Finding a location in which to plop our characters has tremendous bearing on the story, but can be a bit of a dilemma for the author. Several elements come into play and must be considered. For instance what is the time period? Is the story a historical, contemporary, or futuristic? Is the story a time travel or paranormal?
I decided early on that all my stories would take place in my native state of Texas. This worked for me because first and foremost I'm comfortable writing about Texas and would need little additional research. Next, the state has any terrain I might need for any time period and with its multiple areas to choose from, each story can be unique unto itself.
When it came time to choose an area in which to base my Texas Code Series, the natural choice for me was right here in North Central Texas. The history of the Bennings and McTiernans started back in 1859 when Ian Benning and Dermot McTiernan came from Ireland with its political unrest to start their lives anew in Texas with the land grant amended in 1850. The Texas Emigration and Land Company offered 160 acres to single men, plus a free cabin, seed, and musket balls.
North Central Texas Land - Peters Colony
The two men received their land located north of Dallas in the originally named Peters Colony. Each generation will have a chance to tell their stories in and around the fictitious town of McTiernan, along with the ever changing landscape that will either be a blessing or a challenge all the way to present day when the first novel, CODE OF HONOR, takes place.
El Paso, far west Texas, a beautiful area of desert and Mountains, is the location of, Book Two, CODE OF CONSCIENCE. CODE OF JUSTICE, Book Three, is set in Dallas, back in North Central Texas, and Book Four, CODE OF LAW, may be in the lush land of The Hill Country.
El Paso, Texas and the Franklin Mountains
Dallas, Texas, City Skyline
Two other areas of this great state range from the mountains of Big Bend, to the coast at Galveston.
Two other areas of this great state range from the mountains of Big Bend, to the coast at Galveston.
Big Bend National Park
Galveston, Texas
Anyway, you see what I mean about the choice of location. My stories could be located anywhere in our beautiful country. The details might change depending which area is chosen and that has the potential to redirect a storyline. My choice was logical for me and I hope resonates well with you the reader.
Thank you for visiting with Sweethearts of the West today. I hope you'll leave a comment to tell me your thoughts on this subject. Love hearing from you!
Carra
http://www.carracopelin.com
http://www.carracopelin.com
CODE OF HONOR can be found on Amazon for kindle and print at http://tinyurl.com/muln4r9
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Facebook http://facebook.com/CarraCopelin
Twitter http://twitter.com/CarraCopelin
Goodreads http://tinyurl.com/mfynmj2
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/carrcope/boards/
Brilliant, my dear.
ReplyDeleteI wish I'd thought of this--although I do use certain areas of Texas and can name and describe them.
But to have a series with a story in different areas is very good!
This new series I'm trying to write--very slowly--is now set in the Texas Hill Country--where I live. I began in the Panhandle Plains--the High Plains--and decided I could not place my sweet heroine in a dugout and pick up cow chips for fuel. No. The Hill Country has countless trees and water!
The photos were wonderful. Thanks.
Great post, Carra. I also set my stories primarily in Texas. Like you, I have varied the precise location due to the variety from which to choose.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, Carra. I always learn something new here. I have only been to Texas one time, to San Antonio and Bandera...loved all of it. And I know those locales are just a drop in the bucket for such a big impressive state.
ReplyDeleteBut I do have a lot of writer friends from Texas to contact for info when needed. (I only have set one story there LOL.) I think it's a great idea to honor our home states. I am from California and we have tons of Western history. I'll be using my native setting in a YA series in development under my pen name Anya Novikov for the Painted Pony line at Prairie Rose Publications.
Thanks for the great pix!
I loved the map you posted of the different types of topography in Texas. It gives a good visual of the lay of the land. I once lived on the plains in Killeen, TX for a year when my husband was in the service way back in the dark ages. The wind blew all the time and often there were interesting pink clouds with lightning inside them, but no rain.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you, Carra. Your series sounds fantastic.