Mapping A Story

Sometimes creative writing isn’t very creative.

I’m working on my second romance novel, currently titled Cover Charm. During the story, my couple embark on a road trip, driving from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Casselman, Ontario. That’s a drive of about 1400 km. They both have reasons to go, and they both want to do the trip in one day.

The forced proximity (a romance trope) of the day in the car and the entire week-long trip gives them lots of time to talk, flirt, and get to know each other better. Travelling with another person is a great way to learn about them (and yourself). You are together 24/7, often in unfamiliar and high-stress circumstances. And a physical journey can reflect an inner personal or character development journey. That’s my plan here.  

One reason for the couple making the trip in a day is to save accommodation costs, and they are not at the stage of sharing a room. That changes on the return trip to Halifax. On the way back, they are delayed by construction (symbolism), the heroine’s old car is destroyed by fire (symbolizing getting rid of the old, her ex-husband, and rising anew), there’s a rainstorm (more symbolism), and finally a night at an old roadside motel where there is an indoor pool (baptism symbolism) but only one bed available (another romance trope). The next day they steal a car to finish the trip (they have a good reason, and it all works out…somehow).

The eastbound trip to Casselman is calmer. Conversation, and a kiss. Not their first, but an important one: it’s their first kiss that is not rushed or interrupted. It needs to come at a rest stop after they’ve had some time to talk. I decided the location for this event would be the tourist information centre at La Pocatière. The surroundings are more pleasant than a roadside gas station / fast food outlet, and they don’t have the time to explore destinations away from the highway.

La Pocatière is roughly halfway between Halifax and Casselman, and the tourist information centre is on the St. Lawrence River, along a brief stretch of highway close to the river. The river here is an estuary, with a salt marsh shore and a noticeable salt smell in the air. Travelling east, it’s the last reminder of leaving the Atlantic Ocean; travelling west, it’s a promise of things to come. The location, the rocky beach, the estuary, and the monadnock hills in the area are all liminal spaces—places of transition—and the perfect spot for a relationship changing kiss.

To add to the beauty of the surroundings, I decided the time of day should be sunset. I’ve been there at sunset, and it’s magical. Except…if you left Halifax at 6 in morning, and made good time driving east, when would you arrive at La Pocatière? And if you were travelling in June, when would the sun be setting? Time for research.

After about an hour of playing with Google Maps, recollecting my many trips along this road, and adding in times for quick stops and meals, I worked out that my couple arrive in La Pocatière around 4:00 in the afternoon, local time (yes, there’s a time change too). A little more online research confirms that the early summer sun is setting around 8:30 pm.

So much for my sunset kiss. By my calculations, sunset will be somewhere around Drummondville. Kissing outside the school bus factory won’t work. Maybe, in La Pocatière, somebody could make a reference to the song Afternoon Delight? No, my characters are too young for that.

Plan B: I’ll make it cool and overcast. The clouds can add some drama, a cold breeze can encourage a little snuggling on one of the benches, and the spot will be less busy.

Working out the travel times was a chore, but at least I’ve saved my editor the work of fact-checking those details. Plus, I know what time the sun will be up in Halifax (just before my couple leave), and I know where and when they will stop, including their breakfast and lunch breaks. Now I just need to figure out how they get away with stealing a car, and that needs some creative thinking.