THE SECRETS BEHIND THE ROMANCE NOVEL SAVING SHELBY

Saving Shelby, West Coast Romance Book 1 was my first published romance novel. Learn about all the West Coast locations featured in the book—real and imagined. Find out what I love about my first novel, and what I would do differently!

Publishing my first romance novel—Saving Shelby—wasn’t the beginning of my writing journey, but it was the moment that turned a dream into a reality. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time.

When I hit publish, I felt like Saving Shelby was the best story that would ever come from my fingertips. I couldn’t even imagine coming up with a better storyline.

However, it didn’t take long for me to realize how naïve I was. I was only part way through writing Ginny’s Crush—the second book in the series—when I figoured out that I had made a few critical errors that were going to come back to haunt me later in the series.

In this post I will let you in on a few secrets about Saving Shelby. I will disclose which locations are real and which ones are completely made up.

And I will tell you which decision I would make differently, if I was writing it today! *Note that there may be a few minor spoilers in this post*

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FALLING IN LOVE AT HOT SPRINGS COVE

Hot Springs Cove is located on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, it is a romantic location that isn’t to be missed.

Having not ventured out into the great outdoors in search of inspiration for my romance novels (or at least not beyond my fenced yard), I don’t have any new adventures to share with you; however, I have gone back through the four thousand or so photos that are taking up space on my phone to find you an adventure from last Summer. And I found one that ties in perfectly with my West Coast Romance Series.

In June 2019, I had the opportunity to sail part way around Vancouver Island. I met the sail boat in Port McNeill, sailed around the northern tip of Vancouver Island (where Cape Scott is) and departed the boat at Tofino. It was during this trip that I discovered the romance that is Hot Springs Cove. Which features heavily in my recently released romance novel Ginny’s Crush (Book 2 in the West Coast Romance Series).

Be warned that there are a few tidbits about the book in this post…

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