tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post6667763198767705236..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: VEGAS, BABY! In which Bad Girl explains how an imaginary Vegas hotel rocks the latest GoddaughterLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-40514072097875107252019-08-24T22:49:02.660-04:002019-08-24T22:49:02.660-04:00Now, how did you know that I have a rep for dressi...Now, how did you know that I have a rep for dressing up as Morticia, Leigh? Oh right - guess this whole post gave that away - grin.Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-40100384648341600232019-08-24T21:06:51.034-04:002019-08-24T21:06:51.034-04:00Much the same for me– sometimes real, sometimes no...Much the same for me– sometimes real, sometimes not.<br /><br />I often thought Morticia made the perfect wife (with the perfect husband). Except their genes were a little screwy. Might have been the smog condiment.<br />Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-45818800478215561062019-08-24T19:30:41.479-04:002019-08-24T19:30:41.479-04:00Thanks Steve! I'm going to remember your tric...Thanks Steve! I'm going to remember your trick of saying "a few blocks off XXX". That covers us for where the dirty deed might take place *wink*Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-6551871826631447872019-08-24T19:28:36.866-04:002019-08-24T19:28:36.866-04:00Thanks Eve! That's a good idea: creating smal...Thanks Eve! That's a good idea: creating small towns around a real big city. Allows you to get away with murder (sic).Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-54624816436485842332019-08-24T16:35:07.027-04:002019-08-24T16:35:07.027-04:00I'm dying to stay at the Necropolis!
I use re...I'm dying to stay at the Necropolis!<br /><br />I use real places and names for the Zach Barnes series in Connecticut because I can check the details out with a short drive. I DO make up the places where bad things happen, though. Restaurants get touchy about a case of food poisoning or a murder on their real premises.<br /><br />My Detroit series is almost completely made up except for the major streets though. I haven't lived in Michigan since college and while I can still email old classmates for details, you're right, they do change quickly. It's easier to make things up. In both cases, I tend to mention a known landmark or street and say the important site is "a few blocks off XXX street." Saves lots of angst.<br /><br />My short stories are usually in a made-up place. Setting is less important to me in a 4K-word story than in an 80K-word novel.<br /><br />I love the smog as a condiment line, too.<br />Great stuff.Steve Liskowhttp://www.steveliskow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-4092770312653697082019-08-24T13:22:36.145-04:002019-08-24T13:22:36.145-04:00Great hotel name!
For my mythical South Dakota, ...Great hotel name! <br />For my mythical South Dakota, I keep the big places - Sioux Falls, Rapid City, etc. - and create my own smaller places. And yes, there are locals who tell me how thrilled they are that I've used them / their town in my story, even when it's not them...<br />Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-49162191215906037222019-08-24T12:42:51.031-04:002019-08-24T12:42:51.031-04:00Fran, thank you - you've made my day! I'm...Fran, thank you - you've made my day! I'm also loving that people say they've been to your Island, which doesn't exist - grin. Thank you for commenting!Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-76062257325293086722019-08-24T11:26:49.230-04:002019-08-24T11:26:49.230-04:00Melodie, I do believe you generally "get it r...Melodie, I do believe you generally "get it right" in your writing. My Callie Parrish series takes place in a town with a made-up name, but based on the small town where I live. <br /><br />Second in the series takes readers to a bluegrass festival on a sea island I made up entirely. You'd be surprised how many local readers tell me they've been to Surcie Island, which has never existed. <br /><br />I enjoy your work tremendously.Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-5001726846295763972019-08-24T11:07:58.703-04:002019-08-24T11:07:58.703-04:00Glad you liked our brand of ketchup, Lawrence - gr...Glad you liked our brand of ketchup, Lawrence - grin. Yes, one must be meticulous. I once had a reader tell me that they couldn't find 33 Country Club Drive in a certain city. She trolled the street looking for it, but no number 33. I told her I had to make up the number because the last thing I wanted was a real house to become a mob mansion tourist attraction. (And wasn't she proof of that!)Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-71274261799960487482019-08-24T11:04:10.051-04:002019-08-24T11:04:10.051-04:00Or eat there, Paul - the Crematorium Grill - grin....Or eat there, Paul - the Crematorium Grill - grin. Yes, writers change the name to avoid getting things wrong. It gives them more freedom to add streets and buildings. Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-50398219357819296102019-08-24T11:02:14.928-04:002019-08-24T11:02:14.928-04:00Thanks Janice!Thanks Janice!Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-4116242703192170362019-08-24T10:11:16.247-04:002019-08-24T10:11:16.247-04:00Still chuckling over “We consider smog a condiment...Still chuckling over “We consider smog a condiment.” I tend to use real locations too, Melodie. I often set my my writing in the past, and I enjoy the research. One of my favorite aspects of Ian Fleming’s Bond novels is the use of real locations. Fleming was meticulous in getting things right.Lawrence Maddoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03057386966178865691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-10958154866674795752019-08-24T09:35:35.688-04:002019-08-24T09:35:35.688-04:00I also love the hotel name and it's theme. Tho...I also love the hotel name and it's theme. Though I'm not sure I'd want to stay there...<br /><br />I generally prefer real locations in both what I read and what I write. But on occasion I will make something up. But one of my favorite writers, Ross Macdonald, often writes about Santa Teresa, which is really Santa Barbara. And every time I read those two words it throws me. I wish he would have just made it Santa Barbara.Paul D. Markshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15466234708772287399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-79735667759744906512019-08-24T08:28:53.169-04:002019-08-24T08:28:53.169-04:00Love the hotel name- and good luck with the new no...Love the hotel name- and good luck with the new novel.janice lawnoreply@blogger.com