The Inspiration Behind the Hope Springs Series

Summer is coming to an end for my family, as my oldest starts high school this week, and the other kids go back to school next week. So we decided to say goodbye to summer with a quick trip to Door County, Wisconsin, which inspired the setting of the Hope Springs books. It was so fun to feel like I was walking around the pages of my stories! Here are a few pictures that have inspired various locations in the Hope Springs books:

In a few of the books, the characters get ice cream at the Chocolate Chicken. And it's a real place! Although I change some details in the books, one things is the same--the ice cream is delicious!

This gazebo is in a public park/garden above the marina in Egg Harbor. It's where Sophie and Spencer eat their ice cream in Not Until Forever!

This is the marina in Egg Harbor, and it's exactly how i picture the marina in Hope Springs. I haven't yet written a book that deals extensively with boating, but you never know what's coming up. ;)

This beach inspired the rocky beach in Not Until You. It's hard to walk on, but my kids managed to do it barefoot (I chose to keep my shoes on).

In Not Until You, both Nate and Violet sit on flat boulders that jut into the water--if they chose this spot, they would definitely get wet!

The forthcoming Not Until Us has some sand dunes along the beach. These dunes are actually from Whitefish Dunes State Park, and they are breathtaking.

This didn't necessarily inspire the setting in any of the books, but it was too cute not to share. My second-oldest and the dog swimming in Lake Michigan. Yes, the kids convinced me to go in too. Yes, it was cold--very cold!