One of the fun things about being an author is creating the world my characters live in. World-building is a must in plotting a book, whether it’s an elaborate, epic fantasy or a fictional town nestled in the mountains where I have set my newest romance series. Either way, a hearty imagination comes in handy.

Think about the books you’ve read and loved, like the classic stories created by J.R.R. Tolkien or C. S. Lewis. These books capture our senses, our craving for a well-told story. I love historical fiction, and while it is based in reality, the writer still has to create the world he or she is introducing me to. Contemporary fiction also must pull in a reader, without feeling like we’re dragged into the daily life we’re trying to escape from.  Any good story has its foundation in a creative mind.

I create my world, the characters who inhabit it and also what happens to them. Sometimes these ideas pop into my head and form easily, other times I have a mere whisper of an idea and have to really work on how I want to portray that world.  But I enjoy getting lost in the creation and hopefully when my book is finished, the reader is swept away for a few happy hours.

A few weeks ago my daughter and I were at EPCOT and stumbled upon this miniature village. As I took these pictures, the tiny houses and trains reminded me of how I love to be transported when I read a book. How descriptions and clever details can make the story so much more of an adventure. It’s why we read anyway, to escape to a new world, whether totally make-believe or set in a current reality.

Consider the book you’re reading right now. You might be the type of reader who devours a book in no time at all or one who reads slowly to stretch out the enjoyment. Hours can pass without you realizing how long you’ve been lost in the book. All because an author created a world you couldn’t pull yourself from.

Yes, that is a perk of the job.

Look of my next book, Stealing Her Best Friend’s Heart, available  August 2021.

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her next Harlequin Heartwarming romance, available August 2021. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter and receive a link to download a free digital book.