I’m always looking for new places in Florida to feature in my books.
Usually, I tweak or meld them in some way. For instance, in Grounds for Murder and Cold Brew Corpse — the first two books in my Coffee Lover’s Mystery Series — the setting is loosely based on Sanibel Island. There is a nature preserve in the middle of the island, and that’s based on a park in my city of St. Petersburg.
There’s another park in my hometown that I love, and I’m thinking about putting it in the third Coffee Lover’s book because it has such a tropical cozy feel. It’s a palm tree arboretum that was once a mini-golf course.
The Gizella Kopsick Arboretum has 500 different palms and cycads (seed plants that look like palms) from around the globe. There’s a brick path through the entire park, and the collection grows as new species become available. It’s also on the water, making it one of the most beautiful spots in all of Tampa Bay.
We love to walk our dogs there, especially in the summer, because it’s shady. There are squat palms, fluffy palms, tall palms, and palms that bear vibrant red seeds.
One of the things I adore about Florida is the tropical foliage, and the palm trees especially. Fun fact: my real name, Tamara, means palm tree in Hebrew.
Next time you’re in St. Pete, check out the arboretum. Bring a blanket, a book, and a beverage, and chill out in the shade of the palms.
