Monday, October 13, 2014

Fact vs. Fiction Raises Its Head Again




http://www.amazon.com/Well-Kept-Family-Secret-Webster-Mystery/dp/B00NIY2H2Y/ref=sr_1_7_twi_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413053635&sr=1-7&keywords=marja+mcgraw


Before getting into a story about reality vs. fiction, I have an offer to make. If you leave a comment, I’ll randomly select two to receive “gifted” copies of the audio version of A Well-Kept Family Secret. The blog will be up for a week and the winners will be announced on Monday, October 20th. Take a chance. Leave a comment.

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Many times I’ve heard authors say if you find a current event that has something to do with one of your books, make the most of it. Well, the other night my daughter called and read me a headline she’d found on the Internet. 

“Hiker Discovers an Abandoned Town Inside Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park.” (Huffington Post) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roadtrippers/hiker-discovers-an-abando_b_5927164.html

http://www.amazon.com/Murders-Never-Sandi-Webster-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00DT6L6C8/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413053635&sr=1-9&keywords=marja+mcgraw


I immediately thought of Old Murders Never Die where Sandi and Pete discover a fictional ghost town in the mountains of Arizona, and where they become stranded. My next move was to read the article. There were a number of interesting similarities, and some definite differences.

Jordan Liles discovered Elkmont in May of 2013, a town built around 1912, in the Great Smoky Mountains. Wolf Creek, the fictional town in my story, is considerably older, but there were those similarities staring me in the face. By the way, the book was released in July of 2013.

There’s a river by Elkmont. Wolf Creek had a large creek nearby. The real town was located in the woods. The fictional town was located in the woods. The real town had a hotel, and the fictional town had a saloon/hotel. Many of the pictures Mr. Liles shared reminded me of my idea of Wolf Creek, including some houses that were overgrown with foliage.

One of the differences? Although the real town had buildings still standing, they weren’t in safe condition. I can understand that, being located in Tennessee with more moisture and humidity. The fictional town was located in Arizona where the weather is arid and dry. In the book, most of the buildings were relatively safe to explore. 

Another difference is that Elkmont had electricity. Wolf Creek didn’t because it was a much older town, abandoned shortly after 1880.

If this makes you curious about Elkmont, check out the video Mr. Liles made as he walked through the town. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfaTpunhJRs)  It’s quite interesting. Be sure to take a look at his website, too, at http://www.jordanliles.com/blog/.

Along these lines, I was contacted by a woman who’s been a steward for ghost towns for a long time. She said she was enjoying the story partly because the way I described Wolf Creek would be what you might actually find in a deserted town, with one notable exception. A real town would have been a lot dirtier. Well, I didn’t want Sandi to spend the entire story cleaning, so I downplayed the dirt and limited her to cleaning one house – the place where they would stay while stranded.

The background on the cover of Old Murders Never Die is actually Bodie, California. The house featured on the middle of the cover is an abandoned house found in Nevada. It has no special significance, except that it’s the basis for the Wolf Creek adventure. Hmm. So I guess it really does have significance.

Many people don’t realize how much unexplored land is still left in America. There are, I’m sure, other towns waiting to be discovered.

Take a hike sometime in an area where there’s not generally a lot of foot traffic. You never know what you might find. Another Wolf Creek, only the real deal, or maybe another Elkmont area?

Thank you Jordan Liles for sharing your story.

Until next time, check out some historic homes and sites in your area. You might find some fun exploring ahead of you.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

12 comments:

  1. There aren't too many things in life more exciting to me than finding an old abandoned house. I can't imagine the thrill of finding a whole town. That has a lot to do with why "Old Murders Never Die" is one of my favorite mysteries. Well, that and the intriguing plot and great characters.

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    1. I wish I'd found a town, too. I did once have the opportunity to walk a newly located ancient Indian trail, but I wasn't the one who discovered it. Thank you for your comments about the book. I hope one day you find the abandoned house that makes your day. : ) Thank you for commenting!

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  2. How exciting! I did read about the other town on Facebook--does make you wonder.

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    1. I can't imagine the excitement of a discovery like that. What fun! Thank you for stopping in, Marilyn!

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  3. I thought I had posted a comment Monday but must have forgotten to click Publish! I have never discovered an old abandoned house although I have seen one on my grandparents' farm out in the woods. My uncle inherited it but as far as I know, never lived in it. I've often wondered why it was built in the first place. All my father would say when I asked him was, "It belongs to Red. He keeps his hay there." But at one time it was a regular little house but I could never get anyone to tell me why it was built in that place and for whom. A family mystery indeed.

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  4. A family mystery might be the most interesting of all. The only thing I can recall was a barn down the street from where we lived. We weren't allowed to enter it. You have a fun and mysterious memory. Thank you so much for sharing your story!

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  5. WOW your timing writing your story was right in the zone. Must be psychic to have such a coincidence. Another fascinating blog posting. Now a tad late this week but put me in the hopper for the audio please.

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    1. Thank you, Jake. I was mighty surprised to see his discovery was around the time the book was released. You're in the hopper, and thank you for stopping in!

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  6. What intriguing events. How exciting to discover fact imitating fiction. Love your cover photo. In fact I went to visit your 'photo' page & fell in love with all of them. Wish I could figure out how to share them. They're awesome. Should I win, instead of an audio, could I please receive an e-copy? Hearing has grown difficult the older I become & I just hate the squeal of hearing aids. Thank you for this opportunity & I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a win. :)

    There was a deserted house in our neighborhood that we were warned to stay away from, similar to the barn down your street, I suppose. My friend & I were peeping through the front door when my father arrived home early from work. Boy, did I get my hide tanned...not done nowadays but then, it was common.

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    1. Love your story, Carolyn. Considering your hearing issues, I'll be happy to give you the ebook if you win. Winners will be announced on Monday. Thank you for stopping in!

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  7. How did so many of the details in your story mimic reality? Was that due to research? Bet you enjoyed comparing the real thing to your story.

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    1. Pure coincidence. There was a lot of research, but it didn't involved other ghost towns, only the things people used and the way they lived in that time period. Yes, I really enjoyed comparing the two towns. Thank you so much for stopping in, Sharon!

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