I never base characters on real people - you can get into so much trouble that way!
I have been very lucky: my writing has taken me across the world, and I have seen some extraordinary sites and sights.
I never avoid something that challenges my guts and my heart. While I might occasionally puke my guts out, I have never puked my heart out.
To remain unknown in this modern world: that, indeed, is real power.
And once begun, change cannot be reversed.
Making sure that the geography and timelines work is always the hardest part of writing. But you owe it to the readers to get it right!