This is excerpt from an article I wrote, when I guest blogged on Cynsights.
I set my book, Windswept Shores, on a deserted island in the Bahamas.
“How did you do that?” you might ask.
Easy, by finding out all that I could about the Bahamas, but not using all of it.
I can imagine your reaction, “Huh?”
Well, yes, we don’t want to over whelm our readers now do we?
I broke it down to this:
1. Color of sea—teal
2. Soil—sandy loam, sand, lots and lots of sand
3. I also had a cliff make entirely of sand stone, more sand!
4. What grows in the Bahamas?—anything that grows in a tropical area, including lots of fruit trees.
5. Fruit trees+fruit=food
6. Birds—sea birds including sea gulls
7. bird+eggs=food (just the eggs, mate)
8. Fish—tropical fish like what you’d see at your local pet store—puffer, lion fish, clown fish.
9. I used the name of a local sport fish—tarpon, it can get to be five feet in length. Fish=food
10. Shellfish—mussels, scallops, and conk=food
11. Dolphin (the mammal kind)—this is fun, they’re spotted!
12. Weather—wet+rain+windy=tropical!
13. I used descriptive words for the sea: ocean, waves, swells, and surf.
You get the idea. I mention the weather a lot in my story, until it becomes almost a secondary character.
***now for the contest***
For this week’s contest I have a wonderful signed 17 by 11 inch poster of my book cover.
Just guess a number between 1 and 50 to win. I’ll post the winning announcement on Sunday, August 22.
Just a reminder but I’m only running these weekly contests till the end of August, so please enter today.
“Weather—wet+rain+windy=tropical!”
Umm…I’m in the Midwest and this has pretty much been our weather the past month, LOL.
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Hi Heather,
I seen the weather report and your area has been hit with entirely too much rain. I wish we’d get some here in sunny California, we’re dry, dry, dry.
Happy TT.
Janice~
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Awesome! I love the info on the tarpon.
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Hi Jen,
The tarpon gets a mention in Windswept–they eat one, lol.
Happy TT.
Janice~
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How interesting! Thanks for giving the behind the scenes peek at your writing process.
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Hi Yvette,
Thank you. I may write more of these.
Happy TT.
Janice~
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That’s a great way of working the setting into your story. Thanks for the idea. I think I might pinch it for a sci-fi I’m thinking about.
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Hi Shelley,
Thank you. And you go right ahead and use it with my blessing. Good luck with the SF.
Happy TT.
Janice~
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Makes me want to go tarpon fishing! I’ll pick number 15.
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Hi Darla,
Tarpon is suppose to be a good sport fish and good eating.
Okay, I got you down for #15. Please check back on Sunday for the winning announcement.
Happy TT.
Janice~
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Doing research is so much fun, isn’t it?!
*hugs*
Paige
My TT is at http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/
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Hi Paige,
Yes it is. 🙂
Happy TT.
Janice~
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I love research. I do a similar thing of amassing entirely too much research and not using all of it. But it’s there if I need it!
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Hi Elise,
Yeah, it would be so tempting to use it all, but it would overwhelm the reader.
Like you I keep all the info just in case . . .
Happy TT.
Janice~
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I’ll pick… #22
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Hi Yadira,
Okay, I got you down for #22.
Please check back on Sunday for the winning announcement.
Janice~
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Lovely cover. Please put me down for #12. 😉
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Hi Lisa,
Thank you.
Okay, I have you down for #12.
Please check back on Sunday for the winning announcement.
Janice~
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Hi Janice,
I love the tropics and I would so trade this hot, hot Texas weather for the tropics. 🙂
My pick is the #19, yep you guessed it…it is my lucky #. I even got a Carolina Panther’s jersey with my fave # on it for Xmas.
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Hi Chris,
A gentle breeze, some rain and a handsome S.O. beside you sounds good to me too.
Okay, I have you down for #19. Good luck.
Janice~
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I am going to guess this time 42.
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Hi Debra,
Okay, I have you down for #42.
Please check back on Sunday.
Janice~
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