Writing a book series that takes place 35 years ago in a town I haven’t lived in for many years … well, that’s ambitious, I know.
It takes a lot of imagination and equal parts research to get it right. Mostly, it takes getting yourself in the Memphis mindset, living there in your mind at any given hour of the day as you write or brainstorm the next chapter in this fanciful saga.
These past few months, I’ve been working on a sequel to my first novel, the thriller called, Last Bridge to Memphis.
As always, I’m also listening to a lot of music along the way. Not just classic Elvis tunes (although the King is still a very big part of the next book), but all things 80s music. And sometimes I make a discovery. Such as this John Hiatt tune I never knew existed, even though it came out in 1987, which puts it smack dab in the time frame of my stories.
I was surprised to note that he calls out the Rendezvous in the song. That iconic rib joint, situated down in an alley a block from the Peabody, is featured in a key scene in the upcoming book. The new story takes place in 1989, the year they broke ground on the Memphis pyramid, and you better believe, that groundbreaking plays a key role in the sequel!
In the meantime, if you’re interested in hopping on the mystery train, here’s how: