Travel provides one of my most consistent sources of writing inspiraton. Because John and I typically write high fantasy, we seldom use real world locations in our books, but actual places can still be the basis for some of our fantasy settings.
I thought it might be fun to start a photo page highlighting some of the places that have inspired scenes in our books, along with a short explanation of the scene they influenced. Of course, the fantasy locations in our stories are never exactly like their real world inspirations, but you can judge how much they differ from the original. Enjoy!
-Susan January 1, 2026.
“The office was housed in an ancient stone tower that marked the point where the road reached the end of the wharf and curved sharply to the west. In times long past, the structure served as part of the seaward battlements for the city. Newer defenses had long since replaced the old rock walls, but rather than tear down the tower, the government turned the structure to more peaceful uses.” –Coins for the Counter, J.S. Ruff 2025.
Susan and John Ruff, Fantasy Authors 