Nature and water have always inspired me. There’s something about being outside that wakes me up and makes me feel alive. And if I can be near a large body of water, even better. The sound of the waves crashing calms me like nothing else—even in the midst of a raging storm.

I was born and raised in west Michigan and it wasn’t until I was fifteen, when my family moved to Washington, DC, that I realized how lucky I’d been. Michigan isn’t for everyone, but I loved the four seasons. Playing in a huge pile of leaves with the scent of more leaves burning nearby. Waking up to a fresh snow that blankets the world. The way the world pops into full-color as the tulips and trees bloom. Splashing in Lake Michigan and walking along the sugar sand beaches. West Michigan has the added bonus of Lake Michigan—if you’ve never seen it in person, it’s hard to understand just how BIG it is—and I took always being near water for granted.

After seven years in DC, I moved back to the Midwest, this time to Chicago. I never lived more than three miles from my beloved Lake Michigan, and I visited her as often as I could, usually biking or rollerblading along the bike path. It was while living in Chicago that I discovered Lake Michigan had always been a beacon for me growing up. No matter where I was, I knew the lake was due west and I could always find my way. In Chicago, Lake Michigan is kind of northeast—very unhelpful when your body thinks it’s west.

After nine years in Chicago, I moved to Zihuatanejo, a tiny beach town in Mexico on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The water was due west, it had plenty of crashing waves, but I wasn’t happy. During my three years of eternal summer (read: hot, muggy, buggy, hot, humid, hot) I discovered that I need seasons like some people need oxygen. Constant sunshine depressed me, and saltwater is home to A LOT of really scary creatures (I once stepped on a sea snake and levitated out of the water).

In 2010, I returned to west Michigan, and realized I was home. I rejoiced in each turning leaf, every snowstorm, and the buds that sprouted every spring, declaring the start to a new season. My writing is reflected in this. In my first series, The Flicker Effect, my main character uses sunlight to go back to yesterday. In The Rules Series, each of the main characters participates in an outdoor sport—skiing, mountain biking, and snowboarding—and they feel most at peace when they’re outside. I tried to share how the scents, sounds, and sights of the great outdoors make me feel through them.

My next book takes place in west Michigan, and my main character runs along the lake to clear her mind. While I’m not a runner, it’s how I feel being near the water, and I hope my readers feel a part of that.

Photo was taken at Lake Michigan on Saturday, February 8, 2019.
This post originally appeared on Journeys and Life.