This month certainly flew by….

We spent many days traveling–lots of road time! If any of you have driven across the country, then you know what it’s like. I’m always amazed at the difference in terrain from one state to the next. We saw everything from desert-like baren land to lush mountains covered in trees and even a little remaining snow.

This photo was taken just outside of Deer Lodge, Montana. If you’ve read my series, “His Heart’s Long Journey,” then you might recognize the city name. When I saw the road sign, I just had to take the photo! I love seeing in person where my characters ventured.

There’s so much beauty in this country! People often ask me if I’d consider moving back to Idaho–even my husband asked me that question on this trip. Yes, Northern Idaho is gorgeous and I grew up there, but now that I’ve lived in Tennessee for more than thirty years, it’s home. I enjoyed spending time where I lived in my youth, but a lot of it has changed. The area grew up, too! Coeur d’Alene (where I lived right before moving to Tennessee), has more than doubled in population. It made me a little sad to see all the congestion. However, people that have no idea what it was like in “the old days” absolutely love it. They’ve embraced the mountains and lakes and the city’s pristine beauty. I preferred it before all the high-rises filled the downtown landscape.

Here’s a photo taken going into Coeur d’Alene. It truly is gorgeous!

I fully understand the saying “Home is Where the Heart Is.” My heart is here in the South with my husband and my sweet dog, Jax. I’m at peace here, and at my age, I see that as a very good thing! I don’t need any kind of fast-paced life anymore. Maybe that’s what I saw changed in my old home town. The place is ‘buzzing’ more than it used to. It’s still fun to visit, but I’m happy to be home.

I often wonder about the people who live way out in the vastness of states such as South Dakota and Wyoming, where houses dot the landscape here and there. Miles and miles between each one. For me, that’s too laid back! Too quiet and no ‘buzz’ at all. But I’m sure the people who grew up there and still embrace it would feel stifled in my small town in Tennessee. It’s things like this that inspire my stories.

I’ll be giving a workshop next month at a writer’s conference in Clarksville, TN, that centers around the concept that a character’s environment blends with the character to make them who they are. Lily Larsen, from my book “Whispers from the Cove,” would be a completely different person if she had been raised in St. Louis, MO, rather than in the Smoky Mountains. Our environment definitely shapes us–as do the people that surround us. I’m excited to lead this workshop!

Think about your favorite stories and try to imagine your characters in a different setting. Let me know what you think! Would it completely change the story?

I’d also love to hear what drew you to live where you are. Is it where you grew up, or were you “transplanted” there?

You’ll be glad to know that “Ardent Adelia” is rolling right along. I took time off from writing while on my trip, but I’m back at it again and excited to bring her story to you!

Thank you for sharing all my adventures with me!

HUGS!

Jeanne