Travel provides one of my most consistent sources of writing inspiration. 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.

Numerous Crusader-era towers dot the walls on the Island of Rhodes. Although I did not have this photo specifically in mind when John and I wrote our novella Coins for the Counter, I’m pretty that my memories of this tower and others like it provided the inspiration for the ruined tower that housed the Wharf Road regional tax office in the story. (Photo by S. Ruff 2001.)

“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.

While exploring Heidelberg, Germany during a trip in the early 1990’s, we climbed this stone spiral staircase in one of the churches. It captured my imagination at the time and undoubtedly provided part of the inspiration for the secret staircase that Dana and Charlotte discover in Recipes for the Copper Snake. (Photo by S. Ruff 1991.)

“The stone stairs were steep and narrow, and Dana ran her hand along the central pillar as she carefully descended.” -Recipes for the Copper Snake, J.S.Ruff 2024.