When I started writing Songbird I decided on setting it in Denver. I'd just moved to Colorado and felt what better place than where I was? I love the idea of my characters having a special place. For Janie it was a fictional waterfall. For Dani and Reece it was Balanced Rock in The Garden of the Gods.The first time I saw the location I thought it was pretty. problem was it was busy. Kids were climbing all over it and tourists were snapping pictures. But the second time...Well, that's when I decided it was te perfect spot. My husband and I decided to drive around the park at dusk and the red rock looked beautiful. There were a few people still hanging around but I could see Dani and Reece sitting there watching the sunset and sunrise. Below is an except of Balanced Rock from Songbird.
A year ago, almost to the day, Reece had driven me down here for my seventeenth birthday.
"I can't believe you've never seen the Garden of the Gods before.” Reece's amazement was obvious.
"You say that like it's a crime."
"Once you see it, you'll understand."
We left in the early morning hours and made it to the park just before sunrise. We didn't stop at the visitor center, driving along the park road until we came to a pullout parking lot.
"Come on," he said hold my hand and leading me up a steep bed of red rock. At the top was a massive boulder, Balanced Rock he called it. We sat in the shadow of the rock and watched the sunrise fill the sky with a magnificent show of reds and oranges. In the distance, the crescent moon was still visible as it made its journey behind the Rockies.
Reece's arm was around me and in that moment, I almost believed the illusion. Anyone looking at us would have thought we were dating. Just for a minute, I let it be true. I rested my head on his shoulder, breathing in his spicy cologne.
On my iPod:
Sound Strange by Captain Tractor
