Travel is Always an Inspiration

My husband and I recently returned from a short - too short - trip to Italy. I took that sketchbook I told you about and used it as an illustrated notebook (Tom: 'Why do you always draw me with only three little hairs on top of my head?') I'm not so good with journals because I don't get into a lot of detail unless the mood hits me - and it sometimes does - but I like to jot down the daily events along with feelings I might have about something I see, or an observation or two about a piece of art or architecture. What I also do is jot down ideas for stories. It's quite surprising how a street, a view or a bit of local history can spark an idea. In Venice I learned some social history I hadn't known before that would add colour and authenticity to a work of fiction. And, of course, we had adventures - small ones, I admit - but an adventure is an adventure. It's all material for a story. The question is, which story?