My little hometown in the Ozarks is charming and picturesque, brimming with activities and events, an eclectic populace and an array of shops, attractions and dining establishments that reflect our diversity of personalities, gifts and interests.

Arts of all kinds are celebrated here: visual, musical, performance, culinary. There are bike trails, galleries, quaint shops, unique attractions, all kinds of lodging, plus a wide variety of cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, wine rooms and bars.

If it sounds like I’m writing advertising copy, I used to — as part of the creative team that served the town through the ad agency CJRW (then Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods). And I’m crazy about the place. I knew I wanted to retire here by the end of my first visit, I think.

We used to refer to Eureka Springs in ad copy as a “Victorian village,” in addition to its classic moniker, “Little Switzerland of the Ozarks.” It’s inspirational in many ways beyond topography and architecture, though, and most folks who visit look forward to returning.

And its history is as colorful as the gingerbread homes that characterize its winding, hilly streets.

Eureka Springs was just the natural choice as the setting for my novel cycle for so many of these reasons and more, which you will doubtless discern as you read!