Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Traveling in My Mind

I’m gone. So sorry, but I’m not really here.

I’m off in a land of make-believe; a land that may have very little to do with reality as we know it. My nose is leaving sticky prints on the glass of the world created by the author of the book I’m currently reading.

Whether the place is populated by blue-skinned aliens, Egyptian goddesses, or plain old folk from Texas; this world has been built detail by detail to enchant me.

How I love to be enchanted!

How I strive to enchant in return. Whether my setting is the urban Toronto of my Painted Ladies series or the fictitious small town of my Clarence Bay series, I seek details that will capture my reader’s imagination.

Deep Forest

FreeDigitalPhotos.net/dan

The crunch of biscotti and the bitter taste of espresso seat a reader at the bistro table with Caterina, my Italian heroine. The scents of sun on pine trees and rain-soaked earth take a reader for a walk in the woods with Ryan, my small-town hero.

Other than a description of setting, a turn of phrase evokes a time and place. You wouldn’t expect Regency cant to come from the mouth of a cowboy or to occupy his thoughts. Unless, he was a time traveler. Hmm, is there a story in there?

At the moment, I’m traveling in eighteenth-century London with a nobleman just returned from the New World.

Where are you and who are you with?

Joan Leacott

Heart, humour, and heat... Canada style

12 comments:

Dawn Marie Hamilron said...

Nice post, Joan. I'm currently traveling back in time from the lush gardens of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the stark beauty of the Scottish Highlands of 1511 to avenge a wrong with my hero of one of my WIPs, the second in my unpubbed Garden Gate series.

Unknown said...

I'm on Discworld, a Renaissance-esque flat world of small-minded gods and incompetent wizzards(sic). balanced on the back of 4 huge elephants that ride on a giant turtle swimming through space. I'm currently reading the 26th Discworld novel. Luckily Sir Terry writes faster than I can read, so the 27th awaits me. ;-D

Helen Scott Taylor said...

I'm currently reading a non-fiction book about the history of the reasearch and interpretation of pehistoric cave paintings. This is writen like a detective novel and as good at transporting me to far off places as any novel.

Claudia D'Angelo said...

Hi Joan - unfortunately I'm in my den...what a downer...I'd rather be on Lake Cuomo with George Clooney or in the Australian outback with Hugh Jackman, but I have to unpack, do laundry and paint my son's room. Ugh...I hate reality!

Claudia D'Angelo

Jill James said...

I'm shivering in the snow of Idaho. Stuck in a deserted village with Maura Isles of Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen.

Joan Leacott said...

Hi Dawn Marie, Glad you liked it. Your Garden Gate world sounds fascinating. Is your hero avenging a relative?

Joan Leacott said...

Hey Storm, Elephants on a turtle swimming through space. Wow!

Joan Leacott said...

Helen, Will you use the research for an upcoming novel?

Joan Leacott said...

Claudia, I like the way you think!

Joan Leacott said...

Jill, a little shivering sounds good on a hot summer afternoon. Thanks for stopping by.

Josie said...

Joan,
I've been traveling around Tudor England for several years with my historical manuscripts. Lately I've been traversing the Pennsylvania Dutch country. Thanks for the great post.

Joan Leacott said...

You're welcome Joanne. Penn Dutch? Are more historicals coming from this or was it for fun?