The Town Where You Live

I like to think of myself as having had two childhoods. My first, where I was born, was in Fresno, CA, the “dodgy end” to put a polite spin on it. I laugh when people describe Fresno as “the sticks” or something like that. I was in the city proper, which is a bit more like East LA. At the time, it was typical, I thought. The only white people I saw were teachers and police officers and a very few unfortunate that lived in our neighborhoods. Generally, everyone was brown and a few were black and that had virtually nothing to do with how they were treated. What would make or break you was what street you lived on. Mom had us situated on the safe parts of the blocks. In one neighborhood, all the gang members and shootings and such happened way down the block. In another, they were on the street behind us. Drug dealers were always a street over and if you just didn’t step on the drunk homeless guy sleeping against the Esee Market wall on the way to Kindergarten, you were fine.

So you can imagine my utter culture shock when my parents moved to San Diego county (I won’t even tell you about the Reservation where we lived a few times). They divorced and my Mom proudly took most of us kids with her back to her hometown, Poway. (Pronounced Pow-way, not Poh-why, btw.) [Bam: Ugh, Poway. I grew up there, too. I don’t know if we should high-five or give each other commiserating hugs.] Population…well, it felt like about 500. Mom was so excited because the town newspaper had expanded beyond one page to six! Oooooh! And nary a brown person to be found. Let me assure you, folks, I’m BROWN. Almost cocoa. And I was in a sea of cowboy hats, boots and had to share the crosswalk with five year olds riding their horses. The highlight of the year there was the Rodeo day parades in September. RO-DE-O.

I was pretty sure that I was in Hell.

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Bam,

I’m so very happy. Yesterday a box came for me…with books in it! Kresley Cole’s latest arrived, along with something from Angela Knight, and the newest from Sloane Tanen who makes me laugh aloud. Of course, hubster said to me “Are you reading Peeps books?” If I was would it really matter in the grand scheme of things? As I have come to understand over the past nine months of living with the in-laws, the short answer is no. But for certain authors there is no short answer. My delightful segue brings us to A Vampire’s Claim by Joey W. Hill.

I am a big fan of Joey’s books and am well aware that they may not appeal to a wide audience. I reviewed The Vampire Queen’s Servant back in July ‘07 and sadly, never got a moment to write a review of Mark of the Vampire Queen. While VQS received a solid A, Mark neither equaled or surpassed the first book, and I was disappointed by the characters’ evolution and how the series wrapped. A Vampire’s Claim is not an unexpected continuation of Jacob and Lyssa’s story, but rather a focus on other characters inhabiting the vamp world.

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You’ve got your ball
You’ve got your chain
Tied to me tight, tie me up again
Who’s got their claws
In you my friend
Into your heart I’ll beat again…

My family moved from a small town in Kansas to Oceanside, California when I was twelve. It wasn’t what I’d expected—palm trees and white sand beaches. My neighborhood, ten miles inland, was more of a concrete jungle with gangs and graffiti. I’m not sure I’ve ever gotten over the culture shock. California is a strange place, full of contrasts. The line between fantasy and reality has always fascinated me.

DANGEROUS TO TOUCH, my first book, is set in Oceanside. I really enjoyed incorporating some local flavor, and I didn’t hesitate to include details about the seedier aspects of the city. In June, when the book was released, I did a photo tour on my web site, sharing pictures of the lovely beaches I still frequent, and the not-so-lovely toll bridge in my old neighborhood.

My current release, CRASH INTO ME, is set in La Jolla, California. This coastal community is like the Malibu of San Diego [Bam: Ah, yep]. Multimillion dollar homes and breathtaking beachfront properties. Big money. My hero, a world class pro surfer (and murder suspect), was born here, in the lap of luxury.

Starting January 27th, the release day for CRASH INTO ME, I’ll be posting photos of La Jolla on my web site. If you’re in the mood for some surf, sand, and sunshine, please stop by. And be sure to leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of CRASH INTO ME.

In romance, do you want pure fantasy, or do you appreciate a touch of reality? Do you like stories that are dark and edgy, or sunny and light? What about settings? In the dead of winter, are you in the mood for a beach read, or would you rather get “snowed in”?

[Bam: Thanks for getting Dave Matthews stuck in my head, Jill!]