If you ever go to the United Kingdom, please try to fit in a trip to Cornwall, especially the north coast. There's a lot to see everywhere, but I am especially partial to a certain section, that's why certain locations were chosen for the dragon book series.
Crackington Haven. Don't you just love the sound of it? This little seaside village isn't quaint, but it sure is breathtaking. The nearby beach is spectacular, the Coombe Barton Inn is friendly and just the right place to stop in and have a pint. It made quite an impression on me and our young hero, Gavin Kane, just had to live there. Get out and walk around and up the towering cliffside. The ocean below will silence you completely.
Down the road is historic Boscastle, birthplace of the most famous British King - Arthur. Again, this place just exudes ancient history, with legend and fantasy mixed. I spent hours just wandering along, touching the walls of buildings, and letting my imagination soak up the sense of the fantastic. Perhaps everybody was so nice, because my smile was gigantic and nobody knew I was a Yank, unless I opened my mouth. Still, even when it was obvious that I had come from the former colonies, I was greeted with wonderful handshakes and spirited questions.
By the way, even if witches aren't your cup of tea, please visit the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle. There are some dsplays that aren't for the faint of heart, but I learned a lot about England's hidden history and it influenced my books as well.
Now head along the coast to Tintagel. Here supposedly lies King Arthur's castle - Camelot. Even if it wasn't here, it should have been. What a view! What scenery! What atmosphere! I just had to situate my Little White Cottage on a hill overlooking the ruins of Tintagel Castle. What better place to house a goofy dragon? When you walk among the rocks and crags, you can feel the aura of greatness.
There are coastal caves, howling winds, and whispers from ghosts both real and imagined. This is the place where a famous legend might have been born and where the author decided it did indeed unfurl.
All of Cornwall has something to offer and the Cornish people of Kernow are in my blood. The area is steeped in the earliest days and when you walk across a moor, or sit inside a local pub, you can't help but wonder at it all. I hope I can capture, in some small sense, the magic of a people and their home. Cornwall is simply a marvelous place.
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Crackington Haven, Boscastle, Tintagel, Kernow, Museum of Witchcraft, Cornish, Cornwall, King Arthur, Camelot, Coombe Barton Inn, United Kingdom
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