I heard from my old friend, Lynn Underwood. When the kids were little we used to get together and read romances, confession magazines, watch kids play in the wading pool etc. Her son, Chris escorted my daughter, Lori, to the Princess Contest at the Fannin County Fair one year.
If you've read "Privy to Murder" or especially "Bloody Murder" you know why those things sound familiar. Some of the basic atmosphere of the setting revolves around memories of the house, town and county in North Texas where I lived for twenty years. I think that is why the books work, setting becomes character. The characters are formed by where they live.
One of my daughters recently met a knew friend who is a country girl like she is and she'd been missing that common thread. Most of her friends were city kids and just didn't relate to her background of going to school in a rural community of 1000 people. So, when you write what you know, put your background to good use, or shamelessly eavesdrop on people's conversations to use their back ground. Exaggerate it and make it your own. It's too much fun.
In Changeling I'll be using my Texas background, but the big city, Big D atmosphere for a more Urban Fantasy feel for this Paranormal Mystery.
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