There’s a reason why I set my stories in New England. I love New England. Sure, I’ve lived here all my life, still I love it. Doesn’t that say something?
Maine holds a special place in my heart for many reasons, only the most recent of which is that it’s the Not My Daughter setting. Here’s a little history of Maine and me.
First, my mom was born and raised in Portland. I have warm memories of visiting her family there, especially vivid ones of visiting her father’s place of business. He was a cooper, a word that is positively ancient and unknown today, but refers to one who makes wooden casks or tubs. In short, he was a barrel-maker. A tall, strong man, he worked in a cavernous stone building on the Portland waterfront, and, as harsh as his business was, he was the gentlest of proverbial giants.
Second, my happiest childhood summers were spent in Maine. From ages 9 through 15, I attended a sleepaway camp in the lakes region. We were in a little town called Harrison, the center of which was half a mile across the lake from my camp. It was a camp that believed in excellence, from sports to sportsmanship to posture. I learned to play tennis well, swim beautifully, canoe and sail, and, yes, walk tall. I also learned not to talk with a Boston accent, thanks to the ribbing of non-Boston bunkmates. I didn’t mind. I didn’t have time to mind. We were kept busy from reveille to taps – and yes, a bugler blew those calls, along with ones for meals. I thrived at this camp in every regard.
Third, one of my sons chose to attend a sleepaway camp in Maine, and parents’ weekends were highlights for me. We watched him swim, play tennis and soccer. When he got into the older bunks, we were allowed to take him out of camp for the day. We always went to Freeport, yup, the home of L.L.Bean, and we built a tradition of sorts. We started with lobster rolls at a little diner, moved on to the (badly-needed) barbershop, then spent the afternoon meandering through the town. In the writing of Not My Daughter, I thought a lot about those days. I suspect the inspiration for Zaganack, the fictitious company town in my book, came from those happy times with my son.
Fourth, that son’s twin brother spend his junior year in high school doing a Maine Coast Semester, living and studying in Wiscasset. There, too, I loved our visits, particularly the Thanksgiving dinner held the night before school broke for the holiday. Driving up to Wiscasset, as we did so many times that fall, I could always feel the tension melt away. This is what Maine does for me.
Maine has been the setting for others of my books, most notably The Summer I Dared and For My Daughters. It’s always a joy when readers write to say they’ve traced the path of one of my Maine books, visiting those towns on the coast where they guess my stories took place. I’m hoping you all will do the same with For My Daughter. Now, wouldn’t it be nice if L.L. Bean offered a Delinsky discount?
(Sigh.) We do dream.
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I’ve never been to Maine except in your books. The Summer I Dared is one of my long-time favorites, but then again each one I read is my favorite at that moment!
Thanks for bringing snippets of Maine and beautiful stories to us – it’s a gift to touch our hearts like that.
Nancy
Living just north of the New England states, I often drive through them to visit any of my friends in the U.S.. The places I drive through, the towns I visit, have taken on a new meaning for me since the early 90’s when I read my first Delinsky book. They remind me of you. It was particularly sweet to listen to two of your audio books on our trip to Ohio this past summer, because we did most of our listening while driving through Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The kids got a kick out of seeing signs for some of the places mentioned in the books.
As for L.L. Bean — they should absolutely celebrate you with a Delinsky Discount, perhaps even a one day special on Jan 5th, in light of (inter)National Delinsky Day
) Or perhaps not… because all the Barbara Fans will be way too busy that day to shop. We’ve got some one on one time with a great book planned that day 
)
You are loved — beyond measure.
My daughter went to school in Orono, and visits to her place were wonderful, an especially nice change from Florida.
I am a born and bred New Jersey person. However, a business opportunity dictated that my son settle in Marblehead, Ma. twelve years ago. The birth of our grandchildren, of course, has brought us to New England every few weeks through the years. We have come to love the New England area and have also traced locations through your books. Keep writing, we’ll keep traveling, and thus our paths shall meet!
I have been to Maine-love it-of course, I set a goal a long time ago to visit each of the main 48 states…have done all but three-won’t be long until I do those…New England among my favorites, and of course, SUMMER…one of my very favorite books of all time-not just by you…I love it…It has taken me a lifetime to visit so many places-some where I stay-some passing through, but my mind often returns to Maine…New England…esp. Cape Cod…love the settings…keep it up…Have you written about your next WIP?
The reason I said MAIN 48–I am actually old enough to remember when Alaska and H. became states and for some odd reason, have no desire to visit either…
Jan 5th-shopping–well–I am hoping Amazon gets me my book early. Because of early snow storms, I am not taking any chances that the path to the bookstore will be full of snow…
I loved your book “Family Tree” and am currently reading “The Secrets Between Us” which is really a gripping story. It shall be interesting to see the outcome of this one. I saw your picture on the book jacket and swear I have seen you somewhere or knew you. But after looking on your bio I guess not. I am from CT and you grew up in Maine and it seems unlikely – maybe in a “past life”! Anyhow, I look forward to reading more of your books as they remind me of my family’s visits along New England’s coast as a child. I became a grandmother recently and moved outside New England to a warm southern state to be near them. So reading your novels helps me remember what it was like living there. I miss it dearly tho’ I do not miss the cold and snow! Thank you for wonderful reads!
We lived in Massachusetts but would spend our vacations in Bar Harbor…”The Summer I DARED” ….I fell in love with Maine all over again…I learned to ride horseback in Maine..We camped and fished and clammed.(caught jellyfish in paper cups.)….I love Cape Cod, but we went here all the time..Summers in Maine were to die for. And your descriptions of Boston, made me a little homesick, but not enough to fly back in the dead of WINTER. Thanks!