The Soul of Place - by Linda Lappin (Paperback)

About the Book

"In this extraordinary creative writing textbook, novelist and poet Linda Lappin presents a unique series of exercises to help writers of all genres - poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, and literary travel writing - discover inspiration in the soul of places they love. By entering into contact with the soul of a place, writers may access an inexhaustible source of creative power. The exercises in this book are drawn from varied fields: architecture, portraiture, cuisine, wine tasting, literature, literary criticism, geography, Jungian psychology, fairy tales, mythology, botany, anthropology, theater, comparative religion, occult philosophy, metaphysics. Originally developed for seminars Lappin teaches for adults, these exercises have also been adapted to younger writers in undergraduate writing programs. In simple language, she has adopted concepts from the Romantic poets, French Symbolists, and English modernists to help all writers enrich their understanding of place. This ideal textbook for creative nonfiction courses, and general writing courses, has specific exercises for poets and fiction writers. It is also a sumptuous resource book for writing centers. For writers or writing students about to set out on a trip abroad, The Soul of Place is an inspiring traveling companion. "--

Book Synopsis

"This is such a pleasure to read. Unlike most books with
writing prompts, this one goes in depth with sensitizing you to ground
yourself in awareness of where you are and why. Grazie, Linda, for this marvelous work."-Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun
In
this engaging creative writing workbook, novelist and poet Linda Lappin
presents a series of insightful exercises to help writers of all
genres--literary travel writing, memoir, poetry, fiction, creative
nonfiction--discover imagery and inspiration in the places they love.

Lappin departs from the classical concept of the Genius Loci,
the indwelling spirit residing in every landscape, house, city, or
forest--to argue that by entering into contact with the unique energy and
identity of a place, writers can access an inexhaustible source of
creative power. The Soul of Place provides instruction on how to evoke that power.

The
writing exercises are drawn from many fields--architecture, painting,
cuisine, literature and literary criticism, geography and deep maps,
Jungian psychology, fairy tales, mythology, theater and performance art,
metaphysics--all of which offer surprising perspectives on our writing
and may help us uncover raw materials for fiction, essays, and poetry
hidden in our environment.

An essential resource book for the
writer's library, this book is ideal for creative writing courses, with
stimulating exercises adaptable to all genres. For writers or travelers
about to set out on a trip abroad, The Soul of Place is the perfect road trip companion, attuning our senses to a deeper awareness of place.

Review Quotes

"This is such a pleasure to read. Unlike most books with writing prompts, this one goes in depth with sensitizing you to ground yourself in awareness of where you are and why. Grazie, Linda, for this marvelous work."-Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun
2015 Gold Medal NAUTILUS Book Award Winner in the category of Creative Process!

"Invaluable advice for the writer and traveler, deeply thoughtful."
--Lavinia Spalding, author of Writing Away, editor of The Best Women's Travel Writing

"Insightful exercises help creative writers of all levels attune themselves to the power of place in order to churn out evocative prose that jumps off the page."
--The Intelligent Traveler, National Geographic Traveler

"An inspiring buy for writers, lovely...explorative,"
--Book Riot

"A workbook for all creatives."
--Wewanted2bwriters.com

"A conscious way to explore the power of place."
--Lipstick and Wanderlust

"The proven exercises that billow from this remarkable craft book reveal the mystery of how place affects human souls, and help writers to find the meaning and stories that emanate from any given spot on earth."
--Serving House Journal
"There are always writing instructional books out there, and they
can be hit or miss- choosing one that works with you can be a tricky
affair. I am impressed with Linda Lappin's The Soul of Place,
for one. The tone here is lovely and explorative. I am fond of any book
that asks me to become an eyeball. This is a very exercise-oriented
book, so be prepared to follow instructions and check out further
reading in this one. It's a nice option to have."--Book Riot

About the Author

Tennessee-born Linda Lappin, novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer, is the author of three novels, The Etruscan (Wynkin de Worde, 2004), Katherine's Wish (Wordcraft of Oregon, 2008) and Signatures in Stone: A Bomarzo Mystery (Pleasure Boat Studio, 2013), winner of the 2014 Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense Writing. Upcoming projects include a memoir, Postcards from a Tuscan Interior, sections of which won a Solas Award from Travelers' Tales, and Missing Madonna in Montparnasse, a novel about the life of Jeanne Hébuterne. She holds an MFA from the University of Iowa Writers Workshop and is a member of the Associated Writing Programs (AWP) and of the European Association for Creative Writing Programs (EACWP). She lives in Rome.