How I Create My Coastal Town Settings

(…and why I always want to move there when I’m done writing a book!)

One of the questions I get asked the most is:
“Are your beach towns based on real places?”

And the short answer is… sort of!

I write fictional towns because I like the freedom to shape them exactly the way I want. (Need a bakery with checkered floors and cinnamon rolls the size of your face? Done. A cozy cottage with a weathered porch swing and a secret room in the attic? Absolutely.)

But these made-up towns are always inspired by real places I’ve visited and fallen in love with, especially along the beautiful Gulf Coast of Florida.

I try to put in the Southwest Florida spark

Over the years, I’ve spent time in some truly magical places: Sanibel Island, Anna Maria Island, and Siesta Key—each with their own laid-back charm, salty breezes, and that feeling like time slows down just a little.

There’s something about the Southwest Gulf Coast that gets under your skin in the best way. The pastel cottages. The turquoise water. The locals who wave from their bikes. The way the air smells like salt and sunscreen and maybe a little coconut.

Those experiences live in my memory—and they always find their way onto the page.

I try to build a fictional town that feels real

When I sit down to create a new series, I start with the vibe of the place. Is it sleepy and small, like Belle Island? Or a town where four generations of Parker Women live like Moonbeam Bay? Is it the kind of town where everyone knows everyone… or where someone might go to disappear for a while?

From there, I sketch out the heart of the community:

• The main street with a bookstore, or cafe, or an ice cream shop

• The beach that holds everyone’s memories

• The homes with their porches and peeling paint, and potted plants

• The people who make it feel like home

• Old hotels, B&Bs, or cozy inns

I want each of my towns to feel like a place you could step into—where you’d run into a friend at the market, sit in on a book club, or help plan the town’s Fourth of July parade. (Or Christmas festival. Or pie contest. You get the idea.)

The towns are a blend of memory and imagination

Some details come straight from my own memories—like sunsets on Anna Maria Island or shell-hunting on Sanibel. Others I invent completely. But the goal is always the same: to create a world that feels real and comforting, a place you’d want to visit (or maybe even move to, if it weren’t fictional!).

And the best part?
Once I finish a series, I get to build a brand-new town. New characters, new quirks, new secrets waiting to be uncovered.

It never gets old.

Where to start if you’d like a little escape

If you want to take a stroll through one of my fictional beach towns, here are a couple places you can start:

• The Lighthouse Point series – set on Belle Island, full of family, secrets, and second chances. My first beach series where it all began!

• Saltwater Sunrises – book one in the Magnolia Key series, where friendship and new beginnings shine. (and just a short ferry ride from the coast—right near Moonbeam Bay and Belle Island, of course.)

• Seaside Christmas Wishes – a Belle Island holiday story full of nostalgia and hope

You can find all of my books right here.

Thanks for visiting my little towns

Creating these coastal communities is one of my favorite parts of being a writer. I hope when you read them, you feel like you’re stepping into someplace warm, welcoming, and maybe even a little magical.

If you’ve ever visited Sanibel, Siesta Key, Anna Maria, or Sarasota, I’d love to hear what you loved most! Or tell me about your favorite beach town—I might just use it as inspiration for the next book…

— Kay