Tapping into my Fan Girl

If you could take a literary pilgrimage vacation, where would it be? What writer or work would you celebrate?

Brenda kicking off the week.

Such a good question. One that makes me think long and hard. Combining an author I admire with a location I'd like to visit. Hmmm.

I already wrote in an earlier blog post about tracking down Hemingway's watering hole when my husband and I were in Paris last year. We looked up the address and walked the length of the Champs-Élysées and cutting into the shopping district to arrive at our destination. Alas, the bar didn't open until late afternoon and we didn't want to hang around this ritzy locale for three hours (guards at the doors of the shops, and a purse in one store window costing more than we would spend on our entire holiday). So all I have to offer is a photo of the exterior of the hotel. I would have really liked to sit in a chair and order a drink, but life moves on.

I've enjoyed reading a lot of crime fiction from other countries and admire many authors, but it seems a goodly number of my favourites come from the UK, lately Ireland and Scotland to be exact -- well, Britain too. So, perhaps a bit of a tour.

First up, tea with Ann Cleeves and a boat trip to Shetland for the day (maybe an overnighter) to visit the haunts of Jimmy Perez. I'd also like to drop in on fellow Criminal Mind Abir Mukherjee to talk books, life, publishing, perhaps over a glass of wine at his favourite restaurant. Then on to Edinburgh, Scotland for a pub meal with Denise Mina, Val McDermid and Ian Rankin, after which they take me on a tour of city sites. I'd zip over to Ireland for another pub meal (of course) with Adrian McKinty and John Connolly ... 

So not a pilgrimage exactly. More like a pub crawl, but wouldn't it make for some great stories afterwards? Anyone want to join me?!

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