Location! Location! Location! by Christine Bush

 

Location, location, location!

 When you find a book you enjoy, how important is the location of the novel to you?

I have written book set in many places, some that I have visited and found fascinating, some I have lived in, a few (historicals) that I have researched and imagined. I love a variety of locations.

 My newest book “Curtain Call” is set in a place very close to my heart.  It’s a sweet romantic mystery, the second in my new series “Strawberry Manor Mysteries”.  The first is titled “Swan Song.”

 

The setting is the little town of “New Hope, Pennsylvania”, a famous artist and theater colony in Bucks County, nestled along the beautiful Delaware River.  It’s my hometown!

Many years have passed since I darted through the streets and shops of New Hope, and much has changed.  New shops have replaced some of the old.  Restaurants have blossomed in old mansions and churches that were once homes and houses of prayer.  Tourism is a mainstay now. Housing developments have exploded on the outskirts of town on land that was once active farm land.  Some things are very different.

But much remains the same.  I had a lot of fun incorporating those real places into my story, as well as using my imagination to add details that are fictional.  “Strawberry Manor,” the delightful bed and breakfast established by my heroine, Charley McAdams, is imaginary. It sits north of town along the river. 

 

The amazing and historic “Bucks County Playhouse” is real.  It sits in the center of town, and has been bringing entertainment, laughter, and talent to the area since 1939.  I had the joy of working there as a teenager.  I was an usher (I loved this as I got to see all the shows free!), worked in the concession stand, and occasionally assisted with set painting and assistance.

 

It was a time of amazing experiences, like chatting with a very young Liza Minelli who was starring in “Time Out for Ginger,” and sneaking her off set to get an ice cream cone from the famous “Gerenser’s Ice Cream” in town.  Many, many famous actors graced the stage there (and still do!).

 

It was natural to weave the theater influence of the town into my stories.  The characters are all fictional.  So are the crimes that (of course) get solved in my mysteries.  But I wanted to incorporate the essence of that unique little artistic community that meant so much to me growing up. 

 How about you?  Do you like settings that remind you of your past experiences?  Or maybe they inspire you to go to new destinations.  I’d love to hear!

 Here’s the first two books of the “Strawberry Manor Mysteries” series.  I hope you enjoy them!

Love,      Christine

 

 Swan Song: Bush, Christine: 9798424148651: Amazon.com: Books

 

   

Curtain Call: Bush, Christine: 9798869805867: Amazon.com: Books

 

  

Christine Bush is a USA Today Bestselling author of romance, romantic mystery, and suspense.  She can be found living in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania with her husband and 2 lazy cats, and spending time with her 14 grandchildren.   When she’s not writing, she’s teaching Psychology at a local college, and working with clients in her private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist. She loves to hear from readers and writers!

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Bush-Author/213919128638762

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