by HelenKay Dimon
When you write a set of stories centered on a house you kind of need to love houses. I do. I’m a homebody. Being home, in a place I love surrounded by people I love, is a huge comfort to me. I can’t imagine traveling all the time or not having a stable place to come to at the end of every day. That’s just not me. I’m thinking the term is nester. Yeah, I’m one of those. I think that’s a good thing, but I’m not sure…
So, when it came time to find an idea to bind three novellas together for my newest release, an anthology called HARD AS NAILS, I decided on a home & hearth theme. Sure, romance novels can take place anywhere – here, there, in the past, or even in space. I went with the most relatable, a big house in the middle of a city.
This is less a case about writing what you know than it is fact of writing about what interests you {in this case, me}. Old houses intrigue me. You know the ones. They have a looming presence. They tend to scale at least two stories, usually three. They are in every city and every small town. Many have huge front doors, a rambling porches and exterior fences. Sometimes they even have those special preservation placks on them which mean the house remains today in much the same condition as it did in 1778, 1870 or whatever year it was built.
Then there are the ones like the house in Psycho. Big, yes, but not in a good way. Those houses are just plain scary. We all remember growing up on a street with one or two of those around. After some thought, I decided not to go with the fright angle for HARD AS NAILS. Tempting because I’ve been wanting to try something a little spooky without it being paranormal, but I refrained. Instead, I went with the idea of home as comfort.
The real-life National Trust For Historic Preservation is the well-known nonprofit organization charged with protecting historic homes and sites. The website provides all sorts of information about endangered and rescued properties. The photos of restored places are fascinating. {Go check it out…}
In HARD AS NAILS, an anthology of three related stories revolving around a house rehab project, I made up a conservation society. Because, really, the best part of being an author is the ability to make stuff up. That and working at home in my sweats. And setting my own schedule. And never wearing pantyhose…
You get the idea.
My HARD AS NAILS heroes work for a company that restores protected historical properties. To ground the book, I turned to a place I lived for about 17 years (excluding those few years when I went to school in North Carolina). Washington, D.C. is the home of stunning old buildings, brownstones, mansions, churches, organizations – you name it, you’ll find a beautiful example here. I’ve included a few photos just so you could see some examples of D.C. architecture. When putting the setting for HARD AS NAILS into my head, I looked through the internet at some of these properties. I needed to find a place to call up in my mind as I wrote about my fictional house. Since the 1940s one-story house where I live is in San Diego and decidedly is not Victorian, I couldn’t look around my living room when I wanted to get into the restored house writing mood. I needed to find a sample house.
And I did. It’s a three-story Victorian in the middle of D.C’s Logan Circle/Dupont Circle area. The house, which is actually a B&B you can visit, even has a name. It’s called the Aaron Shipman House. I’ve never been there or even peeked inside, though I am dying to do so. Once again – as often happens while writing - the internet came to my rescue. Through the wonder of technology I could (virtually) walk through the house, getting a feel for the architecture and structure. From there, I could build the fictional house in my head. With the background and setting tackled, it was a matter of putting these people in motion.
We all know you can’t have a romance without the people, right?
The first novella, This Old House, deals with the attempts by house rehabber Cole Carruthers to get squatter Aubrey Matheson out of a falling down, desperately-in-need-of-renovation house. The place was supposed to be empty and ready for renovation by Cole’s company. Someone forgot to tell Aubrey that. Besides, she has something she has to do before she can vacate. What choice does Cole have but to stay around and watch her?
In All About Adam, two lawyers who met at a work conference months before…and spent a bit more time together in a hotel room than sitting in boring lectures…reunite to negotiate the house rehab contract. Adam Thomas wants to know why Becky Carter left him so fast. She’s not talking, so the battle is on.
In the final novella, Man At The Door, it’s six months later and Erin McHugh now owns the house. She’s a home-is-everything type person. She needs peace and a break from some unwanted attention. She gets job foreman Ray Hammond on her doorstep instead. He’s there to work on the house, but he doesn’t want to leave. Erin has to decide if there’s room in her mansion for a man who’s good with his hands.
Three couples bound by a house. No magic, just a lot of love.
So, what gives you that feeling? Is there a place you go when you need to relax and feel at ease? Is it somewhere other than home? I know people who get that comfort from traveling and others who get it without pulling out of the driveway. What about you?
I’ll give away two copies of HARD AS NAILS to people chosen at random from those commenting. The winner will be posted here on Monday (in the comments). Until then, let me know your thoughts.
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I am a real homebody these days, so I tend to seek that kind of comfort from my room - in the pages of a good book.
by Margay
on July 13th, 2008 at 9:16 am
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I do travel alot (and enjoy it!), but I need a place or places that I can come home to. I too have a soft spot for old houses. I enjoy the sense of history and the knowledge that other people before me have lived in that same space.
by Lauren
on July 13th, 2008 at 10:02 am
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Hard as Nails sounds like a wonderful story…3 stories and 3 hunks! 
When I want to relax I usually do it at home with a good book. If I want to really get away from it all, I like to travel about 4 hours to the beach. I love to walk the beach or sit in a chair and read. Reading is a comfort to me no matter where I am!
by cheryl c.
on July 13th, 2008 at 10:27 am
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I don’t have to travel too far to find relaxation. My back porch is the perfect spot for me. I like to sit, watch the birds in the birdbath and at the feeders, and I usually have a book with me. The sound of water from a small fountain (during the warm months)is an added bonus. Home, for me, is definately the place to simmer down and chill out! 
Oh yeah, and a cool drink!
by DeeAnn
on July 13th, 2008 at 11:55 am
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My favorite way to relax and feel comfortable is just to curl up in my favorite room and read!!! Nothing compares to this for me!!! :grin:
by Colleen
on July 13th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
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Those are some pretty buildings.
I wish I did have place to “hide” for awhile. When I get stressed out about something, like this weekend, unfortunately my mind won’t let it go enought to relax, so I/m still trying to figure that out.
by Dina
on July 13th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
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Hi HelenKay - I love the premise for your new book “Hard as Nails” - and have I mentioned it’s a clever title? I love old houses. They’re so fascinating and beautiful. The only one I can think of around me is a hall and gardens - and the house has secret passage ways, gorgeous gardens - a birch walkway, Japanese garden, rose garden, lagoon, the woks (there also used to be a quarry there…) I live in suburbia.
DC is also one of my favorite cities, and I was lucky enough to have a great internship there. As for places that hold “magic” for me… I don’t know if it’s a certain location - but sometimes when the sun is shining and there a giant cotton candy clouds in the sky, I get this fabulous sense of deja vu. (Also because I live in one of the cloudiest places in the US - sunshine is a precious commodity.) Or, when it’s bright, and I can just curl up in bed and read.
by limecello
on July 13th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
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Funny, that’s been kind of a theme for me lately—I’m in the process of packing up my late father’s house (just passed away 2 weeks ago) to rent. It requires major repairs due to some plumbing problems that happened just before he got sick. Consequently, between that and his funeral, my family and I have been commuting on weekends, moving furniture, papers, personal items, in and out of both his house (which held the things I grew up with) and my own, to accommodate everything. Both my home and my dad’s home are in a state of upheaval, and I find I don’t know where to “light.” I can’t seem to get comfortable anywhere. Everywhere I turn there’s a pile of something to be dealt with, and while so many objects I associate with “home” are around me, they’re in the wrong home. I’m disoriented. The coffee shop across the street seems more settled and familiar than home, and I long to just go sit there for a while, to get my bearings. Besides, someone will wait on me, just a little.
by LA
on July 13th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
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I live in Charlotte, NC and in the summertime it is very hot. I love to travel to the mountains and a town called Blowing Rock. It is like home away from home. The town is quaint, but has a lot of activities; art festivals, a bustling town park, great restaurants, and plenty of great shops. The weather is cooler, the air cleaner, and you can really relax and soak up the atmosphere.
Another great place is Charleston, SC and the great old architecture. Makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time when you visit.
Both places for me are like homes away from home. And I can travel to either place in a couple hours.
by Sandra M
on July 13th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
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Hi HelenKay I go to my back porch or front porch or my very large garden to relax and feel at ease. I enjoy watching all the animals in my yard. All the animals but the bears that are in the area. I also have a book with me to read. Hard as Nails sounds like a wonderful story.
by Emma
on July 13th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
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Hanging out at the library or museum is a great place to relax and enjoy a book or works of art. At home, I like to lie on the couch and read.
by Jane
on July 13th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
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I relax at home with a good book or a cross stitch project.
by Estella
on July 13th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
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What a lovely post, HelenKay! In general, I feel the most comfort at home, surrounded by the familiar and a big stack of books :mrgreen: When I was younger, I believed myself to be more of an adventurous traveler, but the reality is a bit different. And my oldest already knows he’s a bit of a homebody, and is definitely happiest at home. I wouldn’t mind home with a bit of help though–servants might be a lovely addition ;) Congrats again and Hard as Nails! I can’t wait to read these three stories!
by fedora
on July 13th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
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It may sound boring, but to completely relax I close my door on the world and lounge in my bedroom (I have made it my own sanctuary with things I love and bookshelves filled with books, there is also a window with a beautiful view).
by Little Lamb Lost
on July 13th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
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My room reading a great book!
by Amy S.
on July 13th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
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Hi HelenKay,
Like you I’m a nester. To relax I go to my room where I’m surrounded by books, some by you.
Hard as Nails sounds like three terrific stories!
by Susan
on July 13th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
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Hi HelenKay,
I used to be a traveler, but in the last two years I find my peace at home. I love being surrounded by my stuff and laying by the pool is a great escape.
I live in So. MD, so I have to agree with you on the architecture in DC, it’s stunning and with all the restorations it’s getting better and better.
by Patty L.
on July 13th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
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I’m a homebody. So much so I haven’t wanted to go on vacation in a few years. No one else is going to have my comfy bed, or soft sheets. No one else is going to have my favorite chair to curl up in and read. When I have to run errands, I am always relived to return home and relax. Really relax, take my shoes off and be me. My home is my comfort zone. *G*
BTW, I live in SC and the architecture here isn’t bad either! *G*
by Brandy
on July 13th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
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Margay - I am the same way.
Lauren - I’ve never head to travel too much for work. I think I’m spoiled.
Cheryl - I love the beach. When we lived in Maryland, we would travel to North Carolina for a week and just veg. I hated the drive but loved the NC beach house.
DeeAnn - I’ve been wanting an outside fountain. I love that sound!
Colleen - Me too! My family room is perfect. We have a sectional sofa that is perfect for lounging.
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Dina - Very sorry to hear you’re stressed. I hope this week gets better.
limecello - Thank you! My editor came up with the book’s title. I did the individual novella titles, but HARD AS NAILS is all hers.
LA - I am so sorry about your father. All of that moving around sounds emotionally draining. Find somewhere comforting and rest up. That situation is hard enough without running yourself down.
Sandra - I love Charleston. So pretty. I actually went to law school in North Carolina. Lived in Winston-Salem for three years. There are som stunning old homes there.
Emma - Thank you! A garden - that’s the perfect relaxation space.
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Home is it for me. With all the stuff going on in my life I love being home. My parents house is a place of comfort too. You feel so relaxed there.
by Judy F
on July 13th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
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Jane - I never even considered a museum, but you’re right. Good idea.
Estella - I can’t cross stitch, but I’m with you on the home part.
Fedora - I’m the same way. I traveled all the time when I was younger. I’ve seen some amazing places. But now I just want to be home.
Little Lamb Lost - Your bedroom sounds awesome! I’m envious.
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Amy - Exacgtly!!
Susan - Thank you! I love hearing that.
Patty - The area where you live is wonderful. Before we switched to the West Coast, we lived in this fabulous area called Cabin John. It’s this little town north of Bethesda and Georgetown, right on the C&O Canal. Loved it.
Brandy - The architecture in SC is spectacular. My husband and I visited several times and were so impressed.
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Hi Judy - I hope all the stuff going on is good stuff.
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When I want to relax I go to my room with a good book to read. But sometimes I do latch hook rugs to relax, I seem to zone out and relax with doing rugs.:)
by Sheila
on July 13th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
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I am a homebody and when I need to seek a little comfort…there is nothing better than being at home and snuggling into my bed and a reading a book. It is just the best way to relax and get refocused.
I love the theme for Hard as Nails…I think that is a great way to connect the stories.
by Lori T
on July 13th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
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I’m also a homebody. In the summer, I relax by going outside and sitting on my deck. In the winter, I relax with a cup of hot tea and my afghan on my recliner.
by Linda F
on July 13th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
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Actually, I’m at home when I’m surrounded with the people I love. It could be my house, their house, a hotel, another country.
by catslady
on July 13th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
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Hi Helen!
How is everything with you? I hope just fantastic!
Well, I totally love traveling! Although, when it is near the end of the vacation, I just can’t wait to get home again! You know the feeling? It’s fun to go away but there is absolutely no place like home!
If I need to relax and get away from it all going to the lake is my favorite way to wind down. I live just 5 minutes from Lake Michigan. Sitting in a chair right in the water so I can swish my feet is heavenly! Sometines I go swimming or just lay in the sun. The water has such a relaxing effect on me that I always feel so refreshed after going to the beach.
Have a wonderful week Helen!
Hugs,
Melis L.
by Melis L.
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:46 am
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My internet service went out for a few hours. Outrageous!!! It’s now up and running, and I’m very happy.
Sheila - Hook Rugs? Cool. I’ve never tried that. I’m not particularly crafty…okay, I’m not at all crafty. I wish I were.
Lori - Thank you! There’s just something about snuggling in bed, isn’t there? Big comfy bedding - love that.
Linda - A book and a cup of tea. Now that’s my idea of paradise.
catslady - Very nice. It’s special to have places you can go that feel like home.
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Melis - I’m doing great! I have a book due this week, but it’s almost done.
I get the same feeling at the end of a vacation. I enjoy going but am always so excited to get back home. Of course, I leave three pets behind when I travel, so I love getting back to them.
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My usual (and best) place to relax is at home but sometimes I have to get out of there and I take a long walk in the forrest nearby.
by Eva S
on July 14th, 2008 at 2:18 am
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I too love to just curl up with a book in my own home. Nothing like it. On my comfy chair.
Hope everyone has a good week. :grin:
by Rose G.
on July 14th, 2008 at 7:10 am
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I’m another one who relaxes by staying home, reading a good book. Having just recently finished Right Here, Right Now, I’m ready for another HelenKay book. Hard as Nails sounds like it’s going to be another satisfying read.
by Cheryl S.
on July 14th, 2008 at 7:22 am
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I’m definitely a homebody and like to just pick up a good book and get comfortable in either one of the recliners in the living room or on my bed. There’s just something to be said about being surrounded by the familiar that is so comforting to me. On the odd occasion that I do need to go away to get away from family members that like to pop in, it’s not too far to get into the mountains and just relax in their beauty.
by Karin
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
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I am definitely a homebody. Our home is nothing fancy and there is always something going wrong but having a day just to clean and get things done around the house is always a pleasure.
by Maureen
on July 14th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
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And the winners are…DeeAnn (#4) and Lori T (#26). Congrats!!!
Email me and I’ll get those books out to you. I’m mailing 0ut a bunch of stuff this week, so the timing is perfect.
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Congrats to the winners.
by Judy F
on July 14th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
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Hi HelenKay~
Thank you so much! I am so excited to have won. Congrats to DeeAnn, too.
I am so thrilled. I have already emailed you.
Have a great night.
by Lori T
on July 14th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
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Woohoo Ladies! Congrats on winning Helen’s fantastic book!
by Melis L.
on July 15th, 2008 at 12:32 am
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wtg winners
by kh
on July 15th, 2008 at 12:52 am
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Congrats, DeeAnn and Lori T! Thanks again, HelenKay!
by fedora
on July 15th, 2008 at 12:58 am
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Congratulations, DeeAnn and Lori!
by Susan
on July 15th, 2008 at 10:37 am
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Holy Cow! What a great surprise! And congrats to Lori T too! Thanks so much HelenKay for selecting me. The e-mail is on its way.
by DeeAnn
on July 15th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
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Congratulations, DeeAnn and Lori!
by Emma
on July 21st, 2008 at 4:15 pm
