#(My youngest cousin has an interest in archaeology and he was showing me his picture books.)

[rad-hound]

Was today years old when I learnt that Gibby Redivivus's mask is either inspired by — or took inspiration from — ancient Incan figureheads.

[rachelarmstrongauthor-blog]

In November 2016, I had planned a trip to London to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Since 2013 I had been working on a novel set in Essex. Internet research helped me find the locations for my diverse and multicultural characters. the last thing I expected at the time, when I didn’t even have my passport, that I would be able to visit these lovely places.

By 2017 I had completed the novel. I had planned four weeks away and after my weekend to Germany, I had some time to fill and decided to explore the English countryside. So where else was I to go other than Essex, where I had spent the last few years in my imagination.

The novel features a number of characters and follows their lives over the course of one life-changing year.

Victoria - British lawyer. Grieving the death of her beloved father and the loss of her dreams of working alongside him in international law. She is working towards partnership at the law firm while getting to know her two estranged sisters and unexpectedly falling in love.

Gabriella - Australian archaeologist. Grandfather summons her to England upon the death of her father. Looking for love, family, and a career in classical archaeology. Begins a relationship with Victoria’s cousin Cameron.

Lea - Finnish violinist. The youngest sister summoned to England. She married young and is recently divorced. Having lost faith in love, she occupies her time in England by engaging in an affair with Victoria’s colleague Grayson.

Alexei - Russian colleague of Victoria’s. Was promoted to partner of the law firm upon the death of his boss, Victoria’s father. With his own tragic past, Alexei is concerned for Victoria while she grieves as he has been in love with her for years.

Cameron - Victoria’s maternal Scottish cousin. Managing partner of the law firm. Victoria’s best friend and confidant. Falls in love with Gabriella. Believes in mythical creatures.

Grayson - American colleague of Victoria’s. Has been hurt in his past relationship and isn’t interested in dating, but is very attracted to Lea. 

Whilst in London, I took a walk through to the suburban areas where Alexei and Cameron lived. Randomly selected based on location and price, I had chosen these locations in 2013. When I visited, I found they suited my characters very well. 

Cameron lives in Knightsbridge, only a few streets away from the amazing Harrods Department Store. It is a high market area, but his flat is small and he is a partner in an international law firm. The neighbourhood is classy with beautiful white stucco fronted buildings and a private garden, which suits strong, charismatic, and hilarious Cameron very well.

Alexei lives in Kensington not too far from High Street Kensington tube station. His apartment is studio and tiny in a neighbourhood that is still lovely for classy Alexei, but suits the lower income he was earning before making partnership. Alexei doesn’t care for material things or space, having lived in small apartments with many family members back in Russia. Even though it wasn’t as nice as Cameron’s neighbourhood, I liked Alexei’s too and it reflected him well.

The law offices I found while searching for office locations in England in order to pick a realistic location. It wasn’t until I got there, even though I had spent a lot of time on Google Maps, that the offices were right across the street from St. James’s Palace. It might not be the perfect office, but the location was nice on Pall Mall. And right down the road from Phantom of the Opera, which means I got to visit Pall Mall twice...as I went to that show twice.

Other places I did book research in London included the British Museum, Hampton Court Palace, and Westminster Bridge, three locations that feature in the book. My visit to Stonehenge also helped make my novel realistic as I could better describe Gabriella’s visit to the wonderful historic site.

My overnight trip to Essex was perhaps one of the best parts of my trip. Waking early in the morning, I took the tube to Liverpool Street Station where I took the express train to the beautiful historical city of Colchester. This is where I realised I should have mentioned it more in my book as Gabriella would have loved it. I managed to fix this a little in my post-England edit. There I visited Colchester Castle, the old Priory, and shopped in Fenwick before taking the bus to Braintree, where I planned to spend the night. 

Braintree didn’t make much of an appearance in my book, but I did mention it a couple of times. There I went shopping at Freeport and dropped a bit of money at Tommy Hilfiger. I stayed at the beautiful White Hart Hotel and had a lovely three course meal for a very good price. Killing time, I took a walk to Tesco and bought a couple Mills and Boons. It was a very lovely December night.

The next day I was off to see the beautiful house I had spent so much time writing about. Boarding the bus, I headed south through Silver End and was dropped off pretty much in the middle of nowhere...right outside Rivenhall Place. As a private residence, I stayed out on the road, but I remember the excitement, the wonder, the ‘oh my god there it is!’ and I was so happy I managed to make it there. For an hour I walked up and down the street, enjoying the sound of trickling water flowing over the dam of the lake and into the stream under the road. It was a truly tranquil place and the perfect location for a romance novel. But I needed to get to Chelmsford, so I got back on the next bus and headed to Witham.

Witham is a small village, but there I needed to change buses. I had some early lunch at a local cafe and walked down to the Thai restaurant where Gabriella and Cameron have their first date. Then getting back on the bus, I headed for Chelmsford. I passed Boreham House on the way, which was one possible location for the wedding, and the glimpse I caught of it was beautiful. But the location I had chosen was Hylands House.

Due to time, I walked down to Chelmsford Cathedral first, which was a lovely cathedral where Victoria sometimes attends service with her grandmother. I will use it as a location if I ever write a sequel, which isn’t necessary but not ruled out. Then I returned to the buses and took one to Hylands House.

Since it was winter, the house was closed, but I got to walk around the outside, have some pretty pictures, and visit the gift shop. Without giving much away, it is definitely the perfect dream location for a wedding and I’m sure that inside would be just as beautiful. I took a look around some of the gardens and then headed back to the bus stop. There I remember freezing as the sun set and I waited for the bus. For some reason I found singing would help keep me warm. Then when the bus came...it drove right by me even though I was waving it down. Thankfully though, before I froze to death, someone must have seen me because the bus stopped a hundred metres down the road.

When I returned to Chelmsford, I soaked up the atmosphere of the town by taking a walk and looking through High Chelmer and Debenhams. The I stopped by The Golden Fleece for dinner where I had a lovely burger. After that, it was time to board the next train and head back to London.

I loved Essex. Unfortunately I didn’t have many scenes set around in the towns surrounding Rivenhall, but it was a wonderful experience. When I returned home, I completed my post-England edit of my novel where I found the trip helped me add further realism and feeling to the novel.

Hopefully one day you’ll be able to read it.

With love,

Rachel