The most frequent question authors are asked is, “Where do you get your ideas?” Well, the idea for my upcoming contemporary Gothic series has been long brewing, but when it came to the setting – I have real life inspiration.
I had counted down the minutes and it was finally here – the long postponed trip to celebrate our anniversary with my husband. Last year was our 25th, but we had to put off our big celebration until this spring.

But I’ll admit, as authors often do, my trip had a dual purpose. Research! A huge part of my upcoming Gothic series is a grandiose, atmospheric prep school and I needed something sweeping and grand for story inspiration.
My research led me to America’s Largest Home—Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. The perfect place to refill my research well and spark creative ideas.

#1:  Most of my research of the Biltmore had to do with the interiors (what kind of rooms? How many bedrooms? How are things arranged?). I wasn’t quite prepared for it to look and feel like a castle.
I can just imagine it in fog or a thunderstorm… Apropos, yes?

#2:  My brothers-in-arms – brothers by  choice, rather than blood—need a space to hang out and bond. Doesn’t this make a very elegant man cave?

#3: The ambience here is perfect for a prep school dining hall, even if it’s a little small. This school is a labor of love for these men – a chance to provide opportunity for those less fortunate. A way to make up for their own sins. Can you imagine the awe of eating here every day?

#4: I’ll admit – I wasn’t emotionally prepared for the library. It’s every book lover’s dream! I could have stayed for hours.

#5: Lots of touches the ad Gothic ambience. The creative hamster in my brain was working overtime. Imagine sneaking down this tunnel… creeping across the hall lit only by the flickering sconces… standing at the bottom of the stairs in the darkness wondering if something is coming down to meet you…

All around the Biltmore is beautiful and a must see. I found it inspirational. You see, research isn’t just about finding facts. It’s also an author’s need for new sights and unique experiences—oh, and hubby enjoyed it too.  😊

What’s the most inspirational place you’ve ever visited?

I’d love to hear from you!

Dani

Interested in another gothic read? Try Dark Destiny, a Secrets of Covington Corner novella.

She knew something incredible waited in the shadows of the abandoned mental institution, but she never imagined it would lead to love.

Jamie Dixon and her fellow video game developers set out to document the layout of the famed Harrington Institute for the Mentally Ill. Then an accident leaves her to explore the decaying buildings with only Ian, the one guy she’s crushed on since high school. Too bad he never seemed to notice she was a nerd of the girly variety.
But Ian Jameson has a secret agenda for coming to Harrington. As they uncover the ramblings of an abusive doctor, evidence of a secret prisoner and an obsession over an ancestral line, Jamie and Ian discover a passion that transcends their former workplace camaraderie.

Will the old trunk in the attic reveal a new kind of storm? Will his investigation into a long lost heir destroy the very love they’ve both been longing for?

Novellas in the Secrets of Covington Corner series in order:
Shadow Manor
Haunted Heritage
Dark Destiny
Holiday Storm

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