If you’re at all familiar with south Georgia, you’re probably wondering why we added Jesup to our vacation. It’s an old railroad town, a blip on the map between Atlanta and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s surrounded by timber companies, peanut farms, and peach stands on the side of the road, flanked by corridors of mossy oaks and magnolia trees. It’s small and unmentionable, but it’s also the primary setting for my novel.
A good chunk of the book is also set in Savannah, so the first two days of our vacation were spent in both cities. The boys were graciously patient while I observed and absorbed everything. I pinpointed houses, streets, and other places that make certain plot points plausible. It was immensely gratifying to discover my instincts were correct in numerous ways. As I told Chuck in the car, I’ve gotten a hundred little confirmations that I’m doing the right thing. I had to choke back tears of joy.
I fully realize that I’m wholehearted attached to a project that may never see daylight, but if I were to ignore it, that void would dwell in me indefinitely. Some of you understand what I mean.
So here are bits of Savannah. Jackson’s pirate photo is the best: