#ceceila

A belated birthday gift to the fabulous Pantsu~!

So, if you've been reading SHIFT, you know that a large portion of the story takes place in a tiny town in Arizona, called Tubac.  (If you haven't read it yet, don't worry, that's not a big spoiler.)

"But Elle," I hear you asking, "don't you live in Seattle?" 

I do.

"Have you ever been to Arizona?" I can hear you ask in follow-up.

No.  I have not.  I would like very much to go, and hope to plan a trip to Cecelia's hometown very soon, but was in no position to take a trip while I was writing SHIFT. 

"So why Tubac, then?" 

Why Tubac, indeed...  I knew, in my little heart of hearts that Cecelia was from a warm, desert climate.  I knew that she moved to that warm climate as an adult, and I knew that she moved away from her family to go there, in search of a quiet place to call her own.  I knew, before writing a word of her character, that she was caring, compassionate and a little eclectic.  I knew she wore big earrings and flowy skirts.  And I knew, by virtue of her beliefs, and of being a shifter that she would live in her natural form--graying hair and all.  And that she would be all the more beautiful for it. 

So then I had to find that town for her to call home; a place where Cecelia would make sense.  The search was on, and surprisingly, it didn't take long.  A quick trip to the library got me maps.  Maps showed me towns.  And the internet showed me to Tubac.

Tubac is known for its strong artists' culture; it is a destination for artists and those who appreciate hand-crafted goods.  According to articles I found via Google, some shops in Tubac, AZ do not maintain regular business hours.  The town has about 100 shops, many of which cater to art enthusiasts.  The Tubac Chamber of Commerce website (http://www.tubacaz.com/index.asp) has a great, quick summary of Tubac's history (which is extensive!) and which played perfectly into what I already knew about Drake and his family.  In these ways, Tubac felt as though it was made for my story--when, really, my story was made (unknowingly) for Tubac. 

Once I knew Tubac was the place I'd been looking for, Google Earth and Google Maps helped me get a feel for the look and colors of the town; articles about the wildlife, climate and flora helped me flesh out a picture that I hope rings with some truth.