"Maybe you have a scene in mind and you know it will take place at a little corner cafe in Florence, Italy. Or maybe in a warehouse in LA, or a a winding road in North Carolina, or a street in NYC. Details of the area will add character and depth to your scene but unless you live in the area you can’t just pack up and go there. Use Google Earth to explore neighborhoods and highways and everything else when doing story research. Now there’s a new kid on the block. Similar to Google Earth but in some ways better. Check out Virtual Turnpike. Pretty cool and it might help you craft that scene". https://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/virtual-turnpike-a-useful-tool-for-writers/
Maybe I should have used it, I had a bunch of mixed-up scenes in my head, scenes that reminded of One Flew Over The Coo-Coo Nest-type atmosphere.
That's good to know. I've noticed lately that authors seem to be adding a lot of small details like these in books. I don't recall that so much from the past, but it could be because I'm reading different types of books these days. I've considered writing, but haven't gotten into it yet, so I've set this thread up for watch, to remind me of Virtual Turnpike.
I just tried out VTurnpike and found it easier to use than google's earth. Tried it out on my old home place which is no longer there (houses in the area, a floodplain were bulldozed). I did get a good look at the lot and the nearby intersection. Looks like a useful tool. Thanks for the info.
@Ken Anderson , It is a more direct process,much quicker, and simpler than Google earth. It may be only street view, if I remember correctly.