TRAVEL TO PERU WITH GUEST AUTHOR ELIZABETH ROSE

Elizabeth Rose is the author of 31 contemporary, paranormal and historical novels, including her medieval series, Daughters of the Dagger and Legacy of the Blade. Some of her works have appeared on Wild Chicago as well as the History Channel. Learn more about Elizabeth and her books at her website.

Traveling to Peru 

I’ve always been impulsive, and one day many, many years ago, my husband and I decided to just up and go to Peru. I was always interested in anything to do with the jungle, and when we heard an advertisement on the radio about a group of astronomers going down to Peru to view Halley’s Comet, we decided to go with them.

Well, Lima wasn’t much different than Chicago – my neck of the woods, so that did nothing for me. Of course, they had Martial law at the time and soldiers standing around with machine guns. We almost made the mistake of going outside after 11 p.m. and getting shot.

But beside that, Cusco and Arequipa were both beautiful and more rural. We took a switchback train up the mountain to Machu Picchu and it was breathtaking. We stayed at a hotel up there, the only one I believe, and had two sunny days, which was very rare. It did rain a little and we saw a double rainbow – below us because we were so high up.

Then we hiked to the peak of Huayna Picchu, seeing ruins of temples along the way. And what is up there at the top of that 1,000-foot mountain, you ask? Just flies. You can see in the photo we are on the top of the peak and the switchback road is below us.

We also visited the jungles of Iquitos, and that is where I set my novel, Curse of the Condor. The trees were filled with colorful Macaws, and we hiked into the jungle to trade with the native tribe. My husband was blowing up balloons and giving them to the kids, (not an easy task at that elevation) and we got left behind. No group or tour guide, just us and topless natives wearing grass skirts, and tattooed men with blowguns. And with a dozen paths out of the native camp we had no idea which one to take. Speaking a different language, the tribe couldn’t even tell us. Finally one pointed to the right path and we finally caught up with our group who hadn’t even noticed we were missing.

We also sat out in the desert all night – let me repeat ALL NIGHT – while the crazy astronomers watched the stars come up and finally go back down. And there were no toilets or refreshments anywhere. Just us, a very black sky, probably a bunch of scorpions, and a whole lot of sand.

Curse of the Condor

Jetta Fitzgerald comes to the jungles of Peru searching for her missionary brother. She hires Conrado Nievez to take her into the jungle when she realizes he is a friend of her brother's.

Conrado has been raised by a native tribe in the jungle after the death of his parents. He is a loner and has no need for a city girl tagging along. He is known to the tribe as the boy from the prophecy involving a cave of treasure and a condor.

Conrado can't bring himself to tell Jetta that her brother is dead and it was the dart of his blowgun that killed him. But the longer he stalls, the more they start having feelings for each other. And when a dangerous situation occurs, it has them fearing for their lives. The jungle is a dangerous place for two lost souls in more way than one.

Adventure and intrigue are abundant as Jetta and Conrado set out on a journey that will change both of their lives forever.

Curse of the Condor is available as an ebook and only at Amazon. (No pun intended about the Amazon part.) It’s free on Amazon from May 22-26. Click here for your free copy. 

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--GUEST AUTHOR ERICA RIDLEY

The author  on one of her solo trips

Travel editor Serena Brower is taking over Book Club Friday today to introduce you to a very adventuresome author. Erica Ridley learned to read when she was three, which was about the same time she decided to be a writer when she grew up. When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest. Learn more about her and her books at her website. Today she’s here to tell us about her adventures in South America and traveling the world solo.

Bolivia: The new Paris?

Authors are often instructed to “write what you know”, but when you’re writing fantasy, that advice necessarily goes right out the window. . . Or does it?

Let’s see how well fact compares to fiction:

In Midwinter Magic, Jack goes solo to a third world country. This is a bad idea.

FALSE

I’ve traveled solo to dozens of countries, and would highly recommend anyone with wanderlust to do the same. Traveling alone has allowed me to live life as an adventure, and to make amazing new friends on three different continents. In 2012, I sold my house and moved to Costa Rica “for a year” . . . and haven’t looked back. (Getting caught in Snowmageddon 2014 when I flew north for the holidays didn’t exactly make me regret that decision, lol.)

Latin Americans are friendly and welcoming, even to American gringos.

TRUE

While I haven’t (yet) set foot in every country in Latin America, every place I have visited is home to some of the nicest people on earth . . . although they might take umbrage with the U.S.’s co-opt of the word “American.” Many countries around the world view the Americas as a single continent, and all of its inhabitants therefore American, be that North American, South American, Central American, etc. As with anywhere, there are better and worse places to traipse around on your own—i.e. Disneyland vs Detroit (sorry, Detroit!)—but it wouldn’t be at all unexpected for a total stranger to offer a ride, a meal, even a place to crash for the night to a traveler in need.

(For a real-life example, ask me about the time I inadvertently spent three days alone in Nicaragua with only $30 in my pocket . . .)

Jack is trying to right some wrongs. In real life, locals would reject interloper assistance, right?

FALSE

Dunno about you, but I personally wouldn’t reject no-strings free money . . . or free toys for my kids, or free medicine for sick relatives, or free labor around the house. I think a lot depends on attitude and intent. In my experience, many rural Latin America communities have a strong sense of community. They may not have extra money, but as long as they’ve got time and two hands, they’re more than willing to help each other out at the drop of a hat—and therefore wouldn’t take offense to someone else doing the same.

Volunteers

Sure, if some egocentric group comes along like, “This is how we do XYZ in our country. You must now convert your life and your culture to mirror ours.” Then, yeah, you should expect resistance. But if you’re helping someone else achieve the goals they want for themselves, you’ll likely be welcomed with open arms. If you have the means and/or the time, volunteering—whether locally or abroad—is a great way to pay it forward.

Life seems to move at a much slower pace in rural Latin America.

TRUE

Top five causes of traffic jams within three miles of the macadamia farm where I live:

1. Cow crossing the road

2. Herd of cows crossing the road

3. Chickens crossing the road

4. Pizotes (coatimundi) crossing the road

5. Sloths crossing the road

Accidentally knocking over your guardian angel is the one weird trick to finding true love.

*COUGH*

Most people manage to muddle along without clothes-lining their divine intervention, but Jack’s head appears to be a little harder than most . . .

Midwinter Magic

After an eye-opening congressional hearing, former corporate shark Jack Morgan redirects his ill-gotten gains toward charity work. However, his attempts to bring holiday cheer to a Bolivian village meet with one disaster after another: canceled flights, crumbling luggage, implacable customs officials. His plans disintegrate further when he runs into a sexy tourist with . . . wings?

As Jack's guardian angel, Sarah Phimm has her work cut out for her. When his latest volunteer mission risks his life, she's forced to reveal herself to him—but only in part. She can't risk him knowing the truth. He's everything her immortal heart desires, but can never have. She soon discovers that keeping him safe amidst death bridges and tumbling telephone poles is far easier than guarding her heart.

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