Hailey's Novel Diary – 7/17/17

When the idea of setting a story in Los Angeles came to me, I wanted everything to revolve around Santa Monica. I have been there and I know the area more than any other part of Southern California. Originally, the main characters were going to live in Santa Monica and spend most of their time around the beach, pier and Montana Avenue. I even used MGM because I thought it was still in the Colorado Center.

Eventually, it made more sense to put them in the San Fernando Valley. It also opened more opportunities since more than a few people in Los Angeles look down on the Valley. It has some of the richest neighborhoods in the city, but some people ignore the hills and only think about areas like Pacoima, Van Nuys and Panorama City.

But I still wanted someone to live in Santa Monica, at least part time. So I'm putting one of the characters into a house on Palisades Avenue, near 4th Street. It's a nice little neighborhood near the park, with a large beach and ocean just down the cliff. I don't know what it would cost to actually live there, but it's next to Montana Avenue and close to the Third Street Promenade. I'm guessing it might be a little pricey.

I wrote a quick scene between two of the characters on the beach that hopefully says a lot about their relationship in a short conversation.

Palisades Park, Santa Monica

Probably not the worst place to live.