Research...some authors love this part of writing. Others don't take it seriously enough. I'm not particularly fond of research, but I believe it's a necessity even though I'm creating a fictional world. This is especially true when my fictional worlds are based on real places.
The MacKenzie Chronicles are set in Joshua, a fictional town inspired by and modeled after Jerome, Arizona. You’ll love Joshua, an 1800s mining town, turned ghost town, turned hippie haven, and now a tourist town, perched on the side of Spirit Mountain. Most of the MacKenzies are mystics, and you’ll want to get in on the family’s story from book one.
Here is a sample of research for The MacKenzie Chronicles:
Jerome is a town in the Black Hills of Yavapai County in the U.S. state of Arizona. Founded in the late 19th century on Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley, it is more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. In 1883, with the aid of eastern financiers including James A. MacDonald and Eugene Jerome of New York City, they created the United Verde Copper Company. The small adjacent mining camp on Cleopatra Hill was named Jerome in honor of Eugene Jerome, who became the company secretary.[n 1]
This is how I used it for my fictional town of Joshua:
Joshua is a town in the Black Hills of Yavapai County in the U.S. state of Arizona. Founded in the late 19th century on Spirit Mountain overlooking the Verde Valley, it is more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. In 1883, with the aid of eastern financiers including James B. Martin and Frederick Bennett of New York City, created the American Verde Mining Company. The small adjacent mining camp on Spirit Mountain was named Joshua in honor of Frederick Bennett’s first-born son, Joshua. F Bennett, who became the company secretary.
I became entrenched in my fictional Joshua, creating restaurants, hotels, shopping, neighborhoods, diaries, journals, and a history that dated back to the beginning in the 1800s. When the hippies descended on Jerome in the 1960s, my parallel Joshua experienced the rebirth. Frank MacKenzie and Susie Muse were two of the hippies who revitalized Joshua. Their children, Harlan, Magpie, and Elidor each tell their stories in The MacKenzie Chronicles.
“Secrets
of the Ravine is an enticing romantic suspense from start to finish. Brenda
Whiteside is known for writing compelling contemporary romantic suspense (her
Love and Murder series) but in this one, there’s added depth with the
historical mystery sub-plot. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop.” NN
Light’s Book Heaven Review
"Mystery on Spirit Mountain...A punch of suspense
that has you flipping through the pages with ease. The bonus in this story is
the journal…connecting the past to the future in a suspenseful and surprising
family twist. The author is a master at weaving a romance into the
edge-of-your-seat mystery." Still Moments Magazine
"Curse of Wolf Falls...The story is seamlessly written, and brings all thing small town together beautifully – family and traditions, old loves lost and reconnecting, new loves found, Native beliefs, spiritualism, empathy and a good dose of history. But it could all come unraveled if Ellie loses the secret held in her locket. A few very scary moments, wrapped up in a life-long love story, set in scenic Arizona, around a long-lost archaeological dig, will surely keep your attention. Hold on – this one is well worth the ride!" Paranormal Romance Guild
The MacKenzie Chronicles on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JCKBVH2
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