My latest quilting mystery, OCEAN WAVES, has been released. The official pub date is April 1st, but Amazon started shipping and MI sent me a shipment, so I began selling books. Saturday, I spoke at the Milpitas Alliance for the Arts Literary Luncheon to a wonderful audience and received the first complaint.
I set the book at a real place, Asilomar, which is a lovely California state park that is popular for retreats and conferences. It's a fabulous piece of real estate along the Pacific Ocean just north of Pebble Beach. Designed as a women's retreat house for the YWCA nearly a hundred years ago, the buildings were designed by Julia Morgan. Many of the original Craftsman style buildings are still being used and their timeless grace and beauty enhance the experience.
California State Rangers give nature tours and everything is done to ensure the ecosystem remains viable. The price of a stay there is reasonable and the food is pretty good. It is, in short, heaven on earth.
Now, my fan says, she's afraid to stay there. I've been on quilting retreats with her. We always have a wonderful time. And she's scared now. Just because of a little ole murder or two? What can I say? Natural and beautiful has its dark side.
Has an author ever scared you? Have you ruined a wonderful sanctuary by setting a murder there?
I've been thinking about setting a book on Alcatraz. That might be the way to go.
