It’s no secret I read a lot. And books have varying effects on me. At times I’m inspired. Often, I’m challenged. And sometimes, reading a story just makes me want to travel.
Here are five authors who make me want to get on a plane or a train and see the world after reading one of their books.
1. Tracy Higley. Her latest book is set in first-century Ephesus (pictured below).
She’s set her books throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean, including Greece and Jordan. Every time I finish one of her books, I think about renewing my passport and saving up for a tour of biblical proportions.
2. Dani Pettrey. I’m no fan of cold weather, but she makes Alaska sound like an amazing place to visit. I’m not really into winter sports, either, but her books have put Alaska on my travel map.
3. MaryLu Tyndall. I’m new to her sailing adventures, but she makes sailing the high seas seem adventurous and fun, even if it’s also risky and terrifying. Her most recent series follows a group of Southerners to Brazil after the Civil War. Add Brazil to the travel map, please.
4. Liz Curtis Higgs. Scotland, oh Scotland, how little I appreciated you when I had the chance to visit. Her stories are dreamy, among other things, and my heart longs to see the sights of Scotland again.
5. Colleen Coble. Whether she’s writing about lighthouses or beaches, she inspires me to take a relaxing vacation, even if the stories she writes are suspenseful and not altogether relaxing.
I need few excuses to want to travel. It’s a good thing budget, time and family keep me more tethered. At least with stories, I can dream a little.