Here's her trip! Be sure an look below for the character naming contest.
People who live in California know that it is a
state with many differences. I grew up in Los Angeles, and it was possible to
go play in the snow one day and head to the beach the next. In fact you could
do both in one day if you really wanted to.
Rocky Bluff is not a real place, but it has its
roots in a couple of real places. Located on the coast of Southern California,
it is situated between Santa Barbara and Ventura. It is not a real town nor is
it based on a real town. However, the
beach part is similar to the way the beach was in Oxnard many years ago (where
I lived while raising my family) with funky bars and run-down rentals.
The main drag itself has similarities to several
small towns with some modernization, but still many old brick and stucco
buildings with false facades. A Chinese eatery upstairs over a Mexican
restaurant is much like one we frequented in Oxnard years ago.
The houses that climb up the hillsides look like
homes I’ve seen in Ventura. In fact, Detective
Doug Milligan’s house, a small Victoria, is one I visited years ago.
In Rocky Bluff, the freeway leading north to Santa
Barbara crosses over the top of where the town changes from residential to
rural with ranches and orange groves.
I don’t know about other authors, but I can
visualize Rocky Bluff and all its different neighborhoods. To me it is as real
as any place I’ve ever been. In fact, I probably know more about this little
beach town than any I’ve ever lived in.
So, if you’re ever traveling on 101 and find
yourself somewhere between Santa Barbara
and Ventura, look carefully toward the ocean and you might catch a glimpse of
the bluffs that gave Rocky Bluff its name.
Blurb for the latest RBPD mystery, Murder in the Worst Degree: The body that washes up on the beach leads
Detectives Milligan and Zachary on a murder investigation that includes the
victim’s family members, his housekeeper, three long-time friends, and a
mystery woman.
Bio: F. M. Meredith aka Marilyn Meredith
is the author of over 35 published books. She enjoys writing about police
officers and their families and how what happens on the job affects the family
and vice versa. Having several members of her own family involved in law
enforcement, as well as many friends, she’s witnessed some of this first-hand.
Contest:
Once again I am offering the
opportunity to have your name used for a character in a book if you comment on
the most blogs during this tour for Murder in the Worst Degree.
Tomorrow you’ll find me at visiting
Jackie Houchin at http://bit.ly/1f5UFj0.
Thank you, Kaye, for hosting me today. I had fun sharing my vision of Rocky Bluff.
ReplyDeleteAw, Marilyn, I'm so disappointed to know that Rocky Bluff isn't real. I want to live there! I guess I'll have to settle for literary visits. :-) Fun post - thank you, and thanks, Kaye.
ReplyDeletethanks, Sheila--I'd like to live there too--and I kind of do, in my head anyway.
ReplyDeleteHi, Marilyn and Kaye,
ReplyDeleteI'm certain you've made Rocky Bluff so vivid and realistic that it comes alive for readers. We mystery writers create wonderful faction settings. Congrats on the new novel!
Thank you, Jacqueline, and congratulations on your new novel too!
ReplyDeleteI'm very glad you stopped by today, Marilyn. Good luck on the rest of your blog tour! It's a very fun post.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to live in Rocky Bluffs too, Marilyn. You make it come alive and beckon us into the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in the LA area for six years a few decades ago and I can picture Rocky Bluffs perfectly.
ReplyDeleteMar and LD thank you so much for your great comments.
ReplyDelete