In the fall of 2019 I spent several weeks researching a mystery series set in a small village in the North Yorkshire Dales. The locals who own the shops depend on tourist trade from daily bus tours and mountain bike groups. In early 2020 villagers sent out a plea for the tourists to please stay […]
Kristi Holl
Begin as You Mean to Go On
I’ve been home from my England research trip for six weeks now. My cottage writing table next to my fireplace is such a fond memory! I was determined to carry on with my good writing and health habits as soon as I got home. I had felt so well in England, while also accomplishing so […]
Put Out to Pasture—Or Not?
(Published on the ACFW blog page October 31, 2019) I just returned from a research trip in the Yorkshire Dales in northern England, the setting of my historical work-in-progress. It was my second time to stay in this small village, whose buildings date back to the 1600’s. I wrote, I visited museums, and I hiked […]
ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: Oct. 22
England, Oct. 22: Was 43 degrees today with a wind chill of -70 (just kidding, but it felt like it!) Luckily, for my outdoor research trip today, I had my long johns, heavy boots, sweaters, mittens and parka. I took the train to the Ribblehead Viaduct about five miles away to study where the navvies […]
ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: Oct. 21
England, Oct. 21: My last week in Settle already! It has gone so very fast! Learned so much about the railroad today from the man running the shop in the station.(And bought more books to mail home.) Photos include the train station, the station master’s house beside it, the old coal house, and the old […]
ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: Oct. 15-17
England, Oct. 15-17: Very little rain, down to 39 degrees last night, but sunny. Perfect for hiking, riding, running…very active village! So many social events available…there’s a 59-page booklet of activities just for October! They have clubs and groups for every possible interest. The Victorian Hall, a music hall from 1853 that has never been […]
ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: October 13-14
England, Oct. 13-14: Two more beautiful days in the Dales! Lots of writing, lots of hiking, lots of neat little discoveries: another telephone booth turned into a gallery (this time a listening gallery of recorded poems by local poets that you can “dial up”). I hiked some steep hills–I’m getting stronger–with great views for miles […]
ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: October 11-12
England, Oct. 11-12 Images from the local church yard research, lots of walks, fields of new streams from all the rain, fall color, cows and sheep who ignore you as you travel public foot paths right beside them, and more. I watched part of a 10-mile foot race, people of all ages RUNNING up and […]
ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: October 9-11
England, Oct. 9-11: The last three days have been fun for me, but writing 15,000+ words and researching at a museum isn’t everybody’s idea of a thrilling trip. But it sure is mine! It has rained a lot the last few days, so I wrote, walked when it quit raining, then repeated over and over. […]
ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: October 8
England, October 8: Another lovely writing day and walking day… Tuesdays are Market Days. There were about twenty market stalls in the center of town: all kinds of fresh loaves of bread, local cheeses in big wheels… …and a huge variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables all. There were all kinds of […]