Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 72

How to miss your wife...Hubcap and Lucy's trip to Greece, Italy, Turkey

By Hubcap
Hello gang, it's been awhile since we travelled, so we decided to brave the Wide Wild World.  It's time for Lucy and Hubcap's travel to Italy and Greece.
The plan was to fly through Amsterdam, spend a day or two in Rome at the beginning and end, and in the middle have a 10-day cruise around Italy, Turkey, and Greece.  In other words, a fantastic plan.
We first travelled through Amsterdam (which I figure the closest to naming a town a swear word and getting away with it).  Having the day flying in, we spent the time touring the canals, which are very extensive.  Many of the people live in houseboats moored along the canals.  And like houses, they are in various states of repair.  But a plus; if you don't like your neighbors, fire up the motor and move your house.
[image error] Then we flew into Rome.  We had paid for a driver to pick us up, and we had called in advance to confirm that he would be there.  Which of course he wasn't.  No person, no sign, no nothing.  And people at the airport are more than happy to point you to a pay phone and indicate the 30+ digits you have to dial to get a call out.  So after 90 minutes of searching the airport for our nonexistent driver, we looked for a taxi.  This was the start of our experience with Italian taxis.
If you are fortunate to attain the official city taxis (white with yellow or red stripes), you will receive a decent ride at a decent price.  If you are like us, and you can only attract private taxis, you will find out two things very fast.  One, when you show them a credit card, they say they will take it.  To be specific, they will take you to your destination, then will take you to as many ATMs as it takes for you to pull out enough cash to pay them because, of course, they don't really take credit cards, are you kidding?  We only backed over one person in our search for Euros (which are like US dollars, but way more expensive.  Welcome to the EU).  Our other taxi experiences were going to and from our Cruise Port, with a stop at a factory outlet mall on the way.  Which actually ended up with expensive taxi rides to and from the port (long rides, we knew), but without the pre-arranged stop at the mall.  This brings up the second point; just because someone promises they'll take you somewhere, doesn't mean they'll actually take you there; are you kidding?  One thing we definitely got on these private taxis; we got taken for a ride.  The few times we secured the official city taxis, great experiences, good prices.  You've been warned. 
Inside the Pantheon turned Catholic ChurchOn one particular taxi ride, the person drove his car past a truck blocking the driveway into the hotel, and scuffed his car in the process (because, of course, the road really was meant for one vehicle width.  Learned a lot of inappropriate Italian phrases that day).  Which was unfortunate when I pointed out afterwards that the actual hotel was two locations down the road.
Rome is an incredible city; Lucy and I went on a walking tour and we saw ancient historical structures almost around every corner….incredibly beautiful structures.    Which of course is the main attraction of the town.  That, and that Vatican-thingy.  We were fortunate to see the Pope give the daily blessing while he was under the holy camping pavilion.  It's hard to see him from our zillion-kilometer viewpoint across the plaza, but luckily you can see him on the holy high-def monitors spaced around.  After watching everyone get their tourist items blessed, we decided that we would just return to our hotel, which was located nearby past some small turns, ancient footpaths/ruins and a couple time zones.   

[image error] Definitely the Pope set the bar, as none of the Roman or Greek entities visited as we toured their sites.  It's probably best; I wasn't dressed for lightning bolts, earthquakes or donkey ears (wait, that was Shakespeare; but I digress...).

Some key things to note:
Italians know English.  To be specific, they recognize English-speaking people very well, and are more than delighted to help you learn Italian by watching you struggle with your survival phrases, smile and shake their head.  You will know the lesson is over when, frustrated at every turn, you go to leave and they say, "Wait, we speak English…."
If you know Spanish, you can try to get your idea across to Italians by speaking Spanish, a related language to Italian.  And by that I mean that you can speak it, and can then try to interpret their gaze response, ranging from, "I can't believe you tried to insult me by speaking a second language from another country," to "I understand you, but if I respond in Spanish, you'll be as clueless as if I responded in Italian, so I'll stay silent to preserve your dignity."
Some phrases don't translate well.  For example in Italy when asking for directions, the phrase "It's a short walk, about a kilometer down this street, lots of shops, you can't miss it," actually means, "Walk down this road until you can't see me laugh, then continue walking until you realize you are in another country. You'll  definitely find something after that.  Note:  it won't be what you wanted. " 
We managed to find some wonderful restaurants (OK, actually bars about 3 feet deep with no chairs and lots of smokes), and get food to take back to our hotel.  In all fairness, a few of the bars had wonderful entrees (learned that I love Caprese Salad, a sliced tomato with buffalo cheese wedged into the slices), and friendly folks; we will always treasure those times.
Rome's traffic amazed us.  As you know, we've had mixed experiences with traffic in other countries, and Rome and Greece did not fail to disappoint.  Most amazing is that there's a lively mix of small cars, Vespas and pedestrians, all walking at once (traffic lights and signs add to the ambience, but are not followed of course), and no vehicles or people are bumped or even scratched.  Hitting pedestrians, we found, is strictly a tourist activity, as our taxis managed to hit people (one across the hood, another backing into them) while ferrying us through town.  Fortunately the end result is both pedestrian and driver exchange yelling, gesture, then continue on their way.  The lesson?  Instead of insurance, yell and gesture a lot.
Once we boarded the cruise ship (the Celebrity Equinox, which many mistake as a large Archipelago), we were treated to a wealth of great food, shows and shopping that really highlighted our vacation.  We had paid for a Concierge-level room and service, and it was nothing short of incredible.   Imagine every day getting out of your bed, opening the curtains to a balcony overlooking the ocean or port you were in.  With privacy panels on either side, you could stand out there totally naked and not bother anyone.  Most of the time.  Which, while I'm at it, my apologies to the just-passing Holland Line customers for the impromptu full monty experience you received from me that morning; that was NOT part of the cruise experience you purchased.
Greece and Turkey were fantastic countries.  Although clearly the economies are sorely pressed there, they suffered my Greek survival phrases well, encouraged me for the efforts, then sold us rugs and souvenirs.  The whitewashed buildings with their simple lines, clean arches and painted domes are etched in my memory always.  It was also amazing to see the huge influence the Middle East had on architecture, seeing Orthodox Churches with mosque attributes were very beautiful, lots of mosaic and inlaid designs.  I was not aware of the blending of some pagan designs with Catholic or Christian architecture, usually done to help promote introduction of the new religion into that region.  Great history lessons all around.
Only a couple hiccups on the excursions; in Athens, we had exited a tour bus (hop on, hop off, a great way to pass the day and still get the tour) for a museum, then found out it was closed that day (could've told us), then other folks waiting there let us know that the follow-on bus was blocked by the protests.  We ate lunch, grabbed a taxi, and after only running into one person, we ended up at the amazing Plaka (amazing because it wasn't' the official Plaka of history, but a small sidewalk plaza of shops and stands), where we were able to get back on the tour bus and enjoy the rest of the tour.
The other hiccup wasn't a fault of the location or the people; it was me.  Santorini is a fantastic island build around a volcanic mount and caldera.   As a result, at the port, you have two ways to get to the town at the top (I think it's 600ft up).  One, ride a burro or walk behind them up a zig-zag series of footpaths.  Lucy and I are allergic.  OR, ride a tram to the top, takes a minute.  We chose the tram.  As we waited in the building at the bottom and watched the trams go up bumpily on a very thin cable across old looking pylons, I experienced an earthquake.  To be clear, the island did not have an earthquake.  My legs just started shaking.  Then, my body, then, as we ascended, my hands.  I'm amazed my photos came out; definitely testifies to the anti-shake mechanism on the camera.  Lucy, who doesn't like heights?  Just fine, no worries.  Me?  Worries.  Lots of them.  Definitely I have an issue with heights.

[image error] Once at the top, the town was fantastic.  And I braved taking pictures at the edge, since we were there.  But honestly, I could not tour the caldera, like the others.  Bummer.
My experience in pointing at items in different countries was sorely tried.  For example, in Greece as we bartered, I remembered that pointing at items can be viewed as insulting in that culture.   I was fortunately able to convey my meanings by grabbing things off racks and other customers and dressing in them (clearly if I'm wearing it, I'm buying it).  The underwear photo is an example.  Don't ask whose it was originally.  But I'm sure she won't even miss it.  By the way, you have to post bail in Euros; another handy tip for you.
Pompeii was an experience not to be missed.  And we met some wonderful people who were taking back to back cruises, or were going for the first time.  However, one couple was notable.  Our tour guide Nuncia (Nancy in our lingo) was speaking to us through our personal radios about Vesuvius, Amalfi coast (introduced to Limón cello, fantastic!), and Pompeii (her forte of knowledge was Pompeii).  During this, the husband of this couple kept asking unusual questions, like, "Nancy (gestures out the bus window), is that an eruption going on over there?"  She said no, mainly because it was a personal brush fire on the mountain, and it wasn't even Vesuvias, which was on the opposite side of the bus.  He also asked if a hundreds-of-years old cathedral had a modern bathroom they could use.  Not tour it.  Just use the bathroom.  Not usually a problem, unless you discount all the other bathrooms nearby.  But you need the bathroom to be located in the CATHEDRAL….?

Pompeii sported many advanced features for a city; it had a combined network of chariot roads and pedestrian walks, so that despite rains, the chariots could travel unimpeded, and pedestrians could stay dry as they crossed the walks.  The city also had about 99 snack bars (think Golden Arches), with terracotta bowls in marble counters, large bread ovens, incredible.  They also had running water; and when they realized the lead pipes were poisoning them, they couldn't switch to terra cotta because the pressure from the water caused the pipes to burst.  The running water still functions today.  They also had a legal courtyard for judgements, many city centers and small terraced theaters for events and houses of pleasure (because they were legal then).  Although our earlier-mentioned couple found the paintings in these pleasure houses inappropriate, I found it fascinating that they would post "How to" guides in these places.  A menu of sorts, "sorry sir; that is NOT on the menu."

Our tour (number 13, of course) had finished a tour of a seashell-cameo-carving, and many tourmembers were purchasing gifts.  One of them was Nancy.  Nancy was not only the name of our tourguide Nuncia, but also the aforementioned wife of our brush fire loving tourist.

A few minutes after most of the group arrived at the meeting point, I hear him shouting, "Nancy! Nancy!"  Thinking he wanted our tour guides, I informed Nuncia, and she asked what he wanted.

"I MISS NANCY!  I MISS NANCY!"

Nuncia goes, "uh….what?"

"I mean, Nancy is the name of my wife….I MISS MY WIFE!"

We turn away to look at trinkets, sights, things besides this person….

Suddenly we hear on our radios, a male voice: "For everyone in group 13"….Not Nuncia's voice.  What the….?

We look over, and our favorite tourist has Nuncia's microphone (she is still attached to the transmitter), and he continues,"…Group 13, it's time to meet at the exit point now.  And NANCY, if you could hear me: YOU NEED TO COME OUT RIGHT NOW."

Convenient, I'm sure you'll agree, especially if you're in, say, the bathroom.

A few minutes later, a chastened spouse comes out of where she was buying stuff 20 feet away, and rejoins her much-relieved husband.  We move on to the rest of a wonderful tour.

To sum it up, we had a wonderful time over there, and we have many fantastic memories.  And I learned the most valuable lesson:

When your legs start to shake, just yell, "I MISS MY WIFE!  I MISS MY WIFE!"

Save the Date Reminder!

Have your checked out this event event yet? Lucy is a participating author!

Weekly Contest Winner!

This weeks prize goes to......
Tami Brothers
Thanks for visiting my blog this week! Please email me so I can get you, your prize! Enjoy the books and tote bag!

Guest Blog - Erin Nicholas

Welcome Erin Nicholas! I'm so excited that you are visiting with us today!

What I Don't Write
First, I'm so happy to be here on Lucy's blog again with all of you! Thanks for stopping by today! (And I have a giveaway at the end, so stick around!)
Typically writers spend a lot of time talking about what they write. That makes sense. When you meet a writer, it's good to know is she or he writes something you'd like to read. But sometimes it's worth talking about what I don't write. See, I have a new book coming out November 8th and in talking about the book, someone mentioned that the title Hotblooded would be a great title for an erotic vampire romance. I about snorted my tea—erotic vampire romances are just about opposite of what I write!
Because I don't write: Paranormal. Shape shifters, vampires, aliens, wizards and witches—as a reader I love it (well… not all of it but that's a post for another time) but I don't write it. At least not so far. I grew up with The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings and I love Harry Potter so, it's not completely out of the realm of possibility for me to write a paranormal someday, but for now, when you pick up one of my books you will find human beings, who stay human beings and do not drink blood (I sincerely doubt I'll ever write a vampire romance. Just sayin'.)
Historicals. Again, as a reader, love 'em. As a writer… well, I thought about this and I suppose it's because the story ideas and characters that come to me always present themselves in the, well, present. And I'd always be worried about accidentally having a regency period character check his e-mail on his iphone.
Thrillers.
[image error] There are no serial killers, sociopaths or unsolved mysteries in my books. That doesn't mean there isn't an occasional villain/ bad guy (or girl) and there are definitely "eccentric" characters but I like sexual tension/ will-they-do-it? to be what keeps people reading past midnight rather than who-done-it?
Un-happily ever afters.I also don't read these. At least not on purpose. I don't want main characters to die, true loves to be separated, or the happily ever after to be ruined or even postponed.
So what I do write: Steamy, fun contemporary romance. (These definitions are what I mean by these terms )
Steamy= there are definitely sex scenes in my books. More than one. And may involve food, toys and graphic-ish terms.
Fun= I like humor in my books and I like to write eccentric secondary characters and funny small towns.
Contemporary= we covered this above
Romance= true love, forever and ever, happily ever after… all the good stuff!
Besides the erotic vampire romance conversation, Hotblooded brings some of this up because it is all of what I do write (a steamy, fun, contemporary romance) but, when I describe what brings the hero and heroine together it sounds a little… well, depressing.
See, our heroine, Brooke Donovan is back in her hometown (which she hates) to help staff the tiny medical clinic with her husband. It's supposed to be temporary and he's supposed to be her buffer. But he's killed in a car accident and now she's stuck.
I know! Not really uplifting huh?
Our hero, Jack Silver, feels responsible for her husband's death and he's determined to make it up to her somehow. But she won't let him help her. Oh, and he doesn't want to fully confess what happened.
Yeah, not getting funnier is it?
But it is! Honest. There are funny moments, sexy moments, sweet moments. Brooke is feisty, Jack is sexy…
Well, here's the description I finally put together for the book: Her mama always said the women in their family were hotblooded…
Brooke Donovan never wanted to see her hometown, Honey Creek, Texas, again. And if it weren't for her late husband's deal with the town to repay their student loans in exchange for medical care, she wouldn't be here now. She certainly doesn't intend to stay. In eight months she'll be debt free and will have proven to Honey Creek that she doesn't need anyone. Until the one man who can make her rethink everything shows up.
Doctor Jack Silver is used to being a hero. So when he feels responsible for Brooke's husband's death, he travels across the state of Texas to give her the only thing he can offer— money. But instead of a grieving widow, he finds a gorgeous, feisty woman who's trying to survive in a town that wants her gone. The medical clinic she runs is at risk for going belly up. Thank goodness. This is something Jack can fix. He steps in as the supervising physician, determined to get the clinic—and Brooke—back on their feet. Whether she likes it or not.
Product warnings: Contains a hotblooded woman, a man who really likes that about her, a town with a long memory, and a cappuccino machine that makes it all worthwhile.
So, maybe you can see why it's good to sometimes talk about what I don't write as well as what I do write.

What I also do is give stuff away! The book isn't out yet so I can't give it away—though I'd love to (and if you'd like a chance to win it, you can join my reader group where I always give lots of stuff away!)—so instead, I'll give away a Starbucks gift card in honor of the fabulous cappuccino machine that plays a part in Hotblooded! Winner will be chosen from today's comments and posted on my website! Just comment here to get entered! I'm curious—as a reader, what do you look for in a book's description toa) make sure you check it out b) make sure you don't? c) is there an element that, if it showed up in a book unexpectedly, would make you stop reading?
Thanks for visiting with me today everyone!Erin Nicholas

Excerpt - Deal With This

Book 2 in The Goddard Project seriesTrade PaperbackKensington Brava - December 2007ISBN 0-7582-1180-5© 2007 Lucy Monroe
Excerpt from Chapter 1
Oh, for crying out loud.
A feminine sigh filled with exasperation sounded from the other side of the door. "Yes, I heard. I also heard that he already knows one of the house rules and you'd better remember it fast, or it won't be just the empty room I'm renting."
Despite the threat, she didn't sound angry and Gavin's moue of disappointment sans even the slightest fear of real retribution reflected it. With another sigh, Jillian tugged Gavin out of the doorway. The pink-haired man moved reluctantly to the side and Jillian took his place.
Alan Hyatt was a damn good agent. So, he'd read the file more than once and he'd studied pictures of the woman framed in the doorway.
Pictures which had hinted at the fire beneath the glossy exterior, but which had not prepared him for the impact Jillian Carlyle would have in person. Unlike in the publicity shots provided with her file, her burnt red hair did not fall in sleek waves around a perfectly made-up face. Instead corkscrew curls bounced past her shoulders in haphazard fire. And without the make-up, fine freckles dusted her nose and cheekbones.
Her eyes were the same jewel green as in the publicity shots, but this close he could confirm that the deep color was natural, not the result of contact lenses. She wasn't dressed like she was in the photos either. Her current clothes were every bit as bright as the front door and as body hugging as Gavin's, but with much different impact to Alan's libido.
The woman was fine. Truly fine. And damned if that spark of mischief in her eyes didn't curl around his heart and squeeze.
"This is a bad idea." The words were out before he realized they were even in his mind, but he meant them.
He did not need to be attracted to a woman who might well prove to be key to his investigation. Sexual yes...he could do the sex thing. But he shouldn't be attracted. And that thing with his heart. So not on his list of things to do today, tomorrow, next week, or even next year.
He'd had his fill of civilians. Non-agency women. They were not for men like him. They ended up in love with someone else...or just not loving him enough to accept who he was, what he was. A fifth generation federal agent, his job was more than a career, it defined him as deeply as anything else his parents had taught him. If he was being honest, he'd have to say even more deeply than a lot of it.
To read more....click here
Buy: Borders ~ B&N ~ Books-a-Million ~ Amazon

Humpday Hottie!

Are you ready for a little football? Two for one today ladies! Yum!

Free Read: Cowboys & Mercenaries

Hey, all...I've got a Free Weekly Sizzle in the ARe Newsletter (That's All Romance eBooks for those of you who might be wondering).  Cowboys & Mercenaries is a slightly expanded version of the story I posted on here a couple of years ago, with a tad more heat. :)  It's linked to both "Silver Bella" from MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY & reader favorite READY.  Let me know what you think. :)

Weekly Prize Giveaway!

Does this remind you of your TBR pile? I've got some books for you to add to your stack - leave me a comment on any posting open for comments and you will be automatically entered in the contest!
One bag/tote will be given away each week.
Weekly winner will be posted on Saturday!

Home and Catching Up

I'm still catching up, but I absolutely plan to blog about Hubcap and my amazing experiences in Europe complete with pictures!  Watch for it next Monday. :)  Until then, I just wanted to remind everyone that Harlequin is sponsoring it's More than Words contest again and you can read some great writing and vote for your favorite, helping the final winner...who will receive $15,000.  Amazing, huh???

If you get a chance to read and vote, please share your favorites in the comments so others will get an opportunity to hear about what could end up being a new favorite author!

Hugs,
Lucy

[image error] Hubcap & I in Rome

Weekly Contest Winner!

[image error]


This weeks prize goes to......
Jennifer Mathis
Thanks for visiting my blog this week! Please email me so I can get you, your prize! Enjoy the books and tote bag!