How an adventurous trip to the New Hampshire mountains combined with a chilling memory inspired my YA ice hockey thriller, FROZEN IN TIME.
Somehow, as soon as we crossed the state line into New Hampshire, announcing "Live Free or Die," I knew this would be the perfect setting for an icy thriller. Even in mid-September, mountainous Bretton Woods, New Hampshire was brisk, with many deciduous trees shedding their colorful leaves among dense, fragrant forests of towering evergreens. Throughout our trip to the Granite State, there was never a shortage of inspiration in this naturally gorgeous location. This allowed me much to tap into as I added atmospheric details to my fictional town of Winterberry. In the end, the FROZEN feel was ever-present in my novel, from my heroine Summer's icy discovery on a haunted lake to her overcoming her worst fears through the sport of ice hockey with beguiling goalie Tate.
Glen Ellis Falls
We had been hiking quite a while on a trail near Mt. Washington in Gorham, New Hampshire, when I heard the distant burbling of water. Excitement warmed my chilled bones as we crossed stoned walkways, bridges, and uneven steps, finally leading to the sight we had come for: Glen Ellis Falls. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the evergreen forest and upon cascading, tumbling waters, flowing into a glistening green plunge pool of jagged rocks. Leaning into the fall's refreshing spray, I drew in a deep inhale of pure pine. This was quintessential New Hampshire . . . and would soon be the setting of my most chilling manuscript.
Our trip to Glen Ellis Falls wasn't my first adventure chasing waterfalls. In fact, we'd encountered several on our last visit to Hawaii, just a few months before (including on the stunning island of Kauai). And based upon those experiences, I knew this hike wouldn't disappoint. As the plunge pool's waters swished and skimmed over layers of irregular rock along a stream cutting into the forest, I felt the quiet serenity of this place. Apparently, a waterfall can symbolize letting go (a cleansing), the simplicity of nature, and even the unexpected turns that life can take. I channeled these ideas when I created the intimate meeting place for Summer and Tate in FROZEN to share their deepest secrets and fears. And I was so inspired by this natural location that I even named Summer Ellis after it!
A Yellowed Newspaper Clipping
Finding a body in the ice or snow was the simple yet chilling idea that first compelled me to pen this wintry thriller. I can still picture the image my brain conjured and recall how excited I was to write just THAT chapter. And speaking of images that are ingrained in your mind, a yellowed newspaper clipping, stuck to my grandparents' fridge, further expanded this initial idea into a complex plot and backstory for my main character, Summer. All I remembered from that alleged old clipping was the dreary photo of a frozen lake. My fuzzy childhood recollection is that a local young girl fell through the ice and died tragically. Late at night, while everyone was asleep, I would stare at the clipping in the kitchen's faint light. As the image continued to haunt me as an adult, my guess is that I held on to the memory because of its darkness, in both content and appearance. Yet, despite this unrelenting memory, I've never been able to confirm if this event ever happened or that the newspaper clipping actually existed. So, the idea behind FROZEN is just as haunting as the novel itself.
Live Free or Die Amid the Scent of Pine
The historic Mount Washington Resort, with its expansive mountain-view property, was our cozy respite during our visit in the fall of 2018. I'm generally not a fan of cold-weather locations (a trait I share with FROZEN's Summer). But once huddled around the lobby's toasty double-sided fireplace (guarded by a stately moose) with a steaming cup of coffee, I forgot about the chill outside. I could imagine Summer's trusty German shepherd Ace perched at her feet in that exact spot by the roaring fire.
Of course, there's no way a thriller novelist could have a proper stay at this haunted hotel without a midnight stroll around the spooky-quiet hallways, concluding in front of the most eerie space: room 314. Despite not getting a glimpse of a ghost or any moving furniture (bummer), roaming around identical hotel hallways late at night is still a hair-raising experience. To add to the resort's subtle luxury, after a night in one of the quaint yet charmingly appointed rooms, we were greeted with a lovely tray of breakfast goodies left by our door.
However, our trip wasn't only about relaxing by the fireside. Even before we ventured out to hike a waterfall, we had a more harrowing journey to attend to: up Mt. Washington. Located in the picturesque White Mountains, Mt. Washington is the highest peak in New England. The summit is also known as the "Home of the World's Worst Weather," with the highest recorded wind speeds by man. Thankfully, that wasn't the case on the autumn day we visited, although it was chilly enough to require winter gear, like coats and hats. Of course, that was once we finally made it up the winding, steep, narrow Auto Road without guardrails. A few times, I thought I saw my life pass before me, reinforcing the DIE aspect of New Hampshire's motto. The summit and mountain views were stunning, though, captured in the photos below.
Once the setting for my icy thriller was . . . set, it was now up to me to write a haunting tale about childhood trauma revisited, expertly described here:
10 years after the tragic death of her best friend on Winterberry Lake, Summer returns to relive the nightmare.
But this time, it's no accident.
As Summer's guilt resurfaces, it will take glacial strength and a charming, icy-eyed goalie to thaw her fears and solve a cold case that has chilled a small New Hampshire town to its core.
Like the memories of her childhood, Summer is Frozen in Time.
COMING SOON...
Part II: A Frozen Return
*To learn more about my YA mystery/thriller FROZEN IN TIME, visit my Linktree:
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