I couldn't be happier than to spend release day of ANYTHING BUT SWEET with
Fresh Fiction! Thank you so much for letting me stop by today and give everyone
a little tour of the inspiration photos I used to create a small fictitious
town. I never knew a research trip could be so much fun until I headed into
Texas Hill Country where the people are warm and friendly, the weather is hot,
and the visual and cultural stimulation made my cup runneth over.
WELCOME TO SWEET, TEXAS
Population 6,000 + The Wilder Boys, a kooky community, and a goat.
The first store you'll pass on the way into this
two-lane blink-and-you'll-miss-it town is Wilder and Sons Hardware and
Feed—the store run by Reno Wilder, our hero in ANYTHING BUT SWEET.
Just down the street you'll see the Sweet Senior
Center, Charli Brooks' first makeover challenge. Of course this had to be her
groundbreaker since the seniors of Sweet were the ones who contacted her and her
makeover show My New Town.
The Yellow Rose Cinema was a popular place for the
Wilder boys to hang out in their teen years. Of course they always chose the
very dark back row to sit with their dates.
In the center of Sweet's Main Street sits Town
Square—the hub of activity for weddings, birthday parties, and the Sweet
Apple Butter Festival. Besides Reno, Town Square was Charli's biggest (and
hottest) challenge.
If you're in need of a sugar high don't miss Goody Gum Drops where the young
Wilder boys would spend their weekly allowance on Sugar Babies, Bit-O-Honey, and
SweeTarts. Charli took this one-time red and white striped building and made it
even tastier by giving it just a hint of the candy cane effect.
Thanks to a century old building and Murphy's Law the
makeover of Harvest Moon Mercantile almost didn't happen.
Sweet Pickens is the best place to take a hungry makeover show host. Just ask Reno.
Bud's Nothing Finer Diner is where townsfolk gather to mourn, celebrate, discuss
local politics, and just plain old gossip.
On the outskirts of town you'll find Sweet's favorite honky-tonk—Seven
Devils Saloon. A place Charli quickly learned was inhabited by women in skin
tight jeans and belt buckles as big as silver platters as well as hot cowboys
looking for a good time.
On the way down Rebel Creek Road to Wilder Ranch you might find a field of
bluebonnets, a longhorn steer, or a Texas-sized windmill.
Wilder Ranch is several hundred acres and pretty
recognizable with its fairly grand entry of stone and iron. Behind those gates
Joe and Jana Wilder raised their five sons, Jared, Reno, Jackson, Jesse, and
Jake. Each son was gifted their own acreage to build their own home and raise a
family. Guess who gets started first?
On this lovely back veranda Reno and Charli engaged
in some very interesting conversation.
And a whole lot of a different kind of interesting
conversation went on after dark at this creek on Wilder Ranch.
If you've read any of my Sugar Shack novels or my
short story Home Sweet
Home, you know that the fur characters always play a big part in the story.
So meet the three from ANYTHING BUT
SWEET—Pumpkin, Charli's poodle, Bear, Reno's Australian Shepherd
(Actually this is my daughter's dog Jet who's a girl. So don't tell her I turned
her into a boy dog for the story!), and Miss Giddy, Jana Wilder's colorful goat.
Thank you all for taking the time to take a quick tour through my inspiration
for Sweet, Texas. I hope you enjoyed yourselves and will make a return trip!
2 comments posted.
Thank you for the tour - the pictures are wonderful and so is the descriptions.
(Carla Carlson 3:01pm June 25, 2013)
I thought the area I lived in was pretty quaint, but I like this place even more!! I'm sure this will be the type of book to sit on my deck, with a glass of iced tea, and have you take me away to your town for a while, so I can enjoy myself!! I'm looking forward to reading your story so much!! It's on my TBR list for this Summer, for sure!! Texas can't be any sweeter than this!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:14am June 26, 2013)