The old standby “write what you know” can get a little
tedious, but there are times, I can’t help but have real life creep into my
fiction. Putting in specific details can
bring life to a story and make it more authentic. Here are a few of the real life inspirations
behind the food and places in The Secrets of Attraction.
Sacred Heart Academy
Sacred Heart is loosely based on my old, now defunct high
school, Holy Family Academy. It wasn’t
intentional, but when I went back for a reunion and roamed the halls, I
realized it is very much the high school in my head while I write. This is the
hallway that Madison leads Jesse down to get to the gym during the Sadie
Hawkins dance.
The Good Doughnuts
While I don’t name the particular bakery in my book, I
definitely had a certain delectable treat in mind. In Bayonne, Judicke’s sprinkled doughnuts are
a staple at every school function and party.
You can order different colored
sprinkles for any occasion! The above
picture was from my high school reunion and matched our school colors of purple
and gold.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
There is a place in Asheville, NC named The ChocolateLounge. Think about that for a moment. A lounge.
Devoted to chocolate. Smiling
yet? I was working on the first draft of Secrets when I tried their hot drink
called Oaxaca – Mexican style hot chocolate with chocolate, almonds, cinnamon
and milk. It was love at first sip. When I was thinking up an alternative to
coffee for Madison to order, I drew upon this as inspiration. Sweet with a little kick, kind of like Mads
herself.
The Park
One of my favorite scenes in the book is when the Mads, Jazz
and Wren scope out the St. Gabe’s lacrosse practice. It’s just a fun, silly scene, where Mads and
Wren are there for morale support as Jazz approaches a guy she wants to ask
out. We have a gorgeous park in our town
that has a playground, jogging trails and lots of sports fields. Good-natured stalking of a crush was definitely
the kind of thing my friends and I did in high school!
Tortilla Espanola
The first time I had tortilla espanola was at a writer’s
retreat, made by fellow writer Kip Wilson Rechea. It’s a simple, yet satisfying meal. Add a little crusty bread and your beverage
of choice and instant comfort food.
Here’s the recipe: www.kipwilsonwrites.com/tortilla-espanola/
You
know a dish leaves a lasting impression on you when you want to include it in a
book! (And thanks Kip for letting me include it
here!!)
Want to win a signed copy of THE SECRETS OF ATTRACTION? Enter the Goodreads Giveaway, now through August 16th!
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