Tybee island as depicted in the Shining Ones series is a real place. I love Tybee Island and it had me long before Miley Cyrus and John Mellencamp showed up.
There are some things you should know about Tybee. It’s as you’d expect a pretty small place. It’s less than 3 miles wide and it’s year around population is less than 4,000. In the peak season it probably swells to 3-4x that and it appears to be place where lots of UGAers go for spring break (unfortunately). It’s got a north-side and a south-side, well, and a middle, too, but really you’re either a North beach or South beach sort of person. I am a South Beach girl through and through if Chatham Ave, ala Adam Walker’s fictitious home, is any indicator.
Tybee is beautful all year around but my favorite time is winter. No mosquitoes, no tourists. Pristine beach walks on a cold winter morning in barefeet freezing with not a single soul to see you. Awe inspiring stuff. I like that I can walk pretty much anywhere on Tybee as well. I used to be a fifteen minute walk tops from Tybrissa. AJ’s was even closer. A beer on a Friday night watching the waves and open container laws. Why can’t we all have open container laws?
Anyhow other things you should know. It has a historic lighthouse that’s been re-built three times, it used to have a railway link to the mainland, and it was a significant outpost during the Civil War. BUT my favorite thing is the Tybee Bomb, of course. You can wiki it here. Part of Birdie’s personality was born out of this story so it holds a dear place in my heart.
Tybee in Watcher – True of False
It’s going to come up so I thought I’d go ahead and get some of this out of the way for those readers who really want to know. It’s like a mini-FAQ about Tybee from Watcher: Book One.
Paddy’s is a real place on Tybee – FALSE
(Paddy’s is based on a specific restaurant *loosely* and I really mean that. If you go there, you’ll find it, but don’t go looking for Poe or Haylee Jane. They aren’t there. Trust me.)
The riptides on Tybee are strong enough to kill someone – TRUE
Ellie’s death and other events on Tybee’s beaches could theoretically happen. There have been several instances where people have walked out onto the tidal flats during a low tide only to get stranded when the tide rushes back in. Think Mont St Michel. It’s real and it’s scary and that’s why we have the Coast Guard.
Adam’s house is on Chatham Ave – TRUE and FALSE
(Yes, Chatham Avenue exists and yes, there is a house on Chatham Ave that is the basis for Adam’s very cool beach house. However, the actual setting is made up. Anyone who’s ever been up Chatham knows that there’s no forest there that would hide a house. It’s pretty open, but pretty nonetheless. Sorry. You can’t buy Adam’s house.)
Poesy’s trailer and Penny’s house exists – TRUE
I’d rather not say where it is to protect the privacy of the people who live there. It exists enough said.
Tybee Police Station is small – True
Yep. And they do actually converge somewhere for lunch most days. Or at least they used to. If you pop in to this particular restaurant, you’ll find them at their usual table.
