As part of my research trip, I have camped all this week in Northern Illinois. Tonight finds me at Illinois Beach State Park, north of Chicago. I've had a great time exploring the region that my next epic series, Photo Finish, will be based on.
Photo Finish is the series name. The three books I have planned for it are Full Frame, Shutter Speed, and F/stop. The first is finished and edited, but I'll do one more read-through now that I've visited the area. I'm over halfway through drafting the second. I expect to start writing the third in September. I'm loving the way this is coming together.
Let me say for the record that I LOVE librarians! I met two in a one-room library in Elizabeth, IL who listened to what I was writing about and set to work finding me a resource. I spent a couple of hours with an old-timer (like me) who told me stories of what it was like in the area in the 60s. A wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I drove all over the area taking pictures and making notes about the atmosphere.
I also spent a day in Dubuque, IA. There is a scene in Full Frame in which the hero takes his date to a Simon and Garfunkel concert at Loras College. (Actual fact. The duo played there in April 1967.) I wanted to check the place out. Wonderful! And such friendly and helpful people--both students and staff. Beautiful campus.
I just happened to poke my head in the gymnasium and take a few pictures so I'll be able to orient myself when I start watching basketball this fall.
You see, while researching basketball in Iowa for the Team Manager series, I accidentally became a fan of the American Rivers Conference Women's Basketball. That's the Div III conference in this area.
I've visited three of the campuses and gyms on this trip--Simpson College, Loras College, and University of Dubuque. Each visit has included poking my head in the field house. Simpson is being renovated this summer with new environmental systems. It will be beautiful. Loras and University of Dubuque are also beautiful facilities and now I know right where the camera is situated during the games.
My campsite here at Illinois Beach is beautiful, but is undoubtedly the most mosquito infested camp I've had all summer! That could be partially a result of the torrential rains that pelted this area last night from about midnight until one o'clock this afternoon. For the record, OFF tastes terrible, even if you don't get it near your face.
I will be doing a little investigating of the Chicago Loop tomorrow as much of the next series takes place there, as well. Then Tuesday, I'll move on to Indiana. Yes, the sacrifices I make to write entertaining stories for my fans at SOL! I'll be camped right near where Brian and the Clan of the Heart came from in LNDtH.
I guess that's the update for today. Carry on.