Places That Inspired Musical Awakening ✈️

While the novel itself is fiction, many of the locations, feelings, and moments in Musical Awakening were inspired by places that left a lasting impression on me. Some I have called home. Some I have visited. 

These are the ones that found their way into June Snow's story.

New Mexico

If there is one place that feels woven into the soul of Musical Awakening, it is New Mexico.

I first became drawn to the state after discovering my family had roots there. Every visit since has felt magical. The endless skies, the desert sunsets, the quiet roads stretching toward distant mountains, it feels like a place where anything can happen.

There is a sense of freedom in New Mexico that I wanted June to enjoy. It became the perfect backdrop for self-discovery, possibility, and the feeling that life might be about to change.

San Diego

Before there was Musical Awakening, there was this blog.

I lived in San Diego during some of the most formative years of my creative life. It was where I spent countless nights attending concerts, photographing musicians, building my website, and telling stories through words and images.

I think back on that time fondly, but sometimes I miss it.

The ocean, the music, the endless sunshine, and the feeling that every day held the possibility of an adventure, all influenced the world June inhabits. The California road trip scenes between June and Richmond carry a small amount of my San Diego adoration.

Paris

No list of inspirations would be complete without Paris.

I've always loved Paris, not just because it is beautiful, but because it feels unapologetically romantic. The city encourages you to slow down, wander, and appreciate the details.

When writing scenes centered on longing, connection, and possibility, I often found myself thinking about Paris. Even when the city isn't directly on the page, its influence can be felt throughout the novel.

Some places simply believe in love, and Paris is one of them.

Florence

Florence will always hold a special place in my heart because it is where my best friend got married.

Watching someone you love begin a new chapter in one of the most beautiful cities in the world leaves an impression. The architecture, the history, the art, and the sense that every street has a story to tell made Florence unforgettable.

That feeling of standing in the middle of a life-changing moment found its way into Musical Awakening.

Oxford

Long before the novel existed, I went spent a Christmas Eve in Oxford.

Like June, I had time alone to discover the charming town and get lost in the cafés, the architecture, the slower pace, and of course the tea.

Sometimes inspiration begins with something as simple as an afternoon in a new place. Oxford left its mark on me and Musical Awakening. 

Every Place Leaves a Mark

Looking back on the years it took me to complete Musical Awakening, I'm happy it encompasses a collection of places I love.

New Mexico gave the story its sense of wonder.

San Diego gave it its music.

Paris gave it romance.

Florence gave it heart.

Oxford gave it charm.

Together they helped create the world that June Snow and Richmond Adams call home.

And while the characters themselves may be fictional, the feelings these places inspired are very real.

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