From Tahiti to Transylvania

They say you should write what you know, but I prefer to write what I've stumbled into while traveling. As a writer who bounces between romance, thrillers, paranormal mysteries, romantic comedies, and spicier offerings, travel is as essential to my writing as my laptop.

Audacious in Aussie and Laughs in London
For anyone who's read The Seventies Collective, you'll know how I researched that series. So many hangovers, so many shenanigans—all with no idea they'd come in handy decades later. There were bars to dance on, outrageous songs to sing, festivals to attend, and all in search of ah-hem, authenticity. I like to think I nailed it. Or was that Chris? IYKYK.

Haunted European Castles and Paranormal Cozies
Nothing prepares you for writing paranormal mysteries like wandering through centuries-old castles. These monuments to drama, death, and destruction are perfect settings for the imagination to run free. Getting hopelessly lost in one of these organically 'designed' structures meant it was a given I'd end up believing in magic and creatures of the night.

Eight Days in a Leaky Boat
Kayaking on Lake Superior taught me that the largest freshwater lake in the world has moods—most belonging in a psychological thriller. The experience taught me that nature isn't just a backdrop; she's an active antagonist. It was something I leaned on when writing A Pound of Flesh (Sydney Hunter), where the New Zealand bush took a pivotal role, complete with wild pigs.

Saddle Up, Partner
A cattle ranch in New Mexico sounds like a romance cliché, and it was. Wide-open spaces, dramatic sunsets, the comedy of a city girl trying to look competent around cattle. It was screaming for a meet-cute moment. Sadly, the only hot ass I encountered was my own thanks to six hours in the saddle. One day though, Hope Malone will write that cowboy romance. Hold the blisters.

Tahitian Blind Date...

To hear about this little escapade, head on over to my SUBSTACK