Joining
us today is author Kara Ashley Dey, a writer who likes fantasy, speculative and
paranormal fiction with romantic elements. She also enjoys interviewing
multi-talented artists and writers to find out what makes them tick. As Ashley
say,s “Sharing experiences is a really great way to learn about the world and
ourselves. Plus, I'm a firm believer in rejoicing in other people's successes;
it's free and it feels great.” Learn more about Ashley and her books at her
Kara Ashley Dey website where she posts artist interviews, her Dey for Love website for romance reviews and news, and her blog where she posts the latest
reviews in games, movies and books.
Today
Kara joins us to talk about Barcelona, the setting for Vampire’s Fortune, Fortune
Teller’s Curse.
Gothic Streets
The first time visiting
Barcelona I knew the ancient city was perfect for a modern vampire story and an
old tale about the Catalonian Nosferatu. One can't help but feel this
paradoxical tug of war between the weathered, sensual earthiness of the past
and the sleek, jet-setting gleam of the present. I became spellbound by the
gothic district, a medieval part of town characterized by mossy pocked stone
and dark mischievous corners.
That first autumn, I convinced
my husband to cut our vacation in Madrid short so that we could return to old Catalonia's
capital and walk down La Rambla, eat tapas, and follow the cobblestone road to
its end. There on the beach we ate paella and watched the sun setting behind
the rippling sea.
Upon returning home, I
investigated Barcelona's history, the Crown of Aragon and the Inquisition,
which inevitably visited all of Europe. There were several waves of persecution
and inquisitions against gypsies, Jews, women in general and bohemian
travelers. It's a history of religious and political intrigue, influence and
corruption: the perfect setting for a paranormal story immersed in blood and
vengeance.
When we returned to Barcelona, I
went with keen eyes and a new purpose--to hear the whispers of the dead. To
imagine the drama that played upon these streets. It was intense. But of
course, we did take a fun break in Ibiza and danced all night to Tiesto at the
largest discotheque in the world, Prestige. In fact, every moment of research
was really a thrill for me.
Years later, we've established
our favorite haunts in the city. We re-explore fortresses and old moats now
green and yellow with beautiful hedges and flowers. We check on the progress of
Gaudi's Sagrada Familia.
We search for ghosts in the
gothic quarter (no ghosts this time, but a shy man blessed with a lovely tenor
voice sang in the echoing darkness). And we seek out the same tapas place
(simply called "Tapas Tapas") not so much for its ambiance but for
its beer selection and the most amazing papas fritas covered in spicy
mayonnaise. Yummy. The best. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Cannot
wait to return!
It is with great pleasure that I
am releasing the first book in Ulysses Anthony and Fiona Autumn's adventures
together. This book takes place in Texas and has many exciting scenes in
ancient Barcelona, as Fiona uses her psychic power to solve some pretty cold
cases--as in, centuries old!
 |
| available Dec. 1st |
Vampire's Fortune, Fortune Teller's Curse
When
money strapped psychic Fiona Autumn encounters the rich and powerful Ulysses
Anthony, his high-class charm (not to mention his accompanying envelope stuffed
with cold hard cash) persuades Fiona to read an ancient dagger in his
possession. Unfortunately, breaking the dagger’s seal awakens magic-wielding
creatures hell-bent on revenge. Trapped in a dangerous partnership, Fiona
realizes she has just unleashed an ancient rage that threatens all she holds dear--including
her own life.
Buy Links for Stealing Skye
14 comments:
Thanks for sharing the gorgeous pictures! Best wishes with your book.
I love Barcelona! What a wonderful setting for your new book.
Thank you, Angela!
--Kara
Thanks Marilyn! Barcelona has so many nooks and crannies. A person could be inspired to write a book in every genre!
Now, I need to book a flight to Spain. Your fault! And I think you wrote just the right book for my flight time... Congrats on your new book!
Wow, what a wonderful trip. Barcelona sounds amazing, and how fortunate for you to have an opportunity to visit a place that inspired you so deeply. The book sounds terrific.
Isn't it wonderful when a setting just inspires a story? Love your pictures. Congratulations on your release.
Thank you, Mimi! You will love it! Whenever we can muster up the time and money, we always say "first let's go to Barcelona." :)
Thanks Alicia! Lots off TV dinners and cable TV. Saved money adds up to a decent trip every other year. True! Barcelona can inspire a thousand books, if it hasn't already. Thanks for stopping by! :)
--Kara
Thanks Patricia! Yes. It definitely makes the whole "world building" a heck of a lot easier. Lol. :)
--Kara
Love the cover! And the premise sounds very interesting! Thanks for sharing your trip to Barcelona. The only time I've been out of the states was to Ireland. Would love to explore Italy and a few other places in Europe.
Kara,
How interesting. I just returned from Barcelona and I think it's wonderful that you set a book there. It was my third visit and we visited some of the other cities you mentioned on your blog. Thanks for sharing the pictures and your story.
Marilyn Baron
Thanks MJ! I haven't been to Ireland yet! It's on my list for someday.
--Kara
Thanks for stopping by Marilyn. I love Barcelona because even though I've gotten familiar with the city, there is always something new to find or adventure to experience, right? A writers' tour would be so cool I think. But I don't mind the buses with the orange earplugs. hah! I didn't realize until this last trip how many times they explain that poor Gaudi was done in by a trolley.
--Kara
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