Finding the Right
Setting for Eventide
I’ve lived in Michigan all my life, and there’s no shortage
of natural beauty here – rolling hills, endless forests, ridiculous numbers of
inland lakes, and we’re surrounded by the Great Lakes which are huge and
unpredictable with their rip currents and freak weather patterns. They’re
basically freshwater seas and at times, just as dangerous as the oceans –
especially Lake Superior.
It can go from a serene glass-like surface to twenty-three
foot waves in virtually no time at all. Once, while driving around the lake, I
found myself caught in the midst of an autumn storm on my way to see my boyfriend.
The waves were so insane; they were washing over the road and had already
pulled someone’s car into the lake. I had to time it just right to pass through
that stretch of road without getting sucked into the water. Shortly after I
made it through, the road was shut down and declared impassible. Definitely not
my smartest move to keep driving, but I did. Because boyfriend.
I set Eventide on the shores of my favorite lake, in the
nearly-fictional town of Iron Falls, Michigan. I use the term “nearly-fictional”
because it’s based on one of my favorite small towns – Munising, Michigan. I
don’t live there, but I’ve visited there nearly every year since I was a kid.
If you’ve ever been there, you might recognize the high school on the shores of
the lake, or the glass-bottom boat shipwreck tour, or the sudden fogs and
brutal storms.
I did make some changes. For instance, Iron Falls has a
lighthouse where Munising doesn’t. Iron Falls also has a host of soul-sucking
homicidal faeries that haunt the surrounding woods looking for hapless humans,
and, as far as I’m aware, Munising does not.
One of the reasons I decided to set Iron Falls on Superior
is because the lake is almost a character on its own. It can go from calm to
deadly in a matter of minutes and no two days on the shore are ever the same.
Even different parts of the lake on the same day are wildly different. Its erratic nature makes it the perfect
backdrop for Devon as her life spirals out of control.
I’d like to share a few photos of the lake to show you what
I mean about it having it a different personality depending on the day.
Unfortunately, I can’t find my stormy lake pictures, but, amazing nature
photographer, Steve Brimm, agreed to share one of his photos for this blog
tour. I think you’ll see what I mean
about the lake being completely different on any given day. And I’d like to think you’ll get a feel for the lake within
the pages of Eventide.
Below the photos, you'll find a little more about Eventide as well as links.
Below the photos, you'll find a little more about Eventide as well as links.
Blurb:
The driver in a tragic car accident
that killed her best friend, Devon Greer is consumed by guilt. When powerful
hallucinations convince her that she’s seeing Rachael everywhere, Devon thinks
she’s going crazy. But her friend isn’t truly gone.
To save Rachael from the faeries who
stole her, Devon must pit herself against the Court of the Sidhe. Once she witnesses
the true form of the fey, Devon’s life is in danger—and so are the lives of
everyone she loves.
Now, Devon must not only protect
herself, but also Jonah Seafort, Rachael’s cousin and the only person Devon can
trust to help her. While the Sidhe walk among them, no one is safe…
Buy Links:
And here are some other links if you fancy connecting on social media.
Thanks so much for being here today, Chris. Congrats on your new release!!



.jpg)
I'm a life long Michigan resident also and some of my favorite childhood vacations were in the Munising area! Even as a youngster, the beauty and wildness of Lake Superior wasn't lost on me. I remember one night we sat on the shore and watched a storm roll in - it was spectacular!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like a storm coming in over Superior! It's one of my favorite things in the world! Thanks so much for having me on the blog, Tessie! <3
DeleteEvery time I see pics of Superior, I hear Gordon Lightfoot in the back of my mind...
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/9vST6hVRj2A
Absolutely, Fran! When that song came out in 1976, the local radio stations played it so often I thought it would never get un-stuck from my head!!
DeleteThere's a spot on the beach at Whitefish Point where a few years ago, three of the families of the sailors on the Fitzgerald set up a makeshift memorial with their photos, laminated and attached to driftwood and people leave beach stones around the area. The mound is getting really large these days.
DeleteBeautiful book cover and the story sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree, Kat!!
DeleteThanks, so much, Kat! :)
Delete