Thank you for joining me this is the first of two stops that I have on the blog tour for Under a Tuscan Sky by Karen Aldous. For today's stop I have a guest post where Karen talks about discovering characters in locations and there is also a brilliant giveaway to enter too. Don't forget to check back here on the 24th June for my review!
First of all let's take a look at the description for the book...
Escape to Tuscany this summer with Karen Aldous’s
brilliantly uplifting read. Perfect for fans of Erica James and Cathy Kelly.
A summer she’ll never forget…
When Olivia Montague’s grandmother passes away, she decides it’s
finally time to make some changes in her own life. So she breaks up with her
‘going nowhere’ boyfriend and embarks on a journey to her Nonna’s home in
Tuscany.
Until now, Olivia has always believed that she’s incapable
of love, after being abandoned by her parents as a baby. But with each day
spent at the gorgeous villa nestled in the rolling Italian hills, she feels her
heart begin to flutter…
And when handsome antiques dealer Hugh St. James arrives on
the scene, she realises things might be about to change forever!
Book Links
Guest Post
My new novel Under
a Tuscan Sky began last year when I visited a the beautiful Fattoria La
Loggia in the Tuscan hills. A working farm with rolling vineyards and olives,
as well as an agritourism establishment, its medieval villa and farm buildings
completely hypnotised me, and it was at that moment I met one of my characters,
Nonna Elena, a ninety-year-old woman who was troubled. When I asked why she was
unsettled, she told me she didn’t want to leave this world without her
granddaughter knowing of her family secret. Of course, I was intrigued and
began pouring questions to her. The story began to unfold and her estranged
daughter Roz, and loving granddaughter soon came to the fore along with Alberto
and Hugh, who were also instrumental for the story to succeed.
With every novel I write, the location is integral
to the story just as much as the characters and the plot. In fact, a beautiful
setting is also integral to me as a writer; one lung breaths travel while the
other exhales words, so let me share with you the moments of inspiration I’ve
received from some of the exotic locations in my novels so far.
Being a romantic, and a reader, I wish more than
anything for my readers to escape. One of my favourite and inspirational books
is The Island by Victoria Hislop. I
bought it at the airport on my way to Crete and I would go as far to describe
reading it as my Eureka moment. This novel made me realise the type of novel I
wanted to write. The ingredients were a perfect combo; it’s set in the stunning
Greek island of Spinalonga, the story has elements of history entwined, a
former leper colony, plus, its choc-full of family drama and romance. I loved
it, and I managed to take a boat trip to the island of Spinalonga whilst
reading it. I knew afterwards exactly
what and why I wanted to write. Yes, of course I want readers to engage in the
characters and their lives, but I want readers to feel they are drifting off to
the sunshine and travelling too. For me its Europe, France, Italy and Greece,
switzerland etc., and I suppose it stems precisely from the toe-curling
pleasures such beauty evokes in me.
A classic example is Provence. This was the setting
for The Vineyard and The Riviera. On my first visit to
Provence, many years ago, I stayed in Aix-en-Provence. Hubby and I had hired a
car and as it was late in the season, it was a fantastic opportunity to drive
out on the quiet roads and explore the numerous villages of the Luberon. And
wow, as I stood in Bonnieux overlooking rolling hills with the sun bursting
over burnt orange rooftops my character Lizzie arrived to let me know this was
where she wanted to be. I, however thought she was rather young to be out here
alone, so it was on another trip, to Cannes, at a beautiful apartment I stayed
at overlooking a busy colourful market, that I found her home and business; a
beauty salon. She had a buzzing cosmopolitan environment with glamourous rich
playboys and yet, she still yearned to be among the vineyards of Provence. It
made a beautiful contrast for the story and thus, provided me with the
motivation for my first story.
With The
Chateau, the character and setting arrived quite differently – from a
dream! I saw a ragged-looking female struggling to breath in the water and
trying to keep her grasp on a rope. The only clue to where she was, was a
medieval stone arch and a iron-barred door which I guessed was an entrance to a
dungeon. As I tried to make sense of it all the following day, I immediately
thought of the Chateau de Chillon on Lake Leman (Geneva) in Switzerland. I had
often driven passed it on ski trips, and nearby Montreux had been beckoning and
so it was to be. When I researched the castle, I discovered much about its
history and the witches it held as prisoners, and thus my main character Gina,
who along with the man she meets in Montreux, Ollie, set out on a quest to
discover more, and to free the spirit of Agnes-Francesia. The beautiful setting
by the lake and mountains on the Swiss Riviera was perfect, capturing the story
and my heart.
And so to One
Moment at Sunrise, my latest novel. I know this will also sound bizarre,
but as soon as I stepped into the villa in the Languedoc, my character Evie was
there. She wasn’t happy though and as I questioned her, I began to get a
picture of who she was and her tormentor; the reason she was sad. It wasn’t
until the following week when I cycled along the Canal-du-Midi that I was struck
by the setting. The canal and its landscape provided such inspiration and I
just knew I would have to relocate her villa beside the canal. Then cycling out
to the villages, the plot developed, but it was cycling to the town of Bezier
which then added another dimension. Seeing the statue of Pierre-Paul Riquet,
the builder of the canal was exciting and as I researched the canal’s history,
I discovered that mountain peasant women had been key to building the canal and
Riquet’s success. Their story had to be included too. Both my heart and mind
captivated, both lungs doing their job.
I can’t imagine any other career as fulfilling as
writing and travelling and I hope you enjoy my new title Under a Tuscan Sky.
LINKS:-
Karen’s books published
by HQ/Harper Collins are available at most ebook retailers. AmazonUK:
Thank you to Karen Aldous for the fab guest post!
Karen Aldous enjoys village life on the edge of the north-downs in Kent with easy access to the buzz of London. Not only does she love the passive pleasures of reading and writing, she also craves the more active pursuits with her family and friends such as walking, cycling and skiing especially when they involve food and wine!
Karen gets much of her inspiration from her travels and if she had to choose, France, Greece, Switzerland, Italy and the USA would be her favourites. However, wherever she goes, she discovers a new character emerges in 'Karen's World'. She likes to write about strong independent women who can direct their own lives - but struggle to control them! And, of course there's always a gorgeous hunk or two!
Karen gets much of her inspiration from her travels and if she had to choose, France, Greece, Switzerland, Italy and the USA would be her favourites. However, wherever she goes, she discovers a new character emerges in 'Karen's World'. She likes to write about strong independent women who can direct their own lives - but struggle to control them! And, of course there's always a gorgeous hunk or two!
You can also follow Karen:
Giveaway (UK Only)
1st prize: £10 Amazon voucher, eCopy of Under a Tuscan Sky & a signed notebook
2nd & 3rd prize: eCopy of Under a Tuscan Sky & a signed notebook
Why not follow along with the rest of the tour!
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