A Good Book

A dear friend gave me a fantastic book to help me prepare for and make the most of my travels. The title is Writing Away. It's a lovely little guide to journaling about your adventures. The author, Lavinia Spaulding, provides oodles of hints and ideas to make your journal fun and layered. Because of this book I started blogging prior to my trip rather than waiting until the the plane takes off.

While on the topic of books here are a couple of reads to wet your travel appetite.

• Paris, My Sweet takes you through a year+ with Amy Thomas  as she works and lives in Paris sampling pastries and chocolates along the way.

• The Shoemaker's Wife  is by Adriana Trigiani and if you haven't read anything by her, you must go now, and read Big Stone Gap. Yes, it's a mushy love story but it's smart and fun and set in the Blue Ridge mountains. I can almost imagine the fall leaves crunching under my shoes now as I think about it. The Shoemaker's Wife is more of an epic novel spanning the lives of several characters, but no less captivating or endearing. I've added a chalet in the Italian alps to my travels because of this book.