Sense of Place

I savor a book with a deep sense of place, one that can transport me through time and space. When I discover one of my writing students comes from far away, I sit up with anticipation, looking forward to where they can take me. Often I am disappointed. For the student’s home ground is so familiar to them that they cease to see it. Instead that village in the Philippines or that city on the coast of Brazil has faded to a blank backdrop for the student’s stories. A tourist can be more aware of what makes a place unique than a resident of that place. As writers we need to learn to see our home place with a tourist’s fresh eyes. Don't forget, next week, picture book author Kara LaReau http://www.karalareau.com will be a guest on my blog.