Last August I wrote a blog post about real-life places that inspired literature. Now, I can add another one to those enchanted spots that capture an author's imagination and don't let go until they are immortalized in written form.
On the 12th of January, a friend took a copy of Foam on the Crest of Waves to the very place that did not only have a major influence on the creation of my novel but is also its sparkling backdrop:
Fort Bragg's magical Glass Beach in Northern California.
Jamie Torrey spent a fun-filled Saturday morning on location and not only did she take the lovely photos shown in this post, she also brought with her a gorgeous story-themed resin piece that she especially made because she enjoyed the book so much.
Glass Beach is an old dump site that a merciful ocean has turned into a tourist attraction. As one of the characters in Foam on the Crest of Waves tells us:
"To think this stretch of the shoreline had been a garbage heap for nearly sixty years in the last century. The Dumps. They finally got cleaned up by the end of the Nineties. The skeletons of old cars and appliances were long gone, everything else washed away ― except for the colorful pebble-sized pieces of glass. These days the beach was a destination, coveted by the visitors, who thought its sparkly covering a commodity." (excerpt from chapter five)
"I had the chance to read Foam on the Crest of Waves before its release and loved it! I have been lucky enough to visit Fort Bragg several times in my life and Silke captured the endearing beauty of this small coast community perfectly.
The captivating tale of mystery and intrigue mixed with the beautiful ocean setting is a wonderful, face-paced read that I couldn’t put down! It inspired me to create this piece. Many elements of the story are represented in it."
―Jamie Torrey, Reno, Nevada
Jamie has been collecting sea glass for over ten years all along the California Coast.
"These beautifully rounded gems have always mesmerized me. After ten years, my collection was quite robust, and I decided I needed to do something with my sea glass. So I started making art resin with it. I use sea glass, art beads, and whatever strikes me in a piece. Each piece of my art is unique and made with authentic sea glass, collected by me."
―Jamie Torrey, Reno, Nevada
Please see more of Jamie's work on her facebook page
You can also find her resin pieces at
The Art Box at Legends in Sparks, Nevada
We have come full circle: first the beach inspired the story; then the book inspired a piece of resin art; then both visited the place that sparked their existence.
And to celebrate this memorable event, the sea donated a batch of abalone shells. As the main character of Foam on the Crest of Waves, a young teenage girl who loves to dive and make sea glass jewelry, is named Abalone, we can only conclude that Glass Beach was very happy that morning.
All photos © Jamie Torrey
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