SEEING THE WORLD WITH A TWIST

I want to welcome our Guest Blogger, Twist Phelan, who is someone who is always on the go. It's almost as if she's on permanent vacation, except that—in addition to being an intrepid traveler—she is also a publisher and a quite well-disciplined writer. But you don't have to take my word for it. Just read on! IcelandWanderlust is one of those great words borrowed from the German language (cf., schadenfreude, entlistungsfreude). Not-so-great romcom aside (sorry, Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston), the word gives most of us good feelings. It's that desire you feel from within to get out there and explore: to see the world, to daydream about all the places you could go.
About three years ago, I stopped daydreaming and started traveling (again, that is; I lived on a boat for ten years in my thirties and spent that time going around the world). I've visited over fifty countries, including Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Morocco, Germany, Croatia, Iceland, Australia, Thailand, Finland, Norway, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Greece, Ireland, India, the U.A.E., Switzerland, South Africa, Netherlands, England, and Austria, to name, well, more than a few. 
IndiaHow do I choose where to go? To me there are two kinds of destinations: On-The-Page and Off-the-Page. I try to travel to Off-The-Page places, with perhaps a two- or three-day stopover at an On-The-Page spot en route.
What in the heck am I talking about? It’s pretty well explained in the scene in The Guilt Trip (another movie reference; sorry!) where Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand are standing in front of the Grand Canyon. Barbra exclaims, “I always wanted to see the Grand Canyon!” and Seth enthusiastically agrees. After an awkward pause, Barbra says, “Um, how long are we supposed to look at it?”
While I was pretty wowed by the Grand Canyon, I’ve had the same reaction to other landmarks. When it comes to some destinations, I can get almost as much satisfaction through reading about them or looking at pictures on the web as I do by seeing them in real life.
For example—and I know many will disagree with me — I’m not a huge fan of the south of France. I don’t dislike it, but I don’t go out of my way to visit. I like looking at the beach at Cannes on Google Images about as much as I like looking at it in person. On the other hand, plunk me down in any town in Italy or Spain, and I am so enamored of the people/buildings/food/language/lifestyle, I immediately start trying to figure out how I can spend several months a year there, if not relocate permanently. The days fly by and too soon it is time to leave. As soon as I arrive home, I’m already planning how I’m going to return.
ItalyHow do I fit writing into a life of what might seem like perpetual vacation? Early on I realized it would be easy to make an excuse to not write. ("But I'm in Paris!") As a result, it has become a must-do-every-day + first-thing-in-the-morning thing. (Rather like when you're a kid, and your mother says you can go out to play after you finish your homework.)
So that's what I've done these past four years. The result? This year I launched the Finn Teller Corporate Spy mystery series. Finn Teller is a tough, funny, and independent woman with a high-risk, high-impact job. She is a corporate spy whose friends and family can never know just how dangerous a job she has.
Finn works for Strategic Information Associates, a CIA for private business. Her job ranges from ferreting out dishonest employees to discovering competitor’s plans to solving problems when the principals would rather not call law enforcement. Her biggest challenge is staying on the right side of the law—or at least not getting caught on the wrong side.
Finn's personal life is no less challenging. She favors men with jobs that take them away from home (and the relationship) as much as hers does—professional athlete, international consultant, CIA agent, and currently Luc, a Paris-based war correspondent.
The books are set in various countries around the world. The first, FAKE, is set in Italy and Croatia. The second, EXIT, takes place in Greece. I also write a travel blog at www.twistphelan.com, chronicling my adventures on the road.
 So how about you? What are some of your favorite Off-The-Page places?

Thriller Award-winning author Twist Phelan is a modern nomad, telling stories as she travels the world. She is the author of FAKE, EXIT, and the soon-to-be-released DOUBT in the Finn Teller corporate spy mystery series. Follow her travels and writing news at http://twistphelan.com/ , on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/twistphelan ), or Twitter ( @twistphelan ).