Finding My Atlantis in Arizona

I grew up in Arizona, USA. Therefore, a lot of inspiration for the climate of my Atlantis novel came from the surrounding areas. While most think of Arizona as a desert, we do have higher elevations. The picture below is taken in Flagstaff, Az. I went to college here for a few years and loved the area. It always reminded me of Atlantis with the pines and the towering mountains.

This particular shot reminds me a lot of Hades Fury in the novel with the flat planes leading up to the rugged mountains. In the novel, however, the mountains rise taller. I imagine there would be better images in Montana where the planes meet the Rocky Mountains. But I share this because I think it is crucial to a writer's life. We must take the world around us and expand. Exaggerate the sights and situations to create something new. I can't travel the world, but I can certainly try to provide the feeling like I have--or better yet take my readers to someplace all new.