Influences of Travel

It’s no secret that my stories are heavily influenced by my experiences traveling. I spent six months between high school and college backpacking around Europe and living in northern Italy. I also spent my junior year in Finland and am now living in Ecuador. All have helped shape elements in my books to one degree or another.

So, I wasn’t surprised when my recent trip to London and North Wales resulted in my revising some locales in my current WIP. Nothing changes in the story, but visiting Conwy Castle, the crypts in St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Sharpenhoe hill fort has helped me refine some details.

For example, the first thing that hit me when entering St. Pauls’s was the thick smell of incense throughout the entire cathedral. That’s a nice detail to add to a scene where a character finds an underground temple, hidden beneath a cemetery. The crypts also had elaborate mosaics covering most of the floors, another detail I’ll add.

Do these improve the story? Well, not really, but visceral details like a distinct smell or the way the ceiling oil lamps blacken the vaulted arches can make a place come alive in a reader’s head.

You should always bring something back with you when you travel. Writers should bring back more.