You don’t even need a suitcase, just an e-reader. My Carson Springs trilogy is on sale for a limited time only, the entire boxed set for $3.99. That’s less than a dollar a book. Cheaper than a Starbucks coffee for all three books. If you’re looking to escape into the pages of a book, or in this case a series, now’s the time to get on board.
My Carson Springs novels were inspired by the real-life town of Ojai, California. Nestled in a valley north of LA and due east of Santa Barbara, it’s one of only two round valleys in the world. It’s pretty much the ideal setting in my view. In Ojai, the sun shines three hundred days a year and everywhere you drive you see orange groves, horse ranches, and beautiful old buildings. The downtown features a historic arcade lined with shops, built in the early 1900’s. Wildlife abounds in the surrounding hills and canyons. During a recent visit there, I was having breakfast on the patio one morning and saw a coyote playing in the backyard! There’s even a biblical garden like one described in my Carson Springs trilogy in which every plant and tree named in the bible grows. It’s pretty magical! When I wrote my Carson Springs novels, my goal was to capture the scenic beauty, chill vibe, and quirky characters I encountered in Ojai, steeped in a simmering stew of family dramas and romances.
I must have succeeded because one reader wrote to me after she’d finished my trilogy and said, “I hope these books are based on a real-life place because I’m ready to move there. My suitcase is packed and everything!” I don’t know if she actually went through with it. For anyone else who wants to go on a trip and is stuck at home due to the pandemic, this might be your perfect getaway.
