The Quest Begins

I spent Friday on a quest – to begin compiling the art work for Relic. I knew what I needed. I’ve pictured this book in my head for a long time. I needed a photo for each chapter. Some I knew I could stage closer to home, but others needed the authenticity of a small village. I also needed a map of Samantha’s new village for the front inside cover and a floor plan of a house for the back inside cover.

Armed with my shot list, my camera, a sketch pad, a pencil and my manuscript, I headed out early for the village that inspired the setting of Relic. I started at the historian’s office – the one that actually inspired the historian’s office that Sam and Twyla visit. Historians have got to be some of the best people out there. A major shout out to local historians Doris Bannister and Doug Norton, who went out of their way to help me fill in gaps in my memory and may have even given me a idea for book number three!

After gathering information from Doris's files, I continued to the center of the village that inspired the setting of Relic. This is where the bulk of my work would have to be done. I drove through and sketched the village, took a couple photos of the village including the Middlebury Academy and some nice gingerbread houses.

Now, combined with some other photos in my files and a few more to be taken locally, I’m ready to start preparing the manuscript for publishing!