Inspiration for the settings in Shadows

31 January 2013 | 0 Comments

I’ve loved that so many reviewers have enjoyed the Australian settings in Shadows, so I thought I’d share some of the locations that inspired them.

First up, the track where Gaby is running in the opening chapter. When I wrote this scene, I was picturing one of my favourite places in south-east Queensland, a rainforest track on Mount Tamborine (not far from where I live) in the Joalah section of the Tamborine National Park.

The fictitious Pandanus Beach of course features a beach (this shot is from North Stradbroke Island, also not far from me):

(I think the next shot is at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast – I didn’t record the website where I found it…apologies to the photographer. The rest of the shots here are mine, except where noted below)

I picture Pandanus Beach as a bit of a Noosa/Byron Bay/Port Douglas hybrid. This image (from www.businesseventscairns.org.au) captures the feel of the town nicely. Just picture a beach right across the road.

Here’s a poinciana (a tree that features on the esplanade in Pandanus Beach):

And a Moreton Bay fig tree, which also gets a mention in the opening chapter (I love these trees):

The falls, where Tommo’s farewell is held (these images are also from Tamborine National Park):

And finally, this is the sort of cabin I pictured when I wrote the scene at The Retreat on the mountain (imagine rainforest around it):

A frame cabin

Now, picture some sword-wielding Rephaim…

0 Comments

Nomes says:

3 March 2013 at 11.37 pm

i really love this post, and so much of looks so very similar to what was going on in my head at the time.

in fact, i pretty much pictured the hinterland behind where i live (maleny, mapleton area). and noosa is perfect. i’ll have this awesome gaby-vibe next time i go to noosa now, haha.

Reply
1. paulaweston says:
  
  4 March 2013 at 2.46 pm
  
  Love it. 🙂
  
  Reply
rlsharpe says:

1 February 2013 at 8.38 am

You did a great job describing things in the book because those pictures are like what I pictured while reading, especially the cabin. Being Australian I do like to read books set in Australia, especially when they are as well written as yours. It’s much easier to connect to a book I guess when the setting is familiar. .

Reply
1. paulaweston says:
  
  1 February 2013 at 9.17 am
  
  Thanks Rochelle. I agree re reading books set in Australia. There’s something special about having a connection to the landscape. I grew up in a very dry part of South Australia (which has a beauty of its own) so the lushness of Queensland still feels a little other-wordly to me – even 20 years on!
  
  Reply
Sam @ Realm of Fiction says:

31 January 2013 at 9.46 pm

I think I should just move to Australia. It looks beautiful there, AND you have all the best books. 😉

Reply
1. paulaweston says:
  
  31 January 2013 at 10.41 pm
  
  🙂 Come on over!
  
  Reply

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