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18 September 2016

Roseanna M. White -- Traveling Abroad

Author Roseanna M. White
Traveling Abroad -- by Roseanna M. White

In celebration of our 15th anniversary, my husband and I took a trip to England and France with the kids, fulfilling a lifelong dream.

When we planned the trip, I purposefully chose some things that I knew would be similar to what my characters would experience in England. 

We visited the Cotswolds, which is where almost the entirety of A Lady Unrivaled is set, toured a few manor houses, wandered the woods and gardens on the estates. And I was thrilled to discover that my descriptions of the area, gleaned from watching videos and studying photographs, was spot on. 
As we walked the wooded paths and got turned around and had to choose between directions, I had to look over at my husband and say, “See? This is why Ella got lost so often!”


What I hadn’t realized was that when we went to Paris, we’d also be walking in the fictional footprints of my characters. In A Lady Unrivaled, there are a total of three scenes not in the Cotswolds, and they’re all in Paris. I’d done enough research (much of it via a friend who’d spent a lot of time there) to be able to describe the streets my characters were on. 

But it was unexpectedly great to walk those streets and see what they would have seen. See the signs for the museum I feature. Stroll along the Champs-Elysee as they did.


Traveling to another country is always interesting—and though my French is terrible (though sufficient for ordering in a restaurant, LOL), my characters wouldn’t have had that problem. They would have taken a boat to France where I took a train (then a train into Paris itself), there would have been more horses and fewer automobiles, but the feel of the old city would have been largely as it is today. 

The Eiffel Tower would still have towered. They would still have heard all the French rather than English and had to think about what they were hearing. It would still feel a bit foreign, a bit unreal, and completely lovely.



Though they wouldn’t have had jet lag to contend with once they got home again, I can imagine them all sinking into their own beds with the same contentment after their trip. There’s nothing like seeing someplace new and beautiful. And there’s also nothing like coming home again.

CFP: Welcome back, Ro!!! Congrats on your new release and on your 15 years of marriage! Looking forward to celebrating with you on the Colonial Quills blog new releases tea party this Friday. The Facebook portion of the party is Friday mid-day. (Click here to indicate you want to JOIN the party this Friday!)

GIVEAWAY: We're giving away a copy of Roseanna's new release this week. Leave a comment to enter. We'll also have reviews up of this brand new novel from Bethany House.

44 comments:

  1. ROSEANNA, welcome back to OWG!! Thanks for sharing with us about your travels, how exciting it must have been! Can't wait to hear more about LADY UNRIVALED.

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    1. Thanks, Teresa! Can't believe it's been so long since I've done a guest post here! No doubt because you guys are always so good as to review my books, so I still drop by. ;-)

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  2. Ohh what a fun post! Thank you for sharing this glimpse into your travels abroad, Roseanna!

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    1. Of course, Meghan! And many more glimpses to come. =) Looking forward to meeting you in person this weekend!!

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  3. How exciting Roseanna,to walk were Ella "walked"! Thank you for sharing your journey & photos.
    Blessings, Tina

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  4. Just marvellous to follow the footsteps of your characters.


    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  5. What a wonderful adventure for you & your family! Thanks for sharing with us! rw620 AT aol DOT com

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  6. Roseanna, that must have been so exciting to see that you portrayed everything accurately! I'm so glad that you got to take such a memorable trip as a family! Thanks for sharing your photos with us, especially because I've never been there. It's nice to have some visual aids! Lol

    mylittlebirdie (at) yahoo (dot) com

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    1. It was a huge relief to realize it was accurate! LOL. We also went where my next book is set, and that one will require some tweaking, so I'm VERY glad we went there!

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  7. Congratulations on your new release, Roseanna. Sounds like you had a wonderful times abroad. It really is fascinating to travel and see how people live in other places. I have not been to Paris but have traveled in England, so it is fun to imagine where stories are set. Thanks for the giveaway.
    bettimace(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Paris was honestly better than I'd expected it to be--I'm not a fan of cities as a rule, so I didn't know how well I'd like it. But it was lovely. And I'm a little in love with England, for sure. =D

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  8. What a wonderful trip! Isn't it amazing to go where your characters have been? I felt that when I visited Notre Dame Cathedral in New York and looked up at the magnificent organ that my character Maggie played there. Chills went up my spine and I got goosebumps all over! So much fun.
    Must tell you that I am LOVING A Reluctant Duchess right now! Such a good story! Can't wait to read the next one!
    Cheers,
    Sue

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    1. Thanks, Sue!! So glad you're liking Rowena and Brice's story. And YES! I rarely get to go to the places I write about, so this was a dream come true! Nothing like it!

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  9. congrats on your anniversary. It sounds like you had a wonderful time there. Thank you for giving away one of your books.

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  10. I had a witty long comment and lost it, so now you'll get a witty short comment. lol How is my "Shine" girl!? Pretty well by the looks of things! Congrats on your beautiful books (which I'm shamefully behind on), and also 15 years of marriage! ROSEANNA, thanks for sharing your lovely pics of your exciting trip with us here on OWG!

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    1. Hello, Diana!! I know all about being behind on books. *Sigh* But it's still nice to get to see you here on the web!

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  11. I would love to travel to England and France some day. I just took a trip to Quebec, and thank goodness I know French! I can't imagine trying to navigate a country/region without knowing the language. I can't wait to read your book.

    chillirosen(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. I was a bit nervous about that, to be sure. I know *some* French, it's just very rusty. But it was enough to help, and everyone was super friendly and helpful in Paris.

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  12. What a great trip, Roseanna! Thank you for sharing your wonderful adventure. Memories were made that you and your family will never forget. I hope you have many more adventures. mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  13. What a great trip, Roseanna! Thank you for sharing your wonderful adventure. Memories were made that you and your family will never forget. I hope you have many more adventures. mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  14. Congratulations on this new book! I love the cover and from what I've read it sounds like another good one. Thanks for the opportunity to win it!

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    1. Thanks, Brenda! They nailed the cover yet again, to be sure. =D

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  15. Forgot this: grandmama_brenda(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. Great pictures! My daughter and I were planning her "forever desired" trip to France after her high school graduation next spring, but all plans have come to a halt. She is now meeting with YWAM and planning a 9 month commitment with them after graduation. I'm very proud of her choice and she has her whole lifetime to visit France. Roseanna - Congrats on A Lady Unrivaled's release and your upcoming release of Giver of Wonders. tlhcoupon(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. How wonderful! Some of good family friends were with YWAM for years, and through it they saw so much of the world and touched so many lives! Praying your daughter's commitment is rewarded in ways she can't even fathom as she follows this call!

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  17. My parents took me to France when I graduated college. I loved it there! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  18. Roseanna... I so thoroughly enjoyed reading this post and can just imagine the thrills you would have experienced in your novel coming to life visiting these places! My daughter has only just come back from a holiday in Europe herself, and absolutely adored her stay in Paris!

    'A Lady Unrivaled' was such a wonderful reading experience, and I look forward to sharing my review with you and our readers this week. Congrats on this amazing series!!

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  19. Roseanna, I'm reading "The Lost Heiress" right now - it's the first of your books I've read, and I'm hooked! :-) Thanks for the chance to win.

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  20. Roseanna, thank you for sharing this incredible trip. How fun to experience England and France. So many priceless memories created with your family.

    Thank you for the chance to win 'A Lady Unrivaled'.

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  21. Amen to your comment, "there's nothing like seeing someplace new and beautiful", Roseanna!! I think I was born with wanderlust, LOL, and feel God created this beautiful world for us to experience as much of as possible!! I'm grateful and blessed to have visited the places I have, I'm not physically able to travel as much as I once did - however, the desire is still there.

    I'm sure it must be a thrill for authors/writers to visit the places they write about, I'm so glad you had the opportunity to visit England. I'd love to visit England, Ireland, and Scotland (the home of ancestors).

    Congrats- I'm looking forward to reading 'A Lady Unrivaled'!!

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  22. Congratulaions on 15 years of marriage! Congratulations on your new book as well! Your trip sounds and looks like you had a wonderful time. Thank you for taking me where I will never be able to travel.

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  23. Congratulations on your anniversary and new book. I love how authors make places seem so real, so I can experience them as I am reading. I am happy you got to experience them in person, especially with your family! I have never been anywhere so exciting (if I could go anywhere it would be to CA to meet my nieces for the first time), so I always am excited to hear of others travels and see pictures. ♡

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  24. It's a great writer that makes your current location disappear as you become entranced into their world. Can't wait to see what you have down the road.

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  25. Congrats on the new release. I enjoy all your books.

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  26. Congrats on your 15th Wedding anniversary and your new book release. Looking forward to reading "A Lady Unrivaled".
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  27. Congrats on your 15th Wedding anniversary and your new book release. Looking forward to reading "A Lady Unrivaled".
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  28. Congratulations on your anniversary! What a fun trip to celebrate - I'm sure it was awesome to see the things some of your characters saw in person! :) I'm so excited to read "A Lady Unrivaled"!

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  29. It would be amazing to travel to the exact places where your own book is set! Sounds like an amazing trip!

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  30. HaPpY 15th AnNiVeRsArY, Roseanna!!! What a wonderful way to celebrate it by traveling to England and Paris, creating new memories, and walking in the steps of your characters of your book. That must have been so surreal in so many ways :) I just LOVE all the covers of the 'Ladies of the Manor" series! They are exquisite. I can't wait to read 'A Lady Unrivaled"....suspense, romance, danger, stolen jewels....ooohhhh!!! I'm all in!!! Thanks for the opportunity of this giveaway :)
    ~ Alison Boss

    nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com

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