November 16, 2014

Isla Grey-Her Voice from Virginia



Welcome to the Commonwealth of Virginia!  From the miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline to the wonder of the Blue Ridge Mountains and everything in between, Virginia is filled with plenty of historical and natural beauty and is the perfect place to be for a getaway for a day or that long awaited family vacation.

As you can tell, I’m enthusiastic about the “Old Dominion”.  Parts of my family first arrived in Williamsburg and eventually migrated to the Buckingham area well before the Revolutionary War.  In turn, I’ve always lived in the Central Virginia area and while I love to travel to other places, there’s nothing better than seeing that “Welcome To Virginia” sign on the way home.  

 
The natural beauty is breathtaking and inspiring.  Not only do we have miles of shoreline and “The Parkway” (a.k.a. The Blue Ridge Parkway that we share with North Carolina), just off the beaten path, you’ll find the wonders of Natural Bridge, the stalactites and stalagmites of the Luray Caverns and the incredible Great Falls of the Potomac.  The incredible waterfall that is   Just be sure to have your hiking shoes ready because it’s a long walk along the winding   The view from the top, however, is well worth it.
Crabtree Falls is one of my favorites.
path.

If there’s one thing Virginia is known for, it’s History.  Starting in 1608, the soon to be colony, was the home of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World.  Virginia is the site of a number of Revolutionary War and Civil War skirmishes and Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place of   The Commonwealth is also known as the home to eight U.S. Presidents.  George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello are popular   My favorite historical place?  Hands down, it has to be Colonial Williamsburg.  I love walking the old streets at night and visiting the Governor’s Palace.  I recommend stopping at the King’s Arms Tavern on the main stretch; just make sure you arrive early.
destinations.
thousands of service members.

We still have the pony swims on Chincoteague Island and while the wine industry is booming, Virginia is fast becoming a popular destination for moviemakers.  Parts of “Lincoln”, “Cold Mountain”, “Gods and Generals” and scenes from TV’s “John Adams” and “TURN” have all been filmed in Virginia.  There are also plenty of educational opportunities with Virginia being home to such colleges as William and Mary, Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia and James Madison University, just to name a few.
 
So how does Virginia inspire me as a writer?  Each story I’ve written has been influenced, in part, by   The waterfall at the end of the Natural Bridge trail and even the color of one of the rooms at the Governor’s Palace inspired an idea for a story.  Parts of a conversation I had with my grandmother about cooking show up in a current story that I’m doing the last round of edits on.   In my novella, “A Voice in the Dark”, a scene between two of the main characters takes place near train tracks.  Trust me.  I live close enough to these train tracks to know they’re very real…and LOUD.  Another reason to love Virginia!

Virginia.
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Isla Grey’s Website - http://www.islagrey.com/
(All Information Provided by Author)

8 comments:

  1. Hi, Isla,

    Virginia is a lovely state. My husband has relatives in your state, and so we have visited many times and love it too. Great that it inspires your writing. Best wishes.

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  2. One of my favorite Eastern seaboard states. Spent some good days in Virginia.

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  3. I love Virginia. My daughter just graduated from Virginia Tech.

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  4. My husband and kids just went to Colonial Williamsburg for the first time last weekend while I was at a conference. I wish I could have gone with them-they had fun and said it was a great experience! Spending more time in Virginia is on my list of things to do next year--maybe Chincoteague Island or some little place nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Thanks for the tour!

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  5. Hi Jacqueline,

    I live just outside of Lynchburg...actually, we're almost overlooking the city from across the river. Next time I'll have to include some pictures of that. :) Glad you've enjoyed your visits to Virginia. Take Care! Isla

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  6. Hi @jrlindermuth !

    Glad to hear that you've enjoyed your trips to Virginia. There's plenty to see around the Commonwealth.

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  7. Hi Debby!

    I've actually been to the Tech stadium for a football game a few years back and loved it. There's some beautiful scenery along the way although I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of driving Interstate 81. :)

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  8. Hi Amy!

    I have to admit Colonial Williamsburg is one of my all time favorite places. If you ever get a chance to go at Christmastime, it's beautiful. (Although it's probably a little cold at the moment.) :)

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