Concealed by the Tide: A New Series
Today I am going to be interviewing myself about my new romantic suspense, Concealed by the Tide, and sharing about the Story Bible I am creating for the series.
Do your travels influence your writing?
Most definitely. My first romantic series was strongly influenced by the five years my husband and I lived in Greece. The Tide Harbor series grew out of my love of Nova Scotia. My husband ‘s family have strong ties there, and when I retired, we purchased a cottage on the ocean. With friends, we have traveled extensively in the Martine provinces with trips to Cape Brenton, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.
Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
The ecologically-based story in Concealed by the Tide was inspired by a chance meeting on the white sand beach near our cottage where we love to walk. One beautiful sunny day, we happened to meet a young recently married couple. They turned out to be a woman from Orkney and an engineer from the community who was going to work on the tidal energy project in the Minas Basin. Having never heard of tidal energy, I immediate began doing research. I discovered that the local fishermen were protesting the project, and my story was born.
Of course, I added a lot from my imagination too. Although conflict over the tidal turbines continues, no one has been murdered and no outside agitators from New York have invaded.
How much research do you do for each book you write?
I love doing research. It is one reason my alter-ego Joan Koster writes historical fiction. But my contemporary romances contain almost as much. I make maps, look at real estate listings, read local papers, and best of all visit the locale. To get an idea of the level of research Concealed by the Tide involved check out the accompanying Story Bible.
Do you have a writing tip or advice for other authors?
I am a firm believer in creating a story bible for every book or series you write. A story bible is a place where you collect the facts and information from your research, as well as details such as eye color and age from your story,. By doing this in an organized way , you will find it makes revisiting this information quick and easy. And if you are like me, and a stand-alone book turns into a series, you will have the information you need at your finger tips.
There are many ways to build a story bible. I will be teaching an online workshop on Story Bibles this September for Online Romance Writers this coming September 2024. The workshop is also available in a personalized one-on-one format. Click on Workshops above for more information.
What book will be next?
I am working on the final revisions for the next book in the Tide Harbor series Lost Beneath the Tide. Here is a brief summary:
A quirky marine biologist clashes with a struggling single dad when her hunt for evidence of pollution at a fish farm in a small Nova Scotia coastal community puts their hearts and lives on the line. It will be releasing this spring.
Concealed by the Tide
by Zara West
Caught between love and hate on the foggy shores of Nova Scotia, an uncompromising environmentalist must choose what is truly worth saving.
Summer Avery, former-marketing fashionista turned eco-activist, abandons the bustle of New York City and scurries to the tiny coastal village of Tide Harbor, determined to accomplish what a crazy bomber has not—stop the destructive Minas Basin tidal energy project in its tracks and earn the EcoGreen directorship.
Desperate for a safe place to raise his autistic daughter, recently divorced marine biologist Gil Moses takes a job with the tidal energy company, ostensibly to study lobsters, but actually to capture the bomber. The last thing Gil needs is to be the focus of a rip-roaring protest led by Miss Fancy Boots, the most attractive and enigmatic woman he’s ever met.
But when Gil’s cover is blown, and he’s framed for murder, Summer must choose—sacrifice her career or risk her life to save her Captain Nemo and the little girl she has come to love.
Learn More about Tide Harbor
