Alex pressed on the accelerator, her speed increasing rapidly as she pulled out of the curve only to slow down again for the next one. She headed straight for a canopy. Under it, a photographer pointed a long lens at her, panning as she followed the contours of the barely-two lane road and passed within inches of the man. A large banner advertised a website where drivers could find pictures of themselves conquering the Tail of the Dragon. The scenic drive included 318 curves over a mere eleven miles, making the mountain passage from Tennessee to North Carolina the windiest in the United States.
The first paragraph of Ruin on the River was written from Alex Paige’s perspective, but it could have been mine.
In fact, it was mine. I’d driven Tail of the Dragon in the fall of 2023, and a few months later, that experience inspired the opening of my fourth novel.
Every book in the Travel is Murder mystery series was inspired by places I’ve visited during my travels, and I’ve decided to do something I’ve never done before:
I’m hosting a LIVE virtual presentation where I take you behind the scenes of these books, sharing the real places, local secrets, and stories that inspired all six—plus travel tips if you want to visit these destinations yourself.
Here’s where we’re going:
🗺️ Door County, Wisconsin – Where it all began
🏔️ Colorado Springs, Colorado – Drama in the Rockies
🏖️ Gulf Shores, Alabama – Sun, sand, and secrets
🍺 Asheville, North Carolina – Craft beer and bitter rivalries
🦬 Southeast Montana – Lewis & Clark country
⚓ Sheboygan, Wisconsin – The marina that inspired the mayhem
We’ll wrap up with Q&A so you can ask me anything about the books, the locations, or the writing life.
A few images from these delightful destinations:
One, because I think it’ll be a blast, and two, because I’m launching my second Kickstarter campaign for this series!
It launches on Wednesday, January 21. Travel is Murder, Volumes 1 & 2, will feature gorgeous special edition hardcovers collecting six books in two volumes.
The LIVE event is my way of saying thank you to everyone who helps bring this project to life.
We’ll do this in February or March, so if these destinations excite you, you’ll have time to plan your travels.
Want to sign up?
Follow the Kickstarter campaign – Be notified the moment it launches Wednesday (and help me hit my pre-launch goal of 50 followers!).
Sign up for the LIVE event – I’ll send you the date, time, and link once it’s set.
Spread the word – Know someone who loves travel and/or cozy mysteries? Send them this post!
I can’t wait to share these places with you.
Happy travels,
Theresa
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