I love the Sierras where every season has its own charm. Winter is my favorite though. There is something spiritual about walking among snow-laden trees when all noise is dampened and the air is crisp. One almost hesitates to leave one’s footprints in the virginal snow.
Clydesdale is a fictional town but, in reality, it is a composite of many different places in the Sierras. I recently visited this area again to immerse myself and work on the plot for the third book in the series, due for release in the fall of 2022. It always delights me when I come across a building or place that fits in with what I described in “King of the Mountain” or “Master of the Wild.” For example, the picture below is exactly how I imagined the Lakeside Inn.
In the picture below I can see the two lovers, Conner and Ewan, sitting in these chairs overlooking the lake and contemplating their future – desperately trying to figure out a way in which they can stay together. There is something very wistful and forlorn about the empty chairs, as though the two star-crossed lovers tried to find their HEA but had to give up and go their separate ways.
Finally, I came across this meadow and my heart leaped as I thought, this is it, this is exactly how I imagined the field at the edge of Clydesdale where so many of the events happen. The Master of the Wild challenge with horsemanship, the fairs, and the fairytale happy ending.
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