Traveling Through Stories

Someone once asked me if all my novels are set in travel locations. I thought it an odd question at first, since many of my books are set in places I’ve lived—Colorado, Minnesota, and Washington D.C. However, the more I thought about it, I realized that all book settings could be places where people may want to visit and explore.

For the most part, I write about places I have been, such as where I’ve lived or visited on vacation—like the Southwestern States, a South Carolina beach, and tropical islands from a cruise ship.

I personally find it easier to write vivid descriptions when I’ve experienced a place by observing the landscape and plants, enjoying the foods, understanding the climate, and just truly soaking in the atmosphere.

But an author certainly doesn’t have to have visited a place to write about it. Many authors bring a book to life through their research. Whatever the case may be, a book’s setting can really elevate a story to the next level, whisking the reader away through the details.

Sometimes it’s fun to read a story set in a place I’ve been. For instance, when I read Andrea Rodgers story, Saving Mount Rushmore, memories of visiting Mount Rushmore when my children were young came flooding back to me. Or, while reading Amanda Lauer’s time-travel romance Royal and Ancient, the breath-taking descriptions of the Scottish Highlands made me smile as I thought of a recent family adventure to Scotland.

While those settings were like visiting an old friend, detailed descriptions can also be a wonderful way to transport readers to places they’ve never been.

For instance, I’ve never been to Africa, but through Sarah Robsdottir’s, Brave Water, I could feel the despair of the African village—the dryness, the heat, and the brutally long journey to find a fresh water source. The descriptions in T.M. Gaouette’s middle-grade novel, Destiny of Sunshine Ranch, were so vivid, it was easy to close my eyes and picture myself at a beautiful horse ranch surrounded by rolling hills. And, when reading The Last Viking by Susan Peek, I could almost feel the movement of the turbulent waves, right alongside St. Magnus as he made his treacherous voyage across rough seas.

This summer, whether you want to relive the memories of a place you’ve been or be swept away to a new location, let one of our stories take you on that journey.

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About the author: Leslea Wahl is a Colorado native who loves to travel with her family. She strives to write entertaining stories that encourage teens to grow in their faith. Finding a way to intertwine her passions by creating adventurous mysteries with positive Christian messages for today's youth has been an incredible blessing. Leslea also has become an advocate for families by reviewing faith-based teen novels on her website. 

images from Pixabay