I thought we’d talk a little bit about setting today in our discussion about writing. All stories have a setting – it is important enough that it can be another character. When you begin your story think about where it takes place. See it in your mind.
What place inspires you – the seashore, mountains, desert, your own backyard? Seeing the beauty around you encourages your imagination. Is this place you are writing about set in the present, past, or future? These questions must be answered before you begin to write.
I am a water lover. I have set five of my novels on a seashore or on a lake. I love the water and trust and respect it. It is romantic and can be terrifying as well. Maybe you don’t like water, or your character doesn’t so write about a place you like: a big city, the desert, the mountains, or your hometown. All settings evoke a feeling to the reader and give your story and characters depth.
If you are stuck in writer’s block give these ten great story settings a try. Write a story that takes place:
1. in a tattoo parlor
2. at the zoo at night
3. in an abandoned mental hospital
4. in a submarine
5. in a magnet factory
6. in the vault of a bank
7. in a bridal shop
8. in the kitchen of Buckingham Palace
9. on the edge of a cliff
10. entirely in the dark
Soon your story will begin to take place. And if you really want to have some fun, visit these places before you write. Your characters and your readers will thank you.
What are you writing this week?
I had a release party for Blooming Greed last night at a local watering hole. That might not describe this very successful local restaurant and bar. Callahan’s Pub is a place you want to be on St. Patrick’s Day if you want loud music, beer, and crowds. They have more beers on tap than I have ever seen and don’t recognize most of them. But on a regular Saturday night I had reserved a table for 15 (come and go) and bought appetizers. It was a fun time. They have great food and service. I got to see old friends, even though we still had snow on the ground and a pandemic in the air.
I’m so ready for spring. I live in the mid-west, and it doesn’t get as cold here as in some parts of the world, but I’m ready for warmer weather.
It happens this week! Blooming Greed, the second in the Keystone Lake Series, releases for sale on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. I love this story and I love the setting. It takes place once more on Keystone Lake in eastern Oklahoma.
It snowed yesterday in Oklahoma. Only the second one of the season. We might have gotten an inch if you stretched it some, and it was bitterly cold. In years gone by, I would have put on my Yaktrax and gone to work, my lunch packed, in dress pants and a heavy coat, prepared to come out and clear a windshield when the day was done. Then I would drive the treacherous roads back home to a warm house. At least I hoped it was warm.
In 2020 I published my first children’s book, Ian’s Magic. It released in the middle of the pandemic (yes, the same one we’re still dealing with). But I was unable to have a book signing or release party. It was a soft opening. But the little book has done well. I promoted it through social media and today I am still working on getting it into schools, libraries, etc.
Merry Christmas! I hope yours was great—mine was. It was smaller than usual, but the food and company were wonderful. 
Last week we discussed the book and craft expo at the Enid Public Library. I saw lots of old friends and talked to the public who attended. But the best part of the book signing was the little book that was gifted to me. 
Peggy Chambers "Views from the Hammock" site 