R.W. Wallace's Blog, page 6

Pin A Book: Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters by Lida Sideris

This week, I’m happy to introduce Lida Sideris, the author of Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters. My first pins on the other side of the Atlantic! You can see the map here.

How did the setting of your story impact your writing?

I used several different areas of Southern California that I’d enjoyed visiting to provide as backdrops to the action in my novel. I didn’t always use the names of specific places, but I used the actual general locale. For instance, my heroine visits Fashion Island, a large outdoor, upscale shopping mall in Newport Beach, California. I mention that she’s in Fashion Island and describe it  a little, but when she actually enters a jewelry store to discover her first clue, I create an imaginary store located in the mall. The impact on my writing was positive. Since I’d been to the real place, I could smell, touch, see, and hear the action quite clearly. Mentally I was there, right alongside my heroine. I felt like a tour guide who gets to twist and turn real places, and erase some parts to insert imaginary doors and windows to make the reality more exciting and interesting for the reader.

How or why is the setting important to who your character is?

Setting is used to define my character and exhibit her strengths and weaknesses. For instance, she finds herself in a predicament in a real place, and the reader learns about one of her weaknesses. In another instance, her actions in a setting display her strengths. I was like a location scout, seeking out places to help unfold the story. I had a blast!

Which location did you enjoy writing the most in your story? Why this one?

That’s tough because I wouldn’t have inserted them if I hadn’t enjoyed each one. It’s like being at a dinner party where several different kinds of delectable dishes are served and being asked to pick your favorite. Ideally, I’d like to be able to take a bite out of each one, and that’s what I did with the various locations in Southern California, all of which are upscale, desirable locales.

Which part of France would you like to visit? Why?

Well, I could not go to France and not see Paris because of the history and culture…the museums, Eiffel Tower, Arch de Triomphe, etc. And of course, the shopping and food. But I’d also like to visit the Loire Valley and see authentic chateaux and the historic villages, neither of which exist in California.

If you were to create a “typical French” character, how would you describe him/her?

Mature, well dressed, capable, adventurous, mischievous, and a gourmand. Also, well spoken and thoughtful, but a little challenged when it came to following rules.

What do you think would be the greatest cultural shock for a Frenchman who visited your home town? Or the location of your story?

Many French people visit my hometown (I hear them speaking on the main street). They seem to take all in stride, but I do notice some have trouble in parking structures that require automated validation prior to exit. The French experience difficulty in figuring out where or how much to pay! Of course, some domestics have the same problem.

 

Please note that Amazon links are affiliate links. You’ll pay the same price for anything you order, but I will earn a small commission.

Pin A Book: Until the Debt is Paid by Alexander Hartung

Wanting to meet other authors and discover other books where the setting is important to the story, I’ve decided to do blog posts where I interview authors – just a few questions turning around the setting of their book and France. I’ll also pin them and their books to a map, which you can find here.

For this very first post, I’m thrilled to introduce Alexander Hartung, the author of Until the Debt is Paid.

How is the setting important to who your character is?

Berlin is the biggest city in Germany. Life in Berlin is much faster than in a smaller town or in the countryside. Berlin has (compared to other German cities) a high crime rate. Being a policemen in Berlin is much rougher than anywhere else in Germany. This has a big impact on the characters.

  Which location did you enjoy writing the most in your story? Why this one?

I like the “Brandenburg Gate”. It’s the heart of Berlin and a place of big historical meaning. This beautiful gate suffered under the separation of Germany. Now it’s a symbol of our reunification.

When you visited France, which location did you prefer? Why?

Paris. This is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with a great variety of culture and history. It doesn’t matter how often you visit Paris, it’s not enough to discover everything.

What do you think would be the greatest cultural shock for a Frenchman who visited your home town?

The German love for their cars. For a Frenchman a car is an object to drive from A to B. For most Germans the car is part of their family.

I just love that comment about the cars. I didn’t even realize it, but it’s completely true – and it comes through in my writing in the sense that all my French characters have really crappy cars… Looks like we agree on the cultural difference

Please note that Amazon links are affiliate links. You’ll pay the same price for anything you order, but I will earn a small commission.

The Red Brick Cellars Available in Print

Okay, it looks like the book is finally available in print. It’s available on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk). At the moment’s it’s displayed as “out of stock” because nobody’s ordered any yet. When you pass the order, they will order it printed, though. Please let me know if there are any issues.

I haven’t managed to get the book to show up correctly on Amazon.fr yet, but I’m working on it…

Free Tolosa Mystery for Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I’m enjoying a mix of Norwegian and French holiday food, as usual. Always take the best of all the available cultures!

Did anyone find an eReader under the tree? Need something to read? The Red Brick Cellars: A Tolosa Mystery is free today only (December 26th, probably Pacific time, so starting a little earlier in Europe). Here’s your chance to try my novel for free!

And for those of you who don’t read in English… Feel free to pick up a copy today anyway – it will be a great help.

Thanks!

The Red Brick Cellars: A Tolosa Mystery

This is all very scary for someone who spent most of her life being invisible on the net. First novel, first website, first post, all in one go.

So…

My very first novel, The Red Brick Cellars, is available! The eBook is already on Amazon and the print should be ready pretty soon. I’ll let you know.

What’s it about?

A murdered mayor. A second body reduced to skeleton and dust. The public display so horrific that the police are baffled.
Everyone assumes uninterested heir Louis Saint-Blancat will finally settle down and focus on the politics of Toulouse, France. Louis becomes the center of attention in the press while his mother and sister pressure him to follow the family’s political tradition when all he wants is to track down his father’s killer, then return to his globe-trotting lifestyle.
Determined to ferret out the story behind the perplexing assassination that took place at the very center of Toulouse to advance her career, struggling English journalist Catherine Marty finds an unlikely ally in Louis.
Will the two sleuths discover what is lurking beneath the apparent congeniality of la Ville Rose?

If you’re interested in a free copy in exchange for an honest review, please contact me (through any of the contact buttons in the sidebar or in the footer).

Available on Amazon: The Red Brick Cellars: A Tolosa Mystery (affiliate link)