"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, Linda Lappin, novelist, poet, and travel writer, 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 such as architecture, painting, cuisine, literature and literary criticism, geography and deep maps, Jungian psychology, fairy tales, mythology,metaphysics,theater and performance art, 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.  "Insightful exercises help creative writers of all levels attune themselves to the power of place."  Amy Alippo, National Geographic Traveler 2015 Gold Medal NAUTILUS Book Award Winner in the category of Creative Process! 2016 Bronze medal winner in the Foreword Indie Fab awards in the category of WRITING 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 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.