I’ve heard many writers rave about Google Maps, but until A Promise Kept, the book I just finished, I didn’t really need it. I knew my settings well from site visits or having lived in the communities.
Cincinnati — yeah, don’t know it well at all.
So I turned to Google maps. I LOVE the satellite feature. It allowed me to explore neighborhoods and figure out exactly where my characters lived. It also allowed me to see the library branch. I strolled through Eden Park. It was amazing! I still would have preferred to actually visit the site, but this provided a second best approach.
So here’s your challenge for the day — go to google maps and see if you’re house shows up. Ours doesn’t (yet!), and I’m okay with that.
Comments 9
My condo building has been there for a long time. In the most recent pic they use I can even see my little red car!!
As good as google maps are, I can see our house even better with the Bird’s Eye view at maps.live.com
There I find much more recent aerial
photos and ones from all directions of the compass! I do love the Street View feature on google maps, though.
Oh, I’ll have to try the maps.live.com site. That sounds great!
I’ve create a website using Google Maps and would love to hear some feedback on layout, color scheme, ease of navigation etc….
The site is: http://www.thetricitiesbest.com
Thank you in advance for your time,
Sean B. Halliday
I have been able to locate my house which is fun to do. What a great resource this is.
Sarah,
Thanks for the tip about maps.live but the only problem is in smaller rural areas they haven’t yet added pics of those spots. I can find my home in the Chicago area, but the area where my stories take place aren’t yet available. 🙁
But, it’s very cool.
Our old trailer is on the map, but not our new house (added in May). I think the most recent pic is about a year old because one of our farm barns is missing too. Even funnier is my brother-in-law’s sidewalk shows up but no house! And the sidewalk was added after the house. =)
Google is great. I use it to look up friend’s homes and my sisters as well.
I was talking to a lawn care service guy on the phone and he says, “Do you have a yellow car in the driveway.” Creeped me out! LOL. He was using this to find us to come treat our lawn.
Yeah. Really handy for a creepy suspense writer! (LOL)
I’m checking out my old neighborhood when I grew up because it’s too dangerous to drive by.