I went out to look for lonely places for a lonely protagonist. I did that on a day that I felt pretty lonely myself, being in a foreign city with even my muse going AWOL on me. Loneliness is often perceived as a negative emotion but I think it can be a great creative boost too. You just have to find the break in the clouds. In this case my loneliness made sure I would pick up on all the right vibes.

 

Evelyn, who works at the café where I’m writing this book, had pointed me towards The Wave Organ, a curious installation at the end of a jetty in the Marina district. The installation consists of 25 organ pipes made of PVC and concrete. The pipes are located at various elevations, allowing for the rise and fall of the tides. The lapping of waves against the pipe ends and the movement of water in and out the pipes create subtle but haunting sounds.

Evelyn had told me at night kids hang out at The Wave Organ, so I went and had a look. Not at night but being an expert at imagining the dark, I immediately sensed the site’s potential. It’s a great find and the perfect location for the book’s ending, when my protagonist will have plunged herself into the deepest darkest hole ever.

 

I was particularly happy when I found out that the jetty itself was constructed with carved granite and marble taken from a demolished cemetery. I haven’t sensed any ghost activity yet, but I bet my protagonist will when she finds herself there.

Alone.

At night.

The high tide closing in on her.

 

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The Wave Organ – San Francisco