Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Guest Marilyn Meredith with A Visit to Rocky Bluff, California

Please help me welcome Marilyn Meredith back to my Travels. We have something in common besides being mystery writers. She grew up where I was born, Los Angeles (although I moved away at the age of 3 months).

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.






9 comments:

  1. Thank you, Kaye, for hosting me today. I had fun sharing my vision of Rocky Bluff.

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  2. Aw, 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.

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  3. thanks, Sheila--I'd like to live there too--and I kind of do, in my head anyway.

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  4. Hi, Marilyn and Kaye,

    I'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!

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  5. Thank you, Jacqueline, and congratulations on your new novel too!

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  6. I'm very glad you stopped by today, Marilyn. Good luck on the rest of your blog tour! It's a very fun post.

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  7. I'd love to live in Rocky Bluffs too, Marilyn. You make it come alive and beckon us into the neighborhood.

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  8. We lived in the LA area for six years a few decades ago and I can picture Rocky Bluffs perfectly.

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  9. Mar and LD thank you so much for your great comments.

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