by Kat Latham
Every keen reader knows how it feels to lose themselves in a completely different world—whether that’s JRR Tolkien’s hobbity Middle-earth, or the snappy, witty Regency England of Julia Quinn’s imagination.
Isn’t escape one of the biggest reasons genre fiction is so popular? It transports us to another time and place, inserts us into another person’s problems, and allows us to escape our own for a few hours.
That’s certainly one of the main reasons I read.
A talented author can build a world in one novel, but a brilliant author will spin that world out into several books until it’s as real as any character.
A few weeks ago, I asked you which character from a novel you’d bring to life for a week, and some people said they prefer to keep characters in books where they belong.
This week, I’m giving you the chance to step into any author’s fictional world. Unless you discover a magic potion, you can stay there for only a week, so don’t worry that you’ll spend the rest of your life smothered in the noxious body odors of sweaty, velvet-clad men in a Regency ballroom.
Contemporary romance is my first love, and I didn’t have to think hard about this question to know that I’d join Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ football team. Well, I wouldn’t be one of the players. That would require running, a fate worse than death.
SEP’s Chicago Stars are funny, intelligent men who occasionally act like complete boneheads. They’re exactly the kind of men I’d be friends with (hey, I’m happily married, so I can’t picture anything more than that, right?). More than that, the women they fall in love with are hilarious and down to earth.
Give me a week working in the back office with Phoebe and Dan Calebow. I want to hear Dan’s southern accent and see Phoebe’s outrageous outfits. I want to have a barbeque at Kevin and Molly Tucker’s house. I’ll even bring my own tofu to grill.
That may sound like a boring way to spend a week (and my colleagues probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that my fantasy involves working), but I’d love to go to a game and watch the men I know beat another team.
As long as they’re not playing the Chargers.
When I was in high school, I was the statistician (aka biggest nerd in school) for our football team. I traveled on the team bus and got a huge (perverse) thrill out of recording how many yards our players made in every offensive move. The position combined my passions for math and screaming at the top of my lungs.
That’s what I would do if I stepped into the Chicago Stars’ world for a week. I’d keep statistics for the team.
God, I’m a dork.
Which author’s fictional world would you step into for a week? What would you do there? Do you think you’d want to come back to your own world after vacationing in an entirely different one? Comment and enter to win Jacquie D’Alessandro’s SUMMER AT SEASIDE COVE.
Kat Latham has been reading romance for a couple of decades. With degrees in English lit and human rights, she loves stories that reflect the depth, humor and emotion of real life. When she’s not writing contemporary romance novels, she can usually be found blogging or tweeting overly personal information. She loves meeting other readers and writers online, so follow her on Twitter or check out her blog and say hello!
Wow hard question! I’d love to be in Donna Grant’s Dark Swords world, it combines my hot warriors with Scotland and history…………or Sue-Ellen Welfonder’s Highlands….there are so many, maybe Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter’s world………… such a hard question! As for what I’d do there, I’d take notes on the history, in Kenyon’s I’d probably just drool like a dork. And I’d certainly want to come back! I might love those worlds but I”d never want to truly LIVE in them.
hugs,
WendyK
I would like to step back in time in Victoria Alexander’s Regency world. Especially in her book The Perfect Mistress. I would like to be challengd by the rules and mores of that time period to see if I could motivate my way though. Who wouldnt’ want to be confronted by a rake?
I would step back into the Regency period and want to be a houseguest of the Bridgerton’s. I want to sit at the table while the younger children throw peas, I want to lounge in the sitting room as Lady Whistledown’s paper is read, I want to read what Eloise is writing, I want to walk the Serpentine! Unfortunately, I don’t think I would ever want to come back though.
I would love to step into the world of J.D Robb’s in death series. I would like see what its like to live in 2050s and I’m not sure if i do want stay there more than a week.
I would like to spend some time in the world Gail Carriger created for her Soulless series featuring Alexia Tarabotti. Experiencing 18th century England but with this alternate universe/paranormal twist? Much more fun! I would want to be Alexia’s friend and get a good look at her special umbrella and all the other fun gadgets. But I would definitely want to come home.
Oh tough one to choose it would either be Jeanienne Frost Night Huntress World and have the time of my life with Ian or Charliane Harris’s Southern Vampire Series and have my Eric in my grasp. Would I want to come back? If I could take my kids with me then nope. I would be very happy living with vampires and creatures that go bump in the night. Not to mention a lot of hotties.
I think I would visit Robyn Carr’s Virgin River. It has a lot of nice people and the descriptions are beautiful.
For one week, I’d like to visit JDRobb’s In Death series–you know, hang out with Eve and Roarke and Peabody. I’m such a homebody, I’d probably be stuck in the house with Sommerset and the cat! But I’m sure it would be an interesting week.
I agree with LSU reader. i want to go forward into JD Robb’s IN Death books. i would love to check out that wonderful house and meet Rourke
Fun question….so many wonderful fictional worlds to choose from. Would have to pick Lisa Kleypas’ new Friday Harbor series. It features the San Juan Islands. What a lovely and magical setting!
Right now I think I would like to go to Kaki Warner’s western world for a week. I would be stalking me some cowboys for sure. I don’t think I would want to stay there but to visit would be great. Also would love to go to the Scotish highlands for a week would be great.
What an interesting topic Kat! I think it would be fun to step into a Lisa Klepas novel. Her heroes are so romantic, I love the settings of her books and the characters! I also think it would be fun to step into a Harlequin Presents book! All that glamor, drama, passion, foreign locales, and sexy heroes! 🙂
Thanks for the wonderful giveaway! I love Jacquie D’Alessandro’s books. This one looks great and what a pretty cover it has!
What a fun question to consider! If I were going back in time, I would like to step into Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton family. I love that family! Mary Balogh’s Bedwyns would also be fascinating to visit with for a while.
Now if I stay in my own time, I would visit Nora Roberts’ Bride Quartet’s friends and their bridal business.
I like the towns Debbie Macomber describes in her books. Don’t have a particular fav but the people are all so connected, they care. I would just live life & hopefully make some friends there. Like a relaxing holiday…
Wow, Kat, that is a good question. I have so many places I would love to “step” into. I guess I would step into Toni Blake’s town of Destiny. It would be nice if I had my way and meet a sexy bad boy like Lucky who really turns out to be a softy. *sigh* if only life worked that way. I think I would hang with the locals and relax. Mostly likely, I would be at the lake like Jen was in the first book in the series.
The very first romances I read were the medieval Highland stories by Julie Garwood. I’d go there in a minute. the Highland, strong men of honor in kilts ready to protect and be driven crazy by the strong women they love. I am sure I would come back, but maybe I could bring one with me : )
I think that is the whole point of a vacation is to forget about everything. you go someone new and no one knows you. You get to relax and not think about work and all the other worries. You get to relax, sit in the sun, spend time with your family. No school for the kids. Just peace and quite. most of the time.
I would love to win so please choose me. thanks for the giveaway.
christinebails@yahoo.com
Sorry forgot to actally answer the question. i would have to say that i would step into johanna lindseys world of the Malory family. They seem very close and i am all about family. they love each other no matter what and always have each other if needed.