How travel has inspired the settings in my books

As I prepare to launch my sixth book—and having just returned from a long-awaited European holiday—I’ve been reflecting on the incredible places that have inspired my stories. Travel has always played a key role in shaping the settings of my books, and this trip was no different. After fifteen years without going overseas, I was thrilled to get back out into the world. While it was definitely a holiday, it also doubled as research for future instalments in the Coin of Time series.

Many of the locations featured in Servant of the Gods and Coin of Time are places I’ve been lucky enough to explore in person. Of course, I haven’t been able to visit every location (not yet, anyway!), but with the help of Google Maps, historical archives, and countless hours of research, I’ve done my best to capture their essence. It brings to mind that old writing adage, “write what you know.” As a lifelong student of ancient history, every trip and new discovery adds another layer to my stories—allowing me to share what I learn through the lens of fiction.

One of the true joys of visiting these locations is the sensory experience: the sounds, the smells, the textures underfoot. These details breathe life into the pages. Take the Palace of Knossos on Crete, for example. Seeing it in person was awe-inspiring. Walking through the vast central court, I could almost hear the roar of the crowd as Minoan acrobats leapt over bulls in dazzling displays. The site was much larger than I’d imagined—and I spent hours wandering its labyrinthine paths. This incredible setting comes to life in Minotaur’s Lair (Book 3), where I combined my photos, travel notes, and historical research to recreate its grandeur.

In The Guardian’s Legacy—Book 1 in the Coin of Time series—Paris is a key setting alongside my home city of Perth. I was fortunate to visit many of the places that feature in the story, including: