How cool would this be? One, I’ve always wanted to go there, and I WILL someday. But to then stumble upon something that only one other person knows…..I just loved it.

:)

I just finished reading “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen. I would like to visit Norland Park at the beginning and tell John Dashwood to remember the promise he made his dying father by taking care of Mrs. Dashwood and her girls financially. I’m not sure how it would affect the rest of the story, but if I was there already, it would be difficult to stop myself from reminding Edward that he is already engaged and that he should not be engaging Elinor’s heart also. I would enjoy attending a picnic at Delaford, and I would have loved to go to both Elinor’s and Marianne’s weddings. I think I would also like to have seen Willoughby’s face when he comes to tell Marianne about his regrets (when he thinks she is dying) — you have to read the book for this, the movie doesn’t do Willoughby justice.

Another one would be the Baxter Family Drama Series by Karen Kingsbury. It has been a while since I read these (and I have only read them once each), but if I couldn’t be one of the Baxter’s myself, then I would settle with telling Dayne that the Baxter’s want him to be part of their family and they care more for him than the paparazzi exposing all their family secrets. Of course he finally realizes this, but I just wish I could spare them all the pain they (and he) go through until he finally comes around.

Opal Buloni’s friend (Because of Winn-Dixie)

run away to the NY Metroplitan Museum of Art with Claudia and Jamie
(From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler)

been on the Dolphin with Kit (The Witch of Blackbird Pond)

holder of a Golden Ticket (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

live in Middle Earth (LOTR)

be a Forest Dweller (Thomas Hunter series – Ted Dekker)

help colonize a Formic World ( Ender novels – Orson Scott Card)

be one of the archeology students who got to travel back to 14th century France (Timeline – Michael Crichton)

Caroline

I’ve always wanted to visit Rivendell and Gondor, though I’m not sure I am brave enough to take part in the big battles with Aragorn and the rest of the Fellowship. And I’d love to visit Hogwarts, too, and take a few classes just to see if I’d be a good wizard. :) I’d love to visit Vianne Rocher’s chocolate shop in Chocolat, and make the villagers see that she’s really a wonderful person, not dangerous as so many of them seem to think. I’d also love to meet the March sisters and become good friends with Anne – and somehow I’d like to save her little Joyce from dying.

So many fictional places to visit. I also want to enter the story of The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets and share good gab sessions with Charlotte and Penelope. Thanks for the idea, Serenity – this is so fun!

As to books…hmmm. Topping the list would probably be having bush tea and taking a drive across Botswana in the little white van with Mma Ramotswe from Alexander McCall Smith’s delightful books. I would definitely like to sit in on a few Hogwart’s classes and visit Diagon Alley and the Weasley house. I’d like to drive through Navajo country with Tony Hillerman’s Officer Jim Chee or Lt. Joe Leaphorn, go for a voyage on the Dawn Treader with Jill and Eustace (maybe Eustace) and Reepicheep and Caspian, and visit Isle Royale National Park (along with the Dry Tortugas, Mesa Verde, and the Guadaloupe Mountains) with Nevada Barr’s Ranger Anna Pigeon. I’m sure there are many more.

You can probably tell from the above that I love fantasy and mysteries, and that I am fascinated by characters and stories with a sense of place. I don’t know about specific scenes I’d like to see or things I’d like to change. I’d just like to experience some of these places or cultures with these “guides” I’ve come to know through their stories, which, thankfully, someone had the good sense to write down.