Such a perfect setting...

Story ideas can come from the most varied places, can't they? Completing a six week Citizens' Police Academy and also the local Citizens' Fire Academy, were perfect for gathering the right details for several of my novels. That's me on the left, in full fireman's gear. I still have no idea how a fireman can withstand the danger, as well as the heat of a fire plus hot summer weather in that heavy gear. I am in awe of those folks!

Travel to foreign countries in the last few years gave me fodder for indie novellas set in Ireland, Scotland and (coming out this fall) England--providing details that couldn't have been gleaned from researching books or the internet.

But my main love is writing for Love Inspired, and my settings for those are in the USA. When not using small towns, I often revert to my passion for the contemporary West--ranching, cowboys, veterinarians, high adventure in the mountains...or the pine forests of the north.

Speaking about pines, we've just returned from a long weekend up along the North Shore of Lake Superior, my favorite place in the Upper Midwest.

Superior is 1,333 ft at its deepest, with an average depth of 483 feet, and has almost 32,000 square miles of surface area. The rocky shores, crystal clear water and agate beaches are breath-taking, and the fresh, pine-scented air is delightful.

And goodness--Duluth itself is now a far cry from its shabby past many years ago, with its wonderful museums, restaurants, unique stores and hiking trails. There's even a downtown boardwalk and bike path that run along seven miles of the shore--barely visible in this night photo from our hotel balcony.

I've been going up there since the age of three--first with my parents, later on with my own family, and it never loses its appeal.  In fact, my very first novel was set along the North Shore...and returning to this beautiful place made me ponder the possibility of setting another book up there.

Right now, though,  The Single Dad's Redemption (Love Inspired) is out in the stores, and I'm working on the next book in that Aspen Creek series, which is set just a little more south--in the St Croix region of western Wisconsin.

What are your favorite types of settings when shopping for books in a store or online? Or does it matter to you?  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Roxanne Rustand
USA Today bestselling Author
The Single Dad's Redemption, Love Inspired 7/2016
An Aspen Creek Christmas, Love Inspired 11/16
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