Girly Blog Hop 2: It's All About Location, Location, Location

You know in While You Were Sleeping when Sandra Bullock's character says it's amazing how exotic Wisconsin isn't?

Well, that line has always made me laugh, and that's because I grew up there in a very small town called Ladysmith. 

Like most small towns, Ladysmith is a lot like Cheers, a place where everyone knows your name, whether you like it or not. And when you bump into the same people day after day in a city where little, if anything, ever changes, you can't help wanting a little escape from time to time—especially when you're a creative type in training.

As long as I can remember, I've loved to read and write, and a good book always cured my insatiable travel bug. Whether it was a voyage to the seemingly otherworldly Pemberly thanks to Jane Austen or a road trip to the mean streets of New York City where Peter, Fudge and even Sheila the Great lived in Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, I always found myself enthralled by places that were far, far away. And in the absence of many opportunities to leave Ladysmith, I was able to do just that whenever I visited the local library.

So as much as I've loved exploring strange new worlds whenever I've hopped on a plane for work, fun or a bit of both, it's really no surprise that I had trouble settling on just one location for my own novels. Capitalizing on my own wanderlust, I thought the best way to give my readers many, many exciting glimpses of places exotic and otherwise was to make my protagonist, the fair Sydney Alexander, a travel writer. 

One of the many joys of writing novels is getting to invent a character's dream job, which is exactly what I did with Sydney. Whether she was sussing up the best places to eat in Belize or wandering around the hallowed haunts of London, I was able to live vicariously through what she was experiencing—and I loved every minute of it.

Now it's your turn. Like the Muppets who "traveled by map," what's been your favorite travel escape via novel and why? Leave a comment here, and you may be the winner of a very cool prize...namely, a $20.00 Starbucks gift card to satisfy your latte cravings along with a copy of one of my books...the real thing or an e-copy. And if you want a shot at even more prizes, be sure to check out the blogs from all the illustrious writers below.

Trust me, you'll be glad you did.

 

Comments

[Meredith Schorr]

Wow, that's a great prize you are offering - puts mine to shame :) I don't want to enter since I am also participating in the hop and just wanted to say "hi". The last book I read that really put me in the scene was "There" by Denise Grover Swank but "There" referred to an alternate dimension and I doubt I will ever make it there (pun intended) myself :)

[Gwen Ellery]

Thanks for sharing your hometown with us, Christa. I love the name Ladysmith. I wonder if once there was a woman who was a town's smith, and that's how she got her name?

Every place I've never been to is exotic to me. I wish I could see the whole world, but that would mean changing out of my sweats and into some jeans. :-)

[Stephanie Haefner]

I love traveling to all sorts of places in books...don't think I have a fav! I love books set in big cities, since I didn't grow up in one and they always intrigue me. I love books set in tropical locals, cause who doesn't love the beach? I really got into a couple book set on ranches...so so different from where I grew up! Learned a lot and cowboys are damn sexy! LOL!

haefner919 at yahoo dot com

[laurie g]

Thanks for sharing your hometown with us, i do like traveling but never have enough money to go where *I* would like

[email protected]

[Trix]

I enjoyed EM Lynley's Precious Gems series recently...you really get a feel for the scenery and cuisines of Thailand and Italy, plus plenty of intrigue and m/m action!

vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

[Tiffany Drew]

I could never pick just one place as a favorite. Traveling through books is the only way I travel and I can't get enough of it. Who doesn't love floating off to another place while still sitting at home in your pajamas? I love finding new cities through every book, I can't get enough!

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

[Libby Mercer]

Ooh, tough question, Christa! I don't know if I can pick a favorite, but Laura Esquivel's novel, The Law of Love comes to mind. It takes place exclusively in Mexico City, but it jumps around in time from the 16th Century to the 20th Century to the 23rd Century. Very amazing book about soul mates (twin souls) and really cool to see Mexico City in the past, present (pretty much) and future all in one book.

Fabulous post, by the way! I totally love living vicariously through my characters too. And I have to say, the name of your hometown makes me smile. Ladysmith - sounds so proper. Like, "Have you met my ladyfriend?" LOL. Thanks so much for participating in the hop!!

[Tobi H]

I love western states particularly Texas I was born there but my family moved back to VA when I was 11 months old. So I love learning about it in books how different authors view it and other western states!

Thanks for the amazing giveaway
tobihelton at gmail dot com

[Jess1]

What a good question. It's hard to answer, but maybe England to visit the area of Mr. Darcy's home in Pride and Prejudice.

strive4bst(At)yahoo(dot) com

[ST Bende]

Thanks for sharing your hometown with us. I love visiting Hogwarts again and again. I never get tired of those books, and I'd love to find myself in Honeydukes... Though I'm not brave enough to try Bertie Botts Beans!

[Julie Valerie (@JBValerie)]

In 2013, I want to travel to exotic places with Adriana Trigiani for the "chick lit" reasons cited here: http://tinyurl.com/ahsv5ox

A few months ago, I read Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani as part of a neighborhood book club and loved it. Valentine Angelini takes us from Italy to Argentina capturing the sites and sounds of the locals.

What can be better than that! Seriously, though, after (or during) this Hop - check out what the http://tinyurl.com/ahsv5ox article says about this author as a leading Chick Lit writer. Very interesting.

[Celina K]

Wow, tough question! I am really not sure that I have a favorite travel escape via novel! I suppose it would have to be the classics, those are the ones in which the location seems to effect me the most. So that narrows it down to Russian literature or English Literature. Ohhh, the choices! I think I'll have to go with the moors of northern England. Or St. Petersburg. Oh, or James Michener's Poland! Okay the more I type the less specific I will be, so I will leave it at that :)

dreammie_angel at yahoo dot com

[Samantha Stroh Bailey]

I love how you describe your hometown, Christa. And "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing"? Who can forget that? Great post!

[Grace cartwright Aspinwall]

I love to be "over the pond" with the shopaholic books ;)
They satisfy my craving for shopping and travel! Sophie kinsella is a master!

[email protected]

[Lisamarie]

The last two books that left an impression of I'd love to travel via novel... How I came to Sparkle Again..set in snowy mountains of Colorado Ski town & Hemingways Girl .. set in the Keys.

[kimberly holgate]

one book was set in a small town in Alaska i liked the quietness and isolation.
kaholgate at ymail dot com

[Gale Martin]

Hi, Christa!

I very much enjoyed your blog hop post. I think having your pro be a travel writer is a winning premise--fun to research (but also exhausting, I'll bet). I love to travel to England and the UK via books. Also I like visiting in a different time period, which good books allow you to do as well. There was nothing romanticized about the England portrayed in the novel Fingersmith, but it was riveting nonetheless.

Great stopping by!!

[Shannon R]

My favorite place to "travel" to in a book is always Russia. Past or present it is a such a vast and fascinating country.

[Bridget O'Neill]

I'm such a dork that my favorite place I've "traveled" to in books was probably Hogwarts, because that's where one would learn magic :)

[email protected]

[Francine]

Great post. I have always wanted to travel "by map" like the Muppets. Perhaps "by book" really is the best way to travel the world. Thanks for sharing!

[Marlena Fein]

I honestly cannot think of a book that has "taken" me somewhere. I think I focus more on stories of emotions than travel. The one book that I recall very pointedly where it was set however is called ROOM. It was a horribly traumatizing soul-wrenching read where a little boy grew up in an 11X11 room. I am like you however, I love to travel. I think I have been to over half of the US states and have been fortunate enough to see France and Spain. I love to travel and experience new things. This hop has been a blast!

Thanks for the great giveaway,
Marlena
charmedpoms(at)yahoo(dot)com

[Caitie Quinn]

I'm with Meredith about how great your prize is - I'm put to shame also :)

I'm just commenting to say YES! I know that small town childhood. People are still shocked I decided to go away to college instead of marrying the boy next door.

Still the best decision ever ;)

[Christa]

I absolutely loved, loved, loved reading all your replies. :) So glad I could share Ladysmith with all of you...plus hearing about your favorite places was such a joy. Thanks for reading and participating...announcing the winner as we speak. :)