Travel Back in Time
I haven’t been able to go to Richmond, Virginia where my novel is set. I’d love to visit the sites where the action took place, but a lot of that is gone now. My next best thing is to visit the actual sites as they appeared when my story takes place in 1864 through photographs of the locations and people who lived there.
My main character, Annie Campbell, walked the dusty sidewalks of Richmond, shopped at its stores and sold eggs at its restaurants. I imagine myself standing in her boots as she watches prisoners of war march down the street to Libby Prison. I can see Libby Prison as it was then and imagine Matthew Cooper escaping from Rat Hell on February 9, 1864. I can read contemporaneous newspaper articles that describe the escape of 109 prisoners of war and how it was accomplished under the noses of the guards.
Viewing old photos not only have given me a glimpse of the people who lived there but also of the city which is a character of its own. Our locations are important and giving them life whether they really existed or are a figment of our imagination helps the reader immerse themselves in the world we create.
A Disloyal Element
My main character, Annie Campbell, walked the dusty sidewalks of Richmond, shopped at its stores and sold eggs at its restaurants. I imagine myself standing in her boots as she watches prisoners of war march down the street to Libby Prison. I can see Libby Prison as it was then and imagine Matthew Cooper escaping from Rat Hell on February 9, 1864. I can read contemporaneous newspaper articles that describe the escape of 109 prisoners of war and how it was accomplished under the noses of the guards.
Viewing old photos not only have given me a glimpse of the people who lived there but also of the city which is a character of its own. Our locations are important and giving them life whether they really existed or are a figment of our imagination helps the reader immerse themselves in the world we create.
A Disloyal Element
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