Ahh, well these things happen. I had called one of my characters Wedge… and kept thinking it sounded familiar – haha! I’ve changed it now 😀

It certainly is, T, and it’s been a long time coming. Like you I don’t mind if a setting is real or fictional. Both work for me, and I remember enjoying reading Lindisfarne and, as I’ve been there, imagining where I thought the action was taking place.

Right, those settings – I’ll begin with those you’ve read! Tipping Point: Shipden and the NE village of Elmshurst were based on Cromer and Monkton Village (up the road from me). Lindisfarne was obviously real, and I did several research trips to get the layout and atmosphere absolutely right, though I changed the names of the pubs, cafes, etc. Blackthorn, as featured in Legacy and the book of its name, is completely fictional, as it’s a new town created after the apolcalypse.

I’m currently writing about a fictional village in Norfolk (it’s set in the Project Renova world but is a totally separate story). I’ve done other fictional places – what I usually do is make the place up, but base it on something real, or my knowledge of the area.

From a reader’s POV, I don’t care if the place is real or fictional, as long as it works!

That genre thing – I’d say a resounding ‘yes’ to having to keep all books in the series in the same genre, but I’m sure you’ve worked that one out! As for ‘genre hopping’, I think most books do that, don’t they? Mine are most broadly post apoc and/or dystopian, but they’re also psychological thrillers, family dramas, etc. The current WIP is primarily a murder mystery, in a post apoc setting. Happily, Amazon gives so much scope for putting the books in all sorts of genres!

I work totally differently from you – I have a basic idea of the place then build it as I go along, when I know what the story needs. Anyway – I hope it goes well, and glad you’re excited about a new project; it’s such a good feeling, isn’t it?!

Thanks, Cathy 🙂