Visiting Far-Off Lands

One of my favorite parts of my job is that I get to learn about and read about different places all over the country. Home to HeatherCreek [1] is set in the middle of Nebraska—a place I’ve never visited, but can picture in crystal-clear quality. Its history and its culture and scenery are real to me. I feel like I know this place.

Mystery and the Minister’s Wife [2], our bestselling mystery series, is set in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Eastern Tennessee. The place comes alive through the pages of the book, and even though it’s another place I’ve never visited, I feel like I get to go there every time I crack open the spine of one of the books. I probably know more about Eastern Tennessee than most people who live there.

I know readers of our Tales From Grace Chapel Inn [3] series feel this way about Acorn Hill—we get letters all the time from readers who want to go there themselves!

Today I was working on a series set on the rocky coast of Maine. I felt the cool ocean breeze. I smelled the briny seaside air. I could see the place in my mind (with the help of some pictures I found online and memories of ancient episodes of Murder, She Wrote).

Even though the town I set the fictional series in was made up, it felt real to me after I’d spent so many days researching and creating the fictional town. When I finally had to turn my attention to another task, I felt a little sad, like I was leaving a place I loved.

This is what I love about reading. It can sweep you away to a whole different place. Who needs to travel with so many good books in the world? 

Beth Adams is the creator and editor of GUIDEPOSTS' Home to Heather Creek [1] fiction series.