rafting as the theme for my new series was a natural choice for me. The benefit is that now, all my rafting trips are "research" and are business expenses on my tax return. :)
Okay, who has the next question?