Apr
V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N
I’m hearing that oldies song in my head, where they’re singing and spelling the word vacation. I think it’s about summer vacation, but I’ll have to be satisfied with spring break. I work in a high school library and we’re off until April 28th. Usually we travel somewhere warm, but I’m basking indoors in the glow of my computer screen and aiming for a high word count this week.
But my hero is travelling—to Egypt, in fact, and I’ve got folders of research to send him on his way. Most of the story, though, is set in a village in Dorset, based on one I visited a few years ago. I was canny enough to come back with a fistful of brochures and maps, so getting the setting right has been easy. Egypt will be a whole lot trickier—maybe I’ll just have my hero toss around a few artifacts and reminisce to the heroine!
Every time I travel, I wonder how I can use the locations and experiences in my writing. How about you? Are you an armchair traveler with great Internet connections, or do you explore as much as you can firsthand? What’s the setting for your WIP? Where do you want to go on v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n?
Hi Maggie! Congrats on having some time off. My husband teaches and so he had spring break in March, but the weather was horrible and I didn’t have any time off, so we only went away for the weekend. During the summer, though, we’re almost never at home. We love to spend our weekends at the cottage, or going camping. We drive to Montreal and go visiting, or just head out to Niagara Falls to see the sights. Sometimes we’ll do a day trip to Toronto to shop or whatever.
They’re not long, exotic, expensive vacations, but it keeps us busy and keeps things interesting. We’ll be planning a trip to Italy for 2010! Yay!
April 20th, 2008 at 7:05 amOh, amore in Italy! One place I want to go, if only for the wine and pasta. My husband has been and I’m so jealous. Maybe some day. We went to Montreal two summers ago…loved it. Love Quebec City, too. And we’ve been to the Maritimes, where John’s family emigrated from (Cape Breton). I’d like to take a train across Canada—there are so many places I’d like to see!
April 20th, 2008 at 7:47 amI would love to train it across Canada too! I’ve never been out west! Montreal is a favourite place of mine, though.
I’ve been on one vacation–to VA. I’d love to see Europe and the UK.
April 20th, 2008 at 11:58 amAh, yes, Tiff…the infamous Virginia vacation! I lived there for four years and our best friends still do. My daughter Sarah was born in Williamsburg!
April 20th, 2008 at 5:56 pmSorry I’m late! I love vacations and not working. Sadly, our school vacation was last week. I love not doing anything… but going to the beach and relaxing is awesome, too.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:04 pmEly, I grew up on Jones Beach. My husband is not a sand guy though, so I’ve made the transition to lakes and pools. *g*
April 21st, 2008 at 4:17 pmI’ve done a lot of travel and try to use the settings as much as I can. One resource I’d really recommend for anyone using a foreign setting is the Lonely Planet guide books. I have quite a few and they’re well-thumbed. I’ll buy them/get them from library for places I haven’t visited as well. They’re a wonderful resource for writers.
April 24th, 2008 at 3:30 pmGreat suggestion, Shelley. I’d like to get my hands on old Baedeckers (sp?)since I write historicals. I keep thinking of A Room with a View.
April 24th, 2008 at 4:43 pm