Sunday, November 15, 2020

#8 Galgorm Hotel, Ballymena Castle/Theatre

 




Galgorm Hotel, Ballymena Castle/Theatre

As we arrived in Northern Ireland, we found the Galgorm Hotel, Ballymena in County Antrim. It was a perfect place to stretch our legs. From the front entrance, it appears to be a traditional country manor, but there is a lot more to it than what is seen from the entrance. The gleaming white hotel is beautifully decorated and welcoming since it is considered a resort. The vast grounds are well manicured.



    In our book, a murder takes place in the dressing room of a theatre. This hotel and resort features a spa and golf, plus areas large enough for weddings. It provides guests with almost anything they could want.  That inspired us to add a small, fictional theater for the location where the first murder would be discovered.

          The hotel has a golf course, and on the 10th green is the Galgorm Castle on the grounds. This ancient building is flooded with a history dating back to 1607 (some of it, macabre).  The castle’s architecture is described as Jacobean in style and through the years there have been many owners, each with their own history.

          If you are curious of the history of Galgorm Castle here is the link. It is fascinating!

 http://www.galgormcastle.com/the-castle/

Sunday, November 8, 2020

#7 Tracy's House/Office

 



Tracy's House/Office

We decided to base Tracy Morton, our female protagonist, in a beach community which we call, Bonita Beach.

          We took a drive along the coast looking for the ideal house with a third-floor office and a  lookout balcony facing the ocean.

           It was a beautiful southern California morning (just as parts of so. California was beginning to reopen due to the quarantine). We were lucky the beach traffic was still pretty light, and after a couple of hours of driving and taking photographs of likely candidates, we found two perfect houses. So, we combined the two houses, it was just as we envisioned.

          As with all of our books, we take field trips to find the perfect location/architecture for our scenes. We want to be sure they fit the characters and locations of the story. Field trips are perfect for a couple writing together.