Travel Isn't Just for Fun

 

Actually, travel can be just for fun. That’s the purpose behind Roland’s and my international vacations, although they are educational, too. But when I’m researching a book, it is serious work. And I usually get the story idea first and then do the traveling for research. This time it may have worked the other way around.

I just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania for a cousins’ reunion. It was a good time, and we enjoyed each other’s company. But while there, I began to wonder whether it was fodder for a story. The battle itself has been worked to death, but there is less about the civilians who lived in town or on local farms and were caught up in those events. I have ideas for two other books to write first, but Gettysburg is on the list of settings to think about.

The second day of the reunion centered more on the Amish. We drove around an Amish area in the morning and saw several typically Amish sights, including two schools with children out playing. Then in the afternoon we went to a production of David at the Sight and Sound Theater.

I’m not tempted to write an Amish story, however. That was done well by Beverly Lewis and followed by a flood of other authors, some better than others. I don’t see a need to join them.

But I haven’t ruled out Gettysburg.

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The first photo shows a section of the Battle of Gettysburg Cyclorama, which is a painting by Paul Phillippoteaux. It was painted in the 1880s to depict Pickett’s charge during the third day of the battle. The second picture is an Amish school during recess (or maybe physical education), taken from the window of the car I was riding in.