[Note From Frolic: We have a thing for novellas. A BIG thing. In the next installment of an ongoing series, we bring you a piece from author Sawyer Bennett, whose novella ‘Wicked Force‘ with our friends at 1001 Dark Nights‘ Kristen Proby Crossover Collection is out now!]
You hear it all the time in real estate—location, location, location. It’s the key to your happiness and contentment. But, what about in your favorite novels? Think about your favorite book and ask yourself, “Does location really matter?”
How different do you think Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone would have been had they not been at King’s Cross Station to board the train at Platform 9 ¾? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen a magical platform at Union Station in Chicago. Or what if Platform 9 ¾ took them somewhere other than to Hogwarts? What if they instead traveled to the Starfleet Academy? Okay, that actually might be pretty cool.
What if Outlander had been set in say…Canada, as opposed to Scotland? Or what if instead of flying Charlie Tango from Portland to Seattle in Fifty Shades of Grey, Christian was instead traveling between Cincinnati and Cleveland? Ohio just feels a little less…sexy. (No offense to Ohio. Y’all hold a special place in my heart. O-H…)
Now what do you think? I think a great location, coupled with setting the scene, can really make or break a story for a reader. If the author can make the reader feel like they are part of the story, then they have the potential to take a book and turn it into an experience.
Personally, I tend to write a lot of books in and around North Carolina. Why? It’s where I live and it’s what I know and love. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right location for every book. Some plot lines call for something a little more exotic. Or rustic. Or secluded. You get my point. And while Raleigh may be the right setting for a fictional professional hockey team (I mean, we do have a professional hockey team, so it’s only right), it might not work as well for a world-renowned security company that specializes in government contracts. Or a flashy sex club atop a casino.
This week I will release a book called Wicked Force, which is a little unique in that it bridges two of my series (one current and one upcoming), and also crosses over into Kristen Proby’s Big Sky series. The first series that it bridges is The Wicked Horse Vegas series, which as you can probably tell by the name, is set in Las Vegas. The Wicked Horse Vegas series centers around a flashy and decadent sex club called The Wicked Horse (which originated in The Wicked Horse series set in Jackson, WY, because COWBOYS). Anywho…
Nothing says flash and decadence like the bright lights of Las Vegas. Somehow, I feel like The Wicked Horse would look out of place in the fictional small town of Cunningham Falls, MT (which we’ll talk about in a minute). Vegas just feels like the right place for a healthy dose of debauchery.
The second series that Wicked Force bridges is the upcoming Jameson Force Security series, a romantic suspense series centering around mercenaries hired to do the dirty work the government can’t (or doesn’t want to) do. While Jameson was introduced in Las Vegas, they are making the move to Pittsburgh, PA. The move to the east coast puts these bad alpha boys closer to Washington D.C. and the government contacts with whom they work. But I chose Pittsburgh because it’s a gritty, tough, work-ethic driven city that is also close to my heart as my dad’s side of the family are from that area.
See? Location is key and can also be very personal.
And, don’t forget about the small towns. They need love too! Cunningham Falls, MT is just one of the many fictional small towns that bring us stories of romance and is the setting for Kristen Proby’s Big Sky series. Joslyn Meyers, the heroine in Wicked Force, is originally from Cunningham Falls and travels back home to visit and perform in a charity concert. While there, she finds a piece of herself and allows her heart to follow the path which it desires.
Small towns always seem to be the place where characters go to reconnect. With themselves, with their families, with their long-lost loves. While big cities seem to be where characters go to lose themselves, or find themselves, or to chase the dream they never thought was possible.
No matter what the characters are seeking, the setting always plays an integral role. And if the setting is wrong? Then it doesn’t feel as fulfilling. So it looks like what they say is true. Location, location, location. It really is the key to happiness and contentment.
Don’t forget to check out Wicked Force, and the other books in the Kristen Proby Crossover Collection, available at all retailers on March 12.
About the Author:
Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released multiple books, many of which have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active daughter, as well as full-time servant to her adorably naughty dogs. Sawyer also writes sweet romance under the pen name Juliette Poe, and contemporary fiction as S. Bennett. If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup), or text ROMANCE to 474747.
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Wicked Force by Sawyer Bennett, out now!
Kynan McGrath has just joined The Jameson Group, a security organization handling everything from covert military operations to providing protection for high-profile celebrity clients. As second-in-command, Kynan has the authority to accept or decline any mission. But when a stunningly beautiful pop princess walks through the doors, Kynan knows he’ll do anything to get closer to her.
Joslyn Meyers is on the brink of super stardom, but with fame comes a level of attention she was never prepared for. She’s even less prepared for the gorgeous, tattooed, British bodyguard her mom has hired to keep her safe.
When Kynan escorts Joslyn to her hometown of Cunningham Falls for a benefit concert, it becomes clear that the threat to Joslyn’s heart is more real than any physical threat to her safety. But when Hollywood comes calling, will the pop princess and the wickedly hot Brit be able to preserve their relationship? Or will the force of their differing worlds drive them apart?
