Location, Location: The Iconic Hudson River Valley

 

Did you all enjoy last week’s celebration of NYUS’s blog?  Weren’t the excerpts fantastic? I hope you found new authors to buy their books as well as savored the works of those authors whom you already follow. Congratulations to all the raffle winners!

 

I love travel and the opportunity to see new places. The experiences always fuel the creativity well, especially in terms of settings. This past summer I explored the Hudson River Valley, rich with history and dramatic river and mountain scenery.

With hotels nestled against the river, you can have a romantic setting for a wedding...

 

Or a clandestine meeting at an isolated castle on an island.

For settings or character background, consider Hyde Park world leaders where were either raised or came together to discuss critical issues…

 

Or the rich played…

 

West Point is steeped in military pride and tradition, not to mention the amazing vistas, all that can fuel a character’s development or furnish settings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The only off note on the trip was our attempt to explore Sleepy Hollow. The road construction and ensuing traffic jams were such that not even the Headless Horseman could have gotten through. I only had enough time to snap a quick shot of Irving’s grave.  However, that leaves my friends and I a good reason to go back. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So if you're looking for a majestic backdrop for a setting or to flesh out a character, consider the Hudson River Valley. It certainly served well writers such as James Fenimore Cooper and Washington Iriving.

What are some of your favorite places along the Hudson River?

J Carol Stephenson

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