And the food! This was my biggest surprise of the day. The unions are strict, and those hardworking folks need regular breaks. Every few hours tables full of catered food were put out. Between breaks, great bowls of fruit appeared.
I sat through a table reading of the ninth episode. Every actor read their lines from the script. They did this every day for several days. It was an opportunity for questions and so they could discuss their lines or delivery with the director.
The scenes that I saw or read were not what I wrote in the original book. The script can’t follow the book exactly. It would be confusing, too long and the meaning could be lost in translation. The screen is a completely different format. There’s no way to film a character’s thoughts or internal dialogue, so adjustments are made to make the spirit of the story fit the new format. There were things I didn’t recognize but so many new twists I wished I had thought of. It was true to the spirit of my work and it was excellent!
It was a brand-new adventure with some of my most beloved characters. And those people who see the televised series first will have the same experience when they read the books—fresh adventures with favorite characters.
I was on the set for two days and it was magical. I fell in love with everything I saw, but there were a couple of things that stood out. First of all, the extreme gratitude of the cast and crew, to the last. There were hundreds of people working on this series. We provided jobs—hundreds of them. This wasn’t something I had done alone, even if I had created the setting and characters. This was something that evolved out of the millions of readers’ love for the series.
And the second thing was nestled in the heart. One of the tradesmen asked if I’d seen the sign in the bar. He took me over to show me what he meant. A closer look revealed a slice of tree trunk with some words burned into it. “Virgin River—Built By Men Of Honor For The Women They Love.” It was perfect.
That is the spirit and essence of Virgin River—the town we all want to call home. I hope you enjoy the books and the Netflix series as much as I do. Please visit my website, robyncarr.com, for more behind-the-scenes information about the show.
If you enjoy the Virgin River series, you’ll love Sullivan’s Crossing!
Keep reading to discover this series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr.
Neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan knows she needs to slow down before she burns out completely, and the best place she can do that is the campground owned by her eccentric estranged father in rural Colorado.
What We Find
The first story in the Sullivan’s Crossing series.
Available now from MIRA.
What We Find
by Robyn Carr
Just living is not enough…
One must have sunshine, freedom,
and a little flower.
—HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
1
Maggie Sullivan sought refuge in the stairwell between the sixth and seventh floors at the far west end of the hospital, the steps least traveled by interns and residents racing from floor to floor, from emergency to emergency. She sat on the landing between two flights, feet on the stairs, arms crossed on her knees, her face buried in her arms. She didn’t understand how her heart could feel as if it was breaking every day. She thought of herself as much stronger.
“Well, now, some things never change,” a familiar voice said.
She looked up at her closest friend, Jaycee Kent. They had gone to med school together, though residency had separated them. Jaycee was an OB and Maggie, a neurosurgeon. And…they had hidden in stairwells to cry all those years ago when med-school life was kicking their asses. Most of their fellow students and instructors were men. They refused to let the men see them cry.
Maggie gave a wet, burbly huff of laughter. “How’d you find me?” Maggie asked.
“How do you know you’re not in my spot?”
“Because you’re happily married and have a beautiful daughter?”
“And my hours suck, I’m sleep-deprived, have as many bad days as good and…” Jaycee sat down beside Maggie. “And at least my hormones are cooperating at the moment. Maggie, you’re just taking call for someone, right? Just to stay ahead of the bills?”
“Since the practice shut down,” Maggie said. “And since the lawsuit was filed.”
“You need a break. You’re recovering from a miscarriage and your hormones are wonky. You need to get away, especially away from the emergency room. Take some time off. Lick your wounds. Heal.”
“He dumped me,” Maggie said.