Today, I thought I’d take you on a tour of the real-life places that inspired the settings of my books!
I love to travel and I’ve been fortunate to visit the settings of all of my novels. However, those of you who’ve read my books may have realized that the towns I’ve created are fictional. I chose this approach for two reasons…. 1) So that I can make my town every bit as cute as my imagination desires. 2) So that no one who lives in the town can email me to tell me I got a detail wrong.
In all of my books, my characters interact with real places. I use an actual region as my backdrop. And I pinpoint my town in the location of an established town. That way, I can reference a real place if I need to check the sunset time in the middle of November, or the daily high temperature at the end of May, or the driving distance from my fictional town to a real town, etc.
The Misty River Romance Series
The Misty River series is set in the part of the Blue Ridge range situated in northern Georgia.
The town I used as Misty River’s location: Clayton, GA
Just for fun, you can take this quiz to find out which of my characters’ Blue Ridge mountain homes would suit you best!
The Bradford Sisters Romance Series
The Bradford Sisters series is set in Washington state, on the banks of the Hood Canal.
The town I used as Merryweather’s location: Union, WA
An “American castle” called Thornewood served as my inspiration for Bradfordwood, the house in which the three sisters were raised.
The Porter Family Series
The Porter Family series is set near where I live, in north central Texas.
The town I used as Holley’s location: Parker, TX
My Stubborn Heart
My Stubborn Heart is set in Pennsylvania, on the Delaware River.
The town I used as Redbud’s location: New Hope, PA
I used New Hope as Redbud’s location, but the town of my imagination resembled the town right across the river from New Hope — Lambertville, NJ.
Do the above photos resemble your vision of the settings of my novels? If you took the quiz, which house did you get as your result?
My publisher is currently offering a “summer reads” giveaway! One reader will receive the ten novels pictured. If you’d like to enter to win (which is very quick and easy), click here or on the image below.
Becky Wade
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Those pictures are beautiful! I’d love to live in some of those places.
Me, too!!
Beautiful settings! I took the quiz and got Sam’s house 😆 also, beautiful 😍
Sam’s house is great!!
What gorgeous real life settings, Becky! I can easily see why they inspired you. I haven’t been blessed to visit all of my settings, but I have traveled to many of them. Nothing beats being in the place and absorbing the details and atmosphere. If only I had a time machine to get the full effect. 🙂
True! There’s nothing like visiting the place yourself. It’s wonderful to soak in the views, eat at the restaurants, hit the most famous sites, etc. I think novels benefit when their author had the opportunity to experience the setting first-hand.
What a fun post! It’s so interesting to know how you “create” your settings in the real settings. The pictures are beautiful! I live on the Virginia coast, but have vacationed in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina.
I took the quiz twice – the first time with lots of thought and got Genevieve’s cottage. The second time, using first reaction, and got Caroline and Judson’s (is that right?) beautiful home. Each would be lovely, but I think at this stage of my life Genevieve’s cottage would suit me better.
This post has encouraged me to look into some of your past books!
Genevieve’s cottage is quaint, cozy, and situated on a beautiful farm! 🙂
I got Sebastian’s house. And I love it!
I got Sebastian’s house, too, Angie!
I never would’ve guessed Parker County or Southfork for the Porter Family series. Now Southfork is more than a July 4th concert venue or Ewing Ranch! I’ll think of the Porters when I drive by.
I got Judson and Caroline’s beautiful house. Love it! For once, a quiz is accurate! Fun post!
I’m glad that you enjoyed the quiz, Teresa!
With the Porter Family series, I definitely imagined Meg’s dad as a modern-day JR Ewing type. And I placed Whispering Creek and Holley in the area of real-life Parker. However, the house at Whispering Creek looks quite a bit different (in my imagination) than the house at Southfork. 😉
Becky, how fun is this! Thanks for the up-and-close info of the places in your novels. I used to live in Texas and the South Fork picture (aka Dallas TV show setting) is a gorgeous picture with the blue bonnets. 👏❤️
Those blue bonnets! I love the wildflowers that blanket Texas every spring.
I live about an hours drive from Clayton, Ga. Definitely checking out some of your books. You are already on my list of authors to check books.
Thanks so much, Emogene! If you have an opportunity to read my books, I truly hope that you enjoy them. 🙂
I got Sebastian’s Modern Cabin in the quiz. I would love it there!
Me, too!!
Hi Becky, I loved seeing the locations where you set your novels! I live very near the setting for My Stubborn Heart, and I’ve also stayed at Chimney Hill Inn. I remember eating golden raspberries at breakfast!
I remember our stay there fondly!! You live in a beautiful part of the country, Carrie.
So fun to see all the real places. I got Sam’s historic farmhouse– really close since we live on a sesquicentennial farm. Sadly here the farmhouse with lovely porches burned down years ago, but can’t beat the spot for enjoying life and bringing up kids.Thanks for sharing the pictures!
My pleasure! I love hearing that you live on a farm, Kathleen. I want to come by for a visit! 🙂
Any time. Would be OUR pleasure!:)
Beautiful places! I got Sebastian’s cabin- absolutely amazingly wonderful! I have to look into staying at Chimney Hill Inn soon!
I LOVE these photos. So beautiful! What a fun little tour 🙂
I got Genevieve’s Cottage. Perfect!