Wednesday, 6 January 2010

The Romance of far-away places

Bologna from the Torre degli Asinelli (photo by Calca from Wikimedia Commons)Many writers I know write about their own local areas and places. I love to write about far-away places. The pull and lure of the unknown always intrigues me. So I either write about the past - a different kind of far-off place where manners, customs, fashions are all different, like my medieval and ancient world books - or I write about distant lands.

I love Yorkshire as a place to live. It's where most of my family are. I love the landscape and the people. Yet, in my writing, I find I am most excited by the glamour of the different. For me, the grass over the other side of the fence really is greener!

Having studied European history, I tend to be drawn to the lands of the classical Greeks and Romans. The light and dry heat of Greece always amazes me and the wild-flowers and ruins and the fiercely passionate people all inspire me. Italy is a country I love for its culture, food, mix of ancient and modern and sense of family. Both places to me seem ripe for romance and adventure: their men folk are often impossibly handsome and open and engaging. Very appealing!

I wrote about the Greek island of Rhodes in my sweet romance, A Secret Treasure and about Italy and especially Italian bread and sweets in my newly published Holiday in Bologna. This Christmas we had panettone as a cake, with soft mascarpone cheese. Delicious!

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8 comments:

Kaye Manro said...

I love far-away places too, Lindsay. I even like to invent my own places/worlds for the sci fi rom I write. History as well as science play roles in the research.

Julia Rachel Barrett said...

I love to read about far away places, but I tend to set my stories in places I'm familiar with - even if those places are only in dreams. Stories about the ancient world fascinate me.

Lindsay Townsend said...

Hi Kaye - I agree with all you say!

Hi Julia - I agree- and I also love well-researched stories that are close to home: the author brings a reality that is superb. And stories from dreams are often the best!

William Dunigan said...
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Jane Richardson said...

Hey Lindsay, well, you know me and my faraway places too! I love how you describe your places.
We had panettone at Christmas too, mind you, I could eat it every day....Italian bread and sweets, yes, please.
Off to buy 'Holiday' right now!

Jane x

Lindsay Townsend said...

Thanks, Jane! I loved your PERFECT STRANGERS, set in beautiful Venice in Winter! I'm looking forward to more of your Italian settings!


I agree about Italian sweets - yummy! I especially love Cassata, the ice cream cake.

Mona Risk said...

Lindsay, I love traveling. As a result I favor reading and writing stories set in foreign places. Any romance set in Europe has my seal of approval. I will look for your Perfect Strangers.

Lindsay Townsend said...

Hi Mona! I love traveling, too, including 'armchair travel' via books.
It's our fellow author Jane Richardson who has written Perfect Strangers. It's a super read.