I’ve begun to think that inspiration is a bit like love: it appears
unexpectedly and completely consumes one’s thoughts.
I wasn’t looking to write a new series when the idea for The Book Retreat
Mysteries struck. I was plenty busy with The Books By The Bay
series, the Charmed Pie Shoppe series, and writing one half of The
Novel Idea Mysteries (under the name Lucy Arlington). However, this muse
refused to be ignored.
Two summers ago, I’d been binge watching Downton Abbey. I love
everything about that show, but what I love most is the incredible writing. The
scenes unfold slowly, like a rosebud opening, and every line of dialog is
carefully constructed. Anyway, I’d just finished gorging on Downton Abbey when
we headed off on our family vacation
to The Homestead Resort. Located in the wilds of western Virginia, this historic
hotel offered tons of amenities as well as a variety of outdoor activities. It
offered us an escape from our busy, noises lives. Staying there would be like
turning back the clock. It would be out Downton Abbey retreat.
The moment I first saw the sprawling manor house that was The Homestead nestled
against a backdrop of blue hills, I was charmed. I loved the grand lobby, the
elegant guest rooms, the charming décor, and the beautiful grounds. I loved the
daily afternoon tea, the indoor pool and bowling alley, and the back stairs and
servant’s passageways, the locked doors leading to who knows where.
After two days of archery lessons, falconry lessons, horseback riding, and
hiking, I knew I wanted to create a similar place, but I wanted my resort to be
exclusively for readers. A Downton Abbey for readers, in fact. But I
was on deadline for another project and kept trying to shelve the idea. Like
love, it would not be denied.
Within days of returning home, new characters started lining up in my mind. The
staff came first—an impeccable butler, a bustling housekeeper, a plump and merry
cook, a loyal chauffeur, and a wise, amiable librarian. Next, the heroine, Jane
Steward, came to life. Jane is a single mother and a widow who manages Storyton
Hall with a combination of sugar and steel. She’s also heir to an incredible
secret. There is another library at Storyton Hall. A library of untold
treasures. The kind of treasures people would kill to possess.
And so a vacation became a series. I’ll be returning to The Homestead this
summer where I’ll sit on a veranda with my cup of tea and hope to be inspired
all over again.
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