Novels that feel like a journey
Do you like imagining what it would be like to be something—someone—you’re not? I’m going to bet your answer is yes. Because if you’re subscribed to this column, you probably read fiction. And at their heart, that’s what novels do: They take us on an emotional journey into worlds that are not our own.
Like a good book, traveling does more or less the same thing. Sure, I’m still going to be Lisa Binsfeld when I step off that plane. But in Belize, or Italy, or Napa, or Chicago, I get to dabble for a while in a different lifestyle. Inevitably, I start imagining myself (the alternate me, with a different life and maybe a different body, one with a very high metabolism and no spider veins) living there.
It’s that kind of dreaming that sparked Little Pink Houses. And it’s behind the premise of my upcoming release too.
The fact is, a change of scenery feeds our creative souls. Isn’t that why we travel in the first place?
And speaking of soul-nuturing settings . . . this month, I’m spotlighting two fabulous books by one very talented author, both of which will take you to beautiful places—on a map and in your heart. So make sure to scroll down to the book recs section for reviews and purchase links (or click the pic, below).
HOW A PREMISE TURNS INTO A PLOT
Way back in the summer of 2011, on a trip to visit family in Wisconsin, we spent a few days at a lake cabin owned by my husband’s aunt. The place is pretty remote—about an hour north of Green Bay. As we neared the cabin, homes began to appear. Small, simple houses, made of brick or clad in siding, the kind of homes you see all over the Midwest. They were on the main road, not on the lake, and did not seem to be vacation homes.
Now, I’ve always lived in a city. So, I started thinking: What would it be like to live in a place like this? Where people with money flood the area three months a year, then vanish before the first snowfall. How would it feel to be a poor, local kid growing up here? As I stared out the window at the little houses and the small plots of farmland rolling by (temporarily deaf to whatever ruckus was coming from the children in the back seat), the core conflict unspooled in my head: young love, family secrets, the juxtaposition of monied summer people vs. hardscrabble locals barely making ends meet.
At that point, it had a YA plotline. I was working in a middle school library, reading the same books as my eleven-year-old daughter. Writing a novel was still a distant dream.
You know how some moments stick with you—for no apparent reason? In the scheme of my life, it was no big deal—a kernel of a storyline, set to a filmclip of the rural midwest not so unlike a hundred little towns I’d passed through while growing up in Indiana. So attribute it to the magic of vacation. Or maybe, as my character Margo would say, the stars had it already planned out for me.
In 2022, when I was full-on committed to writing a novel worthy of being published, the memory came back to me. (No longer YA, because the middle school days were in the rearview mirror.) The lead characters and the bones of the story solidified almost instantly. But instead of the region around Kelly Lake, I decided to set it in Door County, a recognizable (and much larger) tourist hub. With no framework and only a vague idea of where I’d end up, I started writing. (A word of advice for anyone just getting into writing: Don’t start a novel without first building out the framework.)
It’s been a journey. Joy, frustration, hope, disappointment, circling back to joy. By the time Tripping Through Stars publishes, it will have taken five years. Not a solid five years, mind you. I did write—and self-publish—a whole other novel within this time frame. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing snippets of things that inspired me along the way as well as nostalgic looks back to 2002, when the story takes place, and 1984, when Kaya and Carlie were fourteen.
GET AN ADVANCE COPY OF TRIPPING THROUGH STARS
In case you don’t know, ARC is literary-world jargon short for Advance Review Copy. Early reviews help authors sell books by bolstering reader confidence and boosting the title’s discoverability in online searches.
It works like this: Fill out the application. If you’re chosen, you’ll receive a free ebook in exchange for your agreement to read it in full and post a fair and honest review on one or more sites (Goodreads, Amazon, and/or social media) before or within a few days of publication.
Tripping Through Stars will release on February 15, 2027. ARC copies will go out in early December, giving you two-plus months to read and review.
PS: A review at any time helps, so if you enjoyed Little Pink Houses and haven’t posted a review, please consider doing so. Simple and real (not AI-generated) is best. Here are the links for Amazon and Goodreads. Do this for other authors you like too. We deeply appreciate it!
WHERE TO CONNECT WITH LISA
Sat Nov 14, 10am – 1pm: Local Author Fair, The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, 4014 N. Goldwater Ave, Scottsdale AZ, 2nd Floor.
(TENTATIVE) Tue Dec 1, 6 – 8pm: “Lost Verse” Poetry Salon, The Eureka Room, 1012 N. Main Street, Cottonwood, AZ. (Note: this is an open-mic poetry night, but I’m planning to be there to support my dear friend Debbie Abbott, and will have a few books on hand to personalize ahead of holiday gift giving.)
Sat Dec 12, 10am – 1pm: Local Author Fair, The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, 4014 N. Goldwater Ave, Scottsdale AZ, 2nd Floor.
CALLING ALL BOOKCLUB MEMBERS! I’d love to speak with your group! Get in touch by leaving a comment on this post, or through my website.
November Book Spotlight: Trust Falls by Kathleen M. Basi. From the first beautiful sentence, Trust Falls had me enchanted. I instantly bonded with Charley, who is struggling to keep hold of her family’s picturesque farm where she retreated after a failed stage career and a heartbreaking betrayal. As in her debut, A Song For The Road, Basi gives us complex characters who are both likeable and, at times, frustrating as hell—because she makes the reader care so deeply about their well-being. Set in rural Missouri, the setting comes alive in a way that made me actually think – huh, maybe I should spend some time in that part of the country.
OTHER READERS ARE SAYING…
“The sense of place is so richly drawn that it works its way into the emotional fabric of the story, giving the stakes a grounded, meaningful weight. … I especially appreciated the complexity Basi brings to Julian, an adult with Down syndrome…” Author Shawna Rodrigues
“… a tale full of heart and sacrifice.” Rochelle Weinstein, bestselling author of We Are Made of Stars
For me, this was a world I could have easily lived in for a hundred more pages. If you love character-driven stories with immersive settings, add it to your TBR list. I’m eagerly awaiting Basi’s next book (set in Napa wine country!)
And… BONUS! Grab the ebook version of A Song For The Road for only $1.99 during November. (Read my review of A Song For The Road in my July 2026 newsletter.)
Pair with: If I ever do make it to Missouri, I’ll be seeking out a Chambourcin. This red grape is a French-American hybrid, and makes a medium-bodied wine with cherry and earthy notes similar to a Pinot Noir. My favorite reds are lighter-bodied, with herbal, cherry notes (think: Robitussin, but in a good way). I adore both grenache and mourvedre, varietals from Southern France that do well in our Arizona heat. As I write this, I’m sipping a fabulous Rhone blend with a punny name—Dr. Ron Bot—from Chateau Tumbleweed, sometimes referred to as a GSM (grenache, syrah, mourvedre). This one’s the 2022 vintage which has aged to pure magic. But year after year, it’s just what the doctor ordered. If you’re a fan of lighter pinots and haven’t tried a GSM, I highly recommend sampling a few.
Wherever you are, whatever you’re reading and drinking, I hope this penultimate Ber month brings you a cornucopia of joy.
Cheers!
Lisa
