Literary Journey Inspiration: From Page to Place

Wow… where do I start?

Literary Journeys started out as a thought of, Is this even possible? Then it became, I think I can do this. And eventually, Yes! This is a thing, and I CAN do it.

But where did the inspiration come from?

I've always enjoyed reading, but as a mother of three, I haven't always made time for myself or for the things I enjoy. About a year ago, I decided to make some changes. One of the first things I did was refocus on the things that brought me joy.

Reading was one of those things.

When I started looking for a good novel to read, I was immediately drawn to historical fiction, especially books about World War II. WWII history has always been a special interest of mine. While looking for the right book, I started following book influencers and then different authors.

One of the most influential book influencers for me was Alana Grace. Her content is amazing, but what I loved most was that she seemed down-to-earth and real. In one of her Instagram posts, she talked about two specific books: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel.

After hearing her talk about them, I was instantly hooked. I knew I had to buy them.

So, off to Barnes & Noble I went.

I found both books, and when I picked up The Nightingale, I'll admit—I was a little intimidated. More than 500 pages?! I wasn't sure I would finish it or even be able to stay focused on a story that long.

But something told me to give it a chance.

Little did I know, standing in Barnes & Noble that day with that book in my hands, that the way I looked at my travel business was about to change.

The Book That Started It

As I started reading The Nightingale, I quickly became immersed in the story. This wasn't just a book about history. It was a story about family, sisters, friendships, love, enemies, survival, and people going beyond what they ever thought they were capable of because they felt they had to do something to help.

And while I was reading, I found myself wanting to learn more.

I started reading more about the French Resistance and what life was actually like in occupied France. I thought about the people living in those small towns and what it must have felt like to suddenly have German soldiers arrive and take control of the places they called home.

But something else was happening while I was reading.

I was starting to see France differently.

At the same time, I happened to be planning a European trip for a client, and one of their stops was Paris. Suddenly, my research began to change. Instead of simply looking at the usual places to visit in Paris, I found myself wanting to send them to certain bookstores, bakeries, little shops, restaurants, and places that would allow them to feel the destination.

And for the first time, I remember thinking…

Man, I think Paris is moving up on my bucket list.

I finished The Nightingale—with a few tears shed along the way—and immediately wanted more.

That's when I picked up The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel.

And Then One Book Became Another

Once again, I found myself in France during WWII.

I became immersed in Eva's story, her relationship with her mother, the people she met along the way, and the courage it took to help Jewish children escape to safety.

But once again, something was happening beyond the story itself.

I wanted to go there.

I didn't just want to visit France anymore. I wanted to find the small towns. I wanted to see the little church. I wanted to stay at a B&B, see the countryside, and ride the train out of Paris into a small French village.

I wanted to experience the places that had begun to feel real to me through the pages of a book.

And that's when my travel-advisor brain really started turning.

Could I actually create travel around this feeling?

After The Book of Lost Names, I began reading more of Kristin Harmel's novels. Many of them were historical fiction set around WWII, often with relationships and different kinds of love woven throughout the story. She quickly became one of my favorite authors.

Then something happened that pushed this little idea in my head even further.

Meeting the Author Who Helped Inspire It All

I found out that Kristin was going to be at a cute, author-owned bookstore in Nashville promoting her newest book.

The second I saw she was coming to Nashville, I knew I had to go.

I jumped onto the bookstore's website and bought my ticket.

I wanted to meet the woman whose stories had changed the way I was beginning to look at travel.

Two months later, I drove to Nashville by myself.

While I was there, I started talking with other people who had also come to meet Kristin. And I learned something that day that seems obvious to me now, but at the time felt like another little lightbulb going off.

People travel for stories.

They drive hours to meet their favorite authors.

They travel to visit bookstores.

They want to see the places they've read about.

By the time I walked into that event, I had already started dreaming about the idea of Literary Journeys. I just didn't know whether it could actually become a reality.

Then I met Kristin.

We only had a brief conversation, but I told her about my idea—travel experiences designed around the places and feelings we discover through novels.

And she loved it.

That little bit of encouragement meant more than she probably realized.

I left Nashville that day and started the drive home thinking about everything that had happened.

Literary Journeys didn't feel like some crazy idea floating around in my head anymore.

It felt possible.

But there was one more moment that night that changed everything for me.

“All Things Are Possible…”

When I got home from Nashville that night, I sat down with my journal.

My journal has a Bible verse printed at the bottom of each page. I hadn't chosen the verse. I hadn't gone looking for one that fit what I was feeling. It was simply the verse that happened to be on the page that night.

Mark 9:23.

“Anything is possible if a person believes.”

After spending the day meeting an author whose books had helped inspire this dream, talking with readers who traveled to meet the authors they loved, and driving home wondering whether I could really turn this idea into something bigger, there it was.

For me, that was the moment.

I had spent so much time asking myself, Can I really do this? Is this actually possible?

And suddenly, I felt like I had my answer.

I had to believe in the dream. And I had to be willing to make it a reality.

From an Idea to a Journey

Since that night, Literary Journeys has grown from an idea scribbled in my journal into a direction I'm incredibly excited to bring to Southern Boutique Travel.

I'm dreaming bigger now.

I'm imagining journeys where we don't simply visit a destination—we experience the stories that made us want to go there in the first place.

The little bookstores.

The cafés and restaurants.

The history behind the places we've read about.

The landscapes we've pictured in our minds.

Author connections, special experiences, beautiful places to stay, and opportunities to travel alongside other people who understand exactly why a book can make you want to pack a suitcase.

Some Literary Journeys may be inspired by a particular novel or author. Others may take us to destinations that simply feel as though we've stepped inside the pages of a favorite story.

And some will be hosted journeys where we get to experience those stories together.

There is so much more to come.

And perhaps my favorite part is knowing that somewhere out there is another reader who's going to finish a book, close the cover, and think the same thing I did:

I want to go there.

Want to Be First to Know?

Literary Journeys are just beginning, and I can't wait to share where the stories take us.

If you're a reader, a traveler, a book club member—or simply someone who has ever dreamed of stepping into the pages of a story—I would love for you to come along.

Join my First to Know list to hear about upcoming Literary Journeys, hosted travel experiences, retreats, and new destinations as they're announced.

Because sometimes a story doesn't end when you turn the final page.

Sometimes, that's where the journey begins.

Every Journey Begins with a Story.

Lara Barnhouse

Owner • Luxury Travel Designer

Southern Boutique Travel

Where Southern Hospitality Meets Worldwide Luxury

📧 lara@southernboutiquetravel.com

📞 270.392.4839