I love history. And I love weaving history into my novels.
When we moved from Colorado to Nashville in June 2007 (has it really been almost 10 years?!), I set about discovering Nashville’s history with the hope of incorporating some of it into my novels. But what I did not anticipate were the partnerships—the friendships—I’d cultivate with the staff at some of the local antebellum mansions.
It’s been a writer’s dream—and an incredible blessing!
I could not have written the Belmont Mansion novels and the Belle Meade Plantation novels without the help of the curators and historians at these local Nashville sites. They’ve opened up a treasure trove of files, collections of family letters and newspaper clippings, and have made me feel so welcome and at home.
Belmont Mansion, Nashville, TN
Belle Meade Plantation, Nashville, TN
Another unexpected blessing has been meeting groups of readers and book clubs at these mansions and touring the grounds, talking history, and sharing about the characters in the novels. Including the characters based on real people who lived and worked at those estates in the 19th century.
It’s SUCH a joy meeting with you at the mansions!
Finishing the final novels in both of these series in recent months has been bittersweet. Because it means saying goodbye to characters I’ve grown to know and love over the past six years. So it means more to an author than you might realize when you read her book and grow to love those characters too. It’s like you’ve invited her family into your home for dinner! : )
And I’m thrilled to share that I’ve added a third Nashville mansion to this list of historic homes I’ll be writing about:
The first book in the Carnton series? A Christmas novella…
More about Christmas at Carnton
All this to say. . .
Thank you for reading and sharing these journeys with me and for visiting the settings that I—and the other authors here at Inspired by Life and Fiction—write about. We appreciate you!
What’s a “novel setting” you’ve visited? Either historical or current day?
Tammy
For all you low carb gluten free lovers among us . . .
Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake
I’ve made this twice in as many weeks. It’s the perfect spring dessert!
Delicious!
Grab the recipe on All Day I Dream About Food
Have you entered Deb’s fabulous giveaway yet?
Tick tick tick!
Tamera Alexander
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I can’t wait to hold that Christmas novella in my hot little hands! (Wouldn’t mind a slice of that poppy seed cake in my hot little hands either. 😉 )
LOL, Deb. Thanks, dear friend! You could make the Lemon Bundt, if you want. I’lll share the recipe! ; ) (hahahahahaha)
I had given up on Christian fiction for years until deciding to give it a try again. “A Lasting Impression” was the first book of yours I ever read and I couldn’t put it down. Thankfully my library had every single one of your books (lucky me!!) and I went through a phase of doing little but reading. Now I’m waiting on the library to get “A Note Yet Unsung” and it has been torture!
Thank you for writing 🙂
Thanks so much for reading, Leah! Appreciate your enthusiasm for Christian fiction and hope you enjoy Tate and Rebekah’s journey!
I have visited the Biltmore House in Asheville on several occasions (since I grew up just minutes away from the estate). Reading Deanne Gist’s “Maid to Match” was so fun, since I could literally picture locations of her scenes. And “Serefina and the Black Cloak” (a children’s mystery) is at the top of my reading list; set in the same location.
And I have been to the Outer Banks where Lisa Wingate’s more recent series was staged.
How cool, Rebecca! I’ve been to Biltmore but not the Outer Banks. It’s on my bucket list! Thanks for sharing today!
Love the idea of introducing your next series with a Christmas novella, Tammy. I’ll be looking forward to that one for sure!
I LOVED writing this story, Karen. And love this new setting. Except… the “novella” went a little long and ended up being nearly 53,000 words. So it’s really more of a little novel. You know how that goes! 😉
Hi Tamera Your Christmas book cover is awesome and it’s won me over. I would love to read it. Thanks for the giveaway notice. I entered and shared it with my friends on Facebook. Also added Right Where We Belong to my want to read pile on Good reads. Loved the pictures of your Tennessee plantations. This was a,good blog post today.
Wonderful, Shirley! Appreciate your kind words and you being part of the community here at IBL&F. Great on adding that book to your Goodreads pile, which I’m sure is ever growing. So much to read, so much less cleaning to do! 😉
What a wonderful time you’ve had with your talent and your determination in creating these amazing books!! And that cake looks mighty tasty, too!!! Can’t wait to read the Christmas story!
Thanks for a chance to win