Patti Ann Colt

Here is the original map of Echo Falls with all its streets, businesses, and homes. It gets tacked to the wall by my desk every time I start a book. Through each book, I keep track of all the new aspects of town based on the plot and then pencil in the new information. This map started with The Daddy Spell and consisted of the lower left corner and Olivia's house. When I wrote The Sweetheart Dance, it's plot involved residents all over town, necessitating the addition of all the roads and all these people's houses and businesses. Over the next six books, it's been expanded, adapted, and corrected. I've also forgotten where everything is at times. Case in point - I'm currently writing book #9 and started a reread of book #2. I'd completely forgotten the police department was across from the hospital. That's not where I thought it was in my head. I'm embarrassed to admit I argued with myself and had to check the map, only to find my head was wrong. Also, in the creation process, I let my family pick businesses that they could name and I added those to the map. Many of those have not been incorporated into stories. The one constant, though, is always Applegate Farms (lower left) and Olivia's House (right side). I'm working on getting a higher resolution photo so you can actually read the names. Enjoy the town visual.