Saturday, June 27, 2015

June 2015 guest post from V.R. Marks

How did the RC Investigations team wind up in a small, Southern town?

Why, with all the beauty that is Maine at my fingertips, did I create Haleswood for The Thief and ensuing RC Investigations novels, basing my small, fictitious town on the real charm of Hartsville, South Carolina?

It started with a road trip to visit family in the Florence area. That turned into a tour of a nearby boarding school for high school juniors and seniors where a friend’s nephew was in attendance.

You can’t get from point A to point B in that part of South Carolina without passing stands of tall loblolly pines, wide lakes, and acres and acres of cotton. But when you reach the gem that is Hartsville, you discover it was worth every minute.

Hartsville is real. Some might call it quaint or a throwback to an earlier era. The pace is calm, but not exactly slow. During my visit, there was a great deal of talk about a recent crime that had shocked everyone. It was obvious how residents (both permanent and students) rallied to support one another as the investigation carefully unraveled the truth.

There is a community pride and deep-seated integrity in Hartsville that became the core inspiration for the setting of The Thief. Both my lead characters (as well as the supporting cast) know first-hand the pros and cons of small town life.

Exploring new settings is a big perk of being an author and Hartsville was an unexpected treat along the writing journey for the RC Investigations novels. It’s always great to hear when readers enjoy taking that journey with the characters.

You can find a full list of my books, collections, and short stories at my Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/V.R.-Marks/e/B009KLZKEG

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