September 25, 2012 – YA Chit Chat

How far do you travel to find inspiration for your writing?

If I had copious amounts of money, I would travel to Europe and visit as many castles and ruins as humanly possible, especially in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and England. As a child, I was lucky enough to visit Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. The experience has remained with me my entire life, not only because of the opulence and sheer beauty of the palace, but more importantly because of the romantic tragedy surrounding it’s owner, King Ludwig II. I would someday like to return to the castle and experience it through the eyes of an adult with the knowledge I’ve gained over the years about this “crazy” romantic “fairy-tale” king and his very suspicious death/suicide.

Until I gather the funds necessary for travel, I have to look closer to home for inspiration for my medieval-esque tales, and where better to look than at my local Renaissance Festival.

Every Spring, I try to attend “Ren Fest”, an enchanted realm of wizards and warriors amongst gourmet treats and unforgettable entertainment. Guests are encouraged to dress up in period clothes and wander around the ‘medieval’ town where jugglers, magicians, fire eaters and specialty acts perform. One can experience live armored contact jousting, Human Chess Matches, strolling minstrels, maidens faire, peasants, fools, and Royalty. The great thing is that Ren Fest is not limited to Florida. There are Ren Fests all over the United States. If you haven’t attended a Ren Fest, I urge you to go. They are a lot of fun, you meet a lot of interesting people and you’ll come away feeling as if you’ve experienced something quite unique and entertaining.

Where have you traveled to get inspiration for your writing?