Olga Núñez Miret's Blog: Author Translator Olga, page 98

Autora Invitada: María Teresa Mateo Arenas.

Hola a todos:

Como sabéis los viernes os traigo a autores invitados. Me encanta que nos vuelvan a visitar autores a los que ya conocemos, pero siempre es una alegría presentar a un escritor (o en este caso, una escritora) que hace poco ha empezado su andadura en la publicación.

María Teresa Mateo me contactó a través de uno de los grupos que frecuento y me comentó que le encantaba escribir, pero como nos pasa a muchos autores, tiene poca experiencia en eso de intentar promocionar los libros. Yo le pedí que nos hablar un poco sobre ella (es muy modesta) y me envió un par de sinopsis de su novela que os incluyo.

Autora Teresa Mateo

Biografía:

Quisiera presentarme, mi nombre es Maria Teresa Mateo, nací en Sabadell provincia de Barcelona allá por 1960, por lo tanto soy de signo Libra, dicen que el símbolo del equilibrio, dejémoslo ahí.

Nunca destaqué en ningún deporte, ni fui brillante en mis estudios, aunque en mi defensa debo decir, que creo ser la única criatura en el mundo que hace pellas en clase para irse a leer a la biblioteca.

Acabé mis estudios sin pena ni gloria, empecé a trabajar en el negocio familiar y nunca dejé de leer, ni un solo día, la lectura fue (y sigue siendo) mi pasión, hasta que empecé a escribir; Y empecé por casualidad, todo el mundo me incitaba a la locura, yo creí estar más cuerda que ellos, hasta que ganaron la batalla.

Aparte de escribir y leer, hago otras cosas: Tengo un negocio de perfumería y estética, estoy casada, con un hombre que tiene más paciencia que el santo Job para aguantar mis neuras, y tengo dos hijos que por desgracia para mí, no han heredado la paciencia de su padre, pero aún así los quiero con locura a los tres.

 

Aquí os dejo el blog de Teresa para que os podáis informar sobre sus obras y también las reseñas que comparte con los lectores:

http://teresamateo.blogspot.co.uk/

Teresa de momento ha publicado una novela con un título precioso y muy sugerente.

Otoño en la piel, primavera en la sangre

Otoño en la piel, primavera en la sangre de Teresa Mateo Arenas

Sinopsis

Un viaje por sorpresa, un encuentro accidentado, una despedida forzosa y toda una vida arrepintiéndose.

Meritxell Llobet, tuvo que dejar atrás a su gran amor por cumplir su promesa de matrimonio, durante más de veinte años pagó su infidelidad, lo que la mantenía con vida eran sus libros y sus hijos, hasta que un día, el pasado volvió, se presentó en forma de programa de televisión.

Y por is os gustan las descripciones más detalladas:

Un sueño cumplido, un viaje inesperado que romperá todos los esquemas a los que estaban ligados.

Treinta años después:

Un matrimonio sin amor, un recuerdo dormido que despierta de pronto.

Unos sueños latentes, la asaltan de vez en cuando, sueños en que su cuerpo sigue sintiendo la llama del amor, sueños que están a punto de hacerse realidad.

Verlo allí de nuevo ante ella, real y tangible, superó todas sus fantasías y la sumió en la noche más oscura.

¿Realidad o fantasía? ¿Le estará jugando una mala pasada su subconsciente?

¿Será demasiado tarde para ella? ¿Podrá recuperar los años perdidos?

Un libro lleno de conflictos en que se mezclan los celos, la traición, el desamor, la venganza, con un amor para el que las fronteras no serán suficiente.

En formato electrónico:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CD8BCEA/

En papel:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1484175492/

Gracias a Teresa por visitarnos, y esperemos que vuelva con nuevos libros, a vosotros por leer, y si os ha interesado, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid, and por favor, haced CLIC!

 

 

Guest author. Brian K. Larson. Sci-Fiction and new world.

Hi all:

As usual on Fridays I have a guest author. I’ve met Brian Larson in one of the groups of authors I frequent, always enthusiastic, encouraging others, and an example to follow for all of those who think that dyslexia or specific learning difficulties makes a career as a writer impossible.  I also thought bringing him here would be a treat for all science-fiction lovers, and also people who love series and the arch of development of characters and stories it allows.

First, a little bit about Brian:

Author Brian Larson

I was born in June of 1959 in Seattle, Washington and lived in the town of Mount Lake Terrace.  I grew up with two siblings, a brother and a sister.  In school, I didn’t do very well and never excelled at much of anything, except my imagination and my love for reading.  I was given the title “bookworm” in school because I always had my nose in a book.

I could read fairly well, but didn’t know that I had a learning disability that would prevent me from understanding basic English.  It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered that I suffered from Dyslexia, a learning disability that affects millions of people.

I have held many jobs in my young adult life including, cleaning a meat market, pumping gas, carpet cleaning, and apartment maintenance.  When I finally discovered that I suffered from this disability, I decided to better myself and obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Technology.

Not only did I manage to graduate but went on to receive my  Masters in Information Systems.

I am now a successful regional technician manager for a large corporation and have decided to pursue a lifelong dream of writing science fiction books.

My dream came to fruition in July 2012, I was accepted by a publisher within three days. I now am self-publishing my works and living the dream. I now have the book writing bug and decided to create an entire series.

I have been married to my wonderful wife Diana Rose, for nearly 14 years now, and she has supported my efforts… without her encouragement; this dream would never have become a reality.  She has three wonderful kids all grown now, and we enjoy our 6 wonderful grandchildren, ages 2 years all the way up to 12 years old.  Jacob who is the eldest, Amanda, Donita, Carmela, Adam, and Ariyah who is the youngest.  They are so special and great to have around.

I hope that my writing will give joy and spark the imaginations of readers all over the world.

And now Brian’s books:
Book 1: Secret of the Crystal

Secret of the Crystal by Brian Larson

Jhahnahkan has returned to Ackturra from the outer rim on a mission to find allies in their failing war with the Zelinites.

He has been given a seat on the High Council, and issued a power crystal from the Ackturrian caverns. These crystals, give the user special abilities. But, something about the crystals he mistrusts. Jhahnahkan is plunged one-thousand years into the past. Now, he must discover the secret of the crystal before his brother takes over the council and commits genocide on the Zelinites.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F77G29E/

Book 2: The Force (Secret of the Crystal II)

The Force (Secret of the Crystal II) by Brian Larson

In this second installment of “Secret of the Crystal” Jhahnahkan is faced with discovering a way to unlock the memories that have been sealed in his mind in order to defeat the Rune. His people have plunged into civil war and unrest as North fights against the South. He races to discover the secret location within the crystal caverns, in search for the legend of the Crystal Forge.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EPRFA0Y/

Book 3: Destiny (Secret of the Crystal III)

Destiny (Secret of the Crystal III) by Brian Larson

In this third installment of Secret of the Crystal, the civil war that had threatened the existence of the people of Ackturra, was suddenly halted by the appearance of Jhahnahkan’s son. The time line fractures were even more severe than once thought, as Kate still carries their child. The Rune infection had spread and become more corrupt and more powerful within the crystals, threatening the very heart of Ackturra; the Forge.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G2NSKVK/

Book 4: Forgotten Legacy (Secret of the Crystal IV)

Forgotten Legacy (Secret of the Crystal IV) by Brian Larson

Venture back 20,000 years, to a time where there was a planet called Astra. The Anunnaki were a proud people, but had come to hate one another. They lived their lives separated by the demarcation line established by the northern and southern factions. The threat of new wars began and escalated to the point which ultimately destroyed Astra by the massiveseismoacoustic  weapon they had created. Their home exploded, sending its planetary fragments into the Roche limit of Mars that was in close orbit. The event shifted the planet Mars and the impacting planetary fragments caused the Martian atmosphere to vent, rendering the planet uninhabitable.Now, only one planet existed that could sustain life which they had very little Intel on. It was the third planet in the system and they called it Terra Firma, the only place left were life could survive.  Earth was a new and wonderful world that showed promise for survival with its rich and virgin soil. Join Jhahnahkan’s ancestor’s as the Anunnaki eke out survival on their new home. Will Roth’stavous usher in peace on this new planet, or will hate between the northern faction and southern movement be to great before their war machines destroy them all.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I124W1M/

Book 5: The Rune (Secret of the Crystal V)

The Rune (Secret of the Crystal V)

Roth’stavous rules the Royal House of Sö’. He leads the people of Ackturra to battle the Zelinintes, but then discovers the real danger: The Runic Queen.

They defend Ackturra from the Rune, but the threat moves closer, seeking to invade the Ackturrians using the Zelininte War machine as her personal pawns.

The Evil Runic Queen will do anything to obtain an Ackturrian power crystal of her own. With it, she could rule the galaxy.

Will Roth’stavous’ desendants find the power within themselves to defeat the deadly Rune that threatens to destroy the Crystal Forge of Ackturra?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J7RKYCQ/

 

And also, not in the same series:

Salvage-5 ( a techno thriller)

Salvage-5 by Brian K. Larson

 

Colonel Tucker Petersen, retired five years from the military, is suddenly recalled to active duty and is put in charge of the Salvage-5 mining/recovery mission.

Four previous civilian salvage missions have gone missing from the Kirkwood Gap. Colonel Tucker, with his crew, set out to discover what went wrong with the Self-contained mining dredge, the Euna-1, at Asteroid 15 Eunomia…

…but what they find on their mission will change their lives forever.

Find out what discoveries are waiting for the crew of  Salvage-5.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZ1D90S/

Ah, and Brian asked me to let you know that he is always updating his website and you can get access to his blog and news and offers, here:

http://www.secretofthecrystal.com/

Thank you so much to Brian for visiting, to all of you for reading and if you’ve enjoyed it, you know the drill, like, share, comment, and of course, pleased CLICK!

Guest author. Briar K. Larson. Sci-Fiction and new world.

Hi all:

As usual on Fridays I have a guest author. I’ve met Brian Larson in one of the groups of authors I frequent, always enthusiastic, encouraging others, and an example to follow for all of those who think that dyslexia or specific learning difficulties makes a career as a writer impossible.  I also thought bringing him here would be a treat for all science-fiction lovers, and also people who love series and the arch of development of characters and stories it allows.

First, a little bit about Brian:

Author Brian Larson

I was born in June of 1959 in Seattle, Washington and lived in the town of Mount Lake Terrace.  I grew up with two siblings, a brother and a sister.  In school, I didn’t do very well and never excelled at much of anything, except my imagination and my love for reading.  I was given the title “bookworm” in school because I always had my nose in a book.

I could read fairly well, but didn’t know that I had a learning disability that would prevent me from understanding basic English.  It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered that I suffered from Dyslexia, a learning disability that affects millions of people.

I have held many jobs in my young adult life including, cleaning a meat market, pumping gas, carpet cleaning, and apartment maintenance.  When I finally discovered that I suffered from this disability, I decided to better myself and obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Technology.

Not only did I manage to graduate but went on to receive my  Masters in Information Systems.

I am now a successful regional technician manager for a large corporation and have decided to pursue a lifelong dream of writing science fiction books.

My dream came to fruition in July 2012, I was accepted by a publisher within three days. I now am self-publishing my works and living the dream. I now have the book writing bug and decided to create an entire series.

I have been married to my wonderful wife Diana Rose, for nearly 14 years now, and she has supported my efforts… without her encouragement; this dream would never have become a reality.  She has three wonderful kids all grown now, and we enjoy our 6 wonderful grandchildren, ages 2 years all the way up to 12 years old.  Jacob who is the eldest, Amanda, Donita, Carmela, Adam, and Ariyah who is the youngest.  They are so special and great to have around.

I hope that my writing will give joy and spark the imaginations of readers all over the world.

And now Brian’s books:
Book 1: Secret of the Crystal

Secret of the Crystal by Brian Larson

Jhahnahkan has returned to Ackturra from the outer rim on a mission to find allies in their failing war with the Zelinites.

He has been given a seat on the High Council, and issued a power crystal from the Ackturrian caverns. These crystals, give the user special abilities. But, something about the crystals he mistrusts. Jhahnahkan is plunged one-thousand years into the past. Now, he must discover the secret of the crystal before his brother takes over the council and commits genocide on the Zelinites.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F77G29E/

Book 2: The Force (Secret of the Crystal II)

The Force (Secret of the Crystal II) by Brian Larson

In this second installment of “Secret of the Crystal” Jhahnahkan is faced with discovering a way to unlock the memories that have been sealed in his mind in order to defeat the Rune. His people have plunged into civil war and unrest as North fights against the South. He races to discover the secret location within the crystal caverns, in search for the legend of the Crystal Forge.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EPRFA0Y/

Book 3: Destiny (Secret of the Crystal III)

Destiny (Secret of the Crystal III) by Brian Larson

In this third installment of Secret of the Crystal, the civil war that had threatened the existence of the people of Ackturra, was suddenly halted by the appearance of Jhahnahkan’s son. The time line fractures were even more severe than once thought, as Kate still carries their child. The Rune infection had spread and become more corrupt and more powerful within the crystals, threatening the very heart of Ackturra; the Forge.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G2NSKVK/

Book 4: Forgotten Legacy (Secret of the Crystal IV)

Forgotten Legacy (Secret of the Crystal IV) by Brian Larson

Venture back 20,000 years, to a time where there was a planet called Astra. The Anunnaki were a proud people, but had come to hate one another. They lived their lives separated by the demarcation line established by the northern and southern factions. The threat of new wars began and escalated to the point which ultimately destroyed Astra by the massiveseismoacoustic  weapon they had created. Their home exploded, sending its planetary fragments into the Roche limit of Mars that was in close orbit. The event shifted the planet Mars and the impacting planetary fragments caused the Martian atmosphere to vent, rendering the planet uninhabitable.Now, only one planet existed that could sustain life which they had very little Intel on. It was the third planet in the system and they called it Terra Firma, the only place left were life could survive.  Earth was a new and wonderful world that showed promise for survival with its rich and virgin soil. Join Jhahnahkan’s ancestor’s as the Anunnaki eke out survival on their new home. Will Roth’stavous usher in peace on this new planet, or will hate between the northern faction and southern movement be to great before their war machines destroy them all.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I124W1M/

Book 5: The Rune (Secret of the Crystal V)

The Rune (Secret of the Crystal V)

Roth’stavous rules the Royal House of Sö’. He leads the people of Ackturra to battle the Zelinintes, but then discovers the real danger: The Runic Queen.

They defend Ackturra from the Rune, but the threat moves closer, seeking to invade the Ackturrians using the Zelininte War machine as her personal pawns.

The Evil Runic Queen will do anything to obtain an Ackturrian power crystal of her own. With it, she could rule the galaxy.

Will Roth’stavous’ desendants find the power within themselves to defeat the deadly Rune that threatens to destroy the Crystal Forge of Ackturra?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J7RKYCQ/

 

And also, not in the same series:

Salvage-5 ( a techno thriller)

Salvage-5 by Brian K. Larson

 

Colonel Tucker Petersen, retired five years from the military, is suddenly recalled to active duty and is put in charge of the Salvage-5 mining/recovery mission.

Four previous civilian salvage missions have gone missing from the Kirkwood Gap. Colonel Tucker, with his crew, set out to discover what went wrong with the Self-contained mining dredge, the Euna-1, at Asteroid 15 Eunomia…

…but what they find on their mission will change their lives forever.

Find out what discoveries are waiting for the crew of  Salvage-5.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZ1D90S/

Ah, and Brian asked me to let you know that he is always updating his website and you can get access to his blog and news and offers, here:

http://www.secretofthecrystal.com/

Thank you so much to Brian for visiting, to all of you for reading and if you’ve enjoyed it, you know the drill, like, share, comment, and of course, pleased CLICK!

Blog Tour. The Nightlife London by Travis Luedke

 

 

 


 





 
 
Title: The Nightlife London
Author: Travis Luedke
Series: The Nightlife Series
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance/Vampires
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 23 2013
The Nightlife Series is violent, sexy, and occasionally violently sexy.
 
Vampires Aaron and Michelle prowl the dark, gritty, strip

clubs and back alleys of London on the hunt for Michael Jamison, the man who

stole Michelle’s blood and left her for dead. To assist them, Aaron’s new

master, Urvashi, calls in favors from her friends, Russian mercenary

werewolves.
 
Wolves Katya and Ivan, hunters adept at killing rogue

vampires, set aside their animosity for Aaron and Michelle to stop Jamison from

murdering another woman – he already has one bloodless victim lying in the

morgue.
 
Jamison, ex-special forces, feels his enemies closing in,

but he won’t go down without a fight –and like Aaron and Michelle, he also has

powerful friends.
 
Experience the violent, sensual underbelly of Nightlife

London, as Aaron and Michelle mix up a wicked blend of sex, chaos, mayhem, and

vengeance.
 
The Nightlife Series novels are Adult Paranormal Romance ~

Urban Fantasy Thriller:
 
#1 THE NIGHTLIFE NEW YORK
#2 THE NIGHTLIFE LAS VEGAS
#3 THE NIGHTLIFE PARIS
#4 BLOOD SLAVE
#5 THE NIGHTLIFE LONDON
#6 THE NIGHTLIFE SERIES OMNIBUS (Books 1-4)

#7 THE

NIGHTLIFE SAN ANTONIO (June 9th 2014)

Review:
 

The Nightlife London by Travis Luedke. Of vampires, fallen angels, werewolves, nightlife and…love? (5 STARS)

What is love? When thinking about writing the review for Mr Luedke’s novel (the fourth on the series of the Nightlife, following on from New York, Las Vegas and Paris) I came to the conclusion that most fictional novels are about love, in one way or another. Of course romantic novels make love their central theme, but other genres and even literary fiction orbit around love. Be it family love, love for art, love of animals, love for nature and the world, love of travelling, love of power and success, love of money, love of beauty, love of justice, love of revenge, love of God, love of science, love of philosophy, love of sex…I won’t push it further and say that even non-fiction is about love (although be it love of information, of exploring one’s life or that of others, or passion for a particular hobby or skill form the basis of a fair amount of other types of books) but I think you get my gist.

‘The Nightlife London’ is an urban paranormal novel with plenty of action, excitement, dangers, seedy locations, Afghan and Colombian gangs, criminals, prostitution, drugs, blood, sex…and vampires, werewolves, fallen angels, all within our contemporary world, but not as we know it. Mr Luedke has woven a net of complicated relationships, rewriting the folklore of vampires and the paranormal, giving the vampires’ bite and their venom wondrous and sensuous properties, mixing healing and life-giving properties with enslavement and extreme dependency. Like the Greek Gods, Mr Luedke’s vampires are much more than human, but at the same time very human, with their emotions, their weaknesses, their hatreds, their needs…and their love.

From the first novel, where he becomes a vampire, Aaron has tried to maintain his own sense of self (despite owing loyalty to Michelle and being connected, first to her and now to Urvashi, and able to read other people’s thoughts) and morality, and he’s been challenged by powers that are difficult to master, relationships that keep changing, and more than anything, by his human emotions. He’s still in love with Michelle, has a not fully-understood relationship with Urvashi (a fallen angel full of mystery and surprises), still mourns his wife Anastasia and to the mix is added Katia, one of the Russian wolves/allies sent by Urvashi. Would you be able to love somebody who smells of wet-dog? More to the point…Is it really love? Are any of the relationships in the book love? I guess that depends on your definition of love. I think although some of the relationships in the book are pretty alternative, dependent, predatory…they would still qualify as some kind of love.

I personally like the two new characters, Katia and Ivan and their loyalty to the pack. The clashes of personalities between vampires and wolves at the beginning of the novel make for some very humorous situations but things get more serious as the plot progresses and their mission to find Michael Jamison doesn’t go quite according to plan.

If you’re looking for thrilling action, passionate sex scenes (a word of warning, it’s an adult novel), urban underbelly settings, gore, paranormal, vampires, werewolves…you’ll find it all in the new novel of the Nightlife series. The writing is fast-paced; the plot is exciting and the characters well-drawn and very human. And as a bonus you might find yourself thinking about what is love, like I did. Maybe we’ll get the answer in the next novel. I was looking forward to Moscow but I have just heard that the series makes a detour through San Antonio (Texas) to warm up a bit after the cold winter in London. I sympathise although worry that if it gets any hotter it could burst into flames, not terribly good for vampires (or the rest of the nightlife). Saying that, I’m really looking forward to the San Antonio visit. I hope you do too.

 

 
 

Enter to Win – A Progressive Giveaway! 
 



For every 50 Adds of  THE NIGHTLIFE LONDON  to the Goodreads “To Read” Shelf, there will be a winner and a new prize level will be opened!
 



There will be 1 WINNER for each level below:

 

• 50 adds to Goodreads TBR 

 - Digital Copy Blood Slave 

• 100 adds to Goodreads TBR
- Digital Copy Blood Slave  + $10 Amazon Gift Card

 

• 150 adds to Goodreads TBR
- Digital Copy Blood Slave  + $20 Amazon Gift Card


 


• 200 adds to Goodreads TBR
- Digital Copy The Nightlife Series Omnibus  + $40 Amazon Gift Card









 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Coming June 9, 2014:

The Nightlife San Antonio
 
 
Vampires, Mafia &

Mayhem:
The Nightlife San

Antonio is violent, sexy, and occasionally violently sexy.
 
All she wanted was to escape the police.

All he wanted was to get laid. They both got more than they bargained for.

EMT on call, Adrian Faulkner

resuscitates a beautiful woman after a Mexican mafia shootout. He can’t explain

why he picks her up in the hospital parking lot three days later and then ducks

the San Antonio police and the Feds. Well, the hot sex might have something to

do with it.

She needed to hide. With no memory of

even her name, she didn’t know from who. She only knew she wasn’t safe.

Adrian soon learns she is much more than

a damsel in distress, and he’s stuck with her. It isn’t long before the past

she cannot remember begins to catch up with them both…

THE NIGHTLIFE SAN ANTONIO is a non-stop

thrill ride through the shadowy borderworld of mafia politics and vampires –

and sex.

About the Author:
 


 
Travis

Luedke is a husband, father, and author of Urban Fantasy Thriller, Paranormal

Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, and Sci-fi. He is currently

catching a 3rd degree sunburn in San Antonio, Texas, and loving every minute of

it.
 
As

the author of the Nightlife Series novels, Travis lives very vicariously

through his writings. He invites you to enjoy his macabre flights of fancy, but

be warned: The Nightlife Series is

violent, sexy, and occasionally violently sexy.

 

 
Author Links:  

 

 
Amazon

Author Page ● Author Blog ● The Nightlife Series Blog 
Facebook ● Facebook The Nightlife Series Page ● Facebook Author Page

Goodreads ● G+ ● Twitter ● Wattpad ● Website ● Email 
 
Book Links:
 
Amazon ● Goodreads 
Barnes & Noble ● iTunes ● Kobo ● Smashwords ● Allromanceebooks 

Tour Coordinator:

 

 

 

Please check out the other stops on this tour:

This post contains Affiliate Links.

Familia, lujuria y cámaras. Por fin ha llegado!

Hola a todos:

Probablemente algunos de vosotros recordéis que llevo algo de tiempo hablando de que iba a publicar una novela corta, ‘Familia, lujuria y cámaras’ que también tiene bastante de thriller psicológico, aunque es un poco…De hecho si seguís mi blog habréis visto que compartí una muestra del principio, y que también os mostré la foto que quería usar para la portada a la búsqueda de sugerencias.

Pues después de daros tanto la lata, finalmente está aquí.

Os dejo la portada definitiva, la descripción y el enlace.

Y por si os apetece leer la muestra, también os dejo el enlace al post previo.

Familia, lujuria y cámaras (Olga Núñez Miret) Portada: Lourdes Vidal

(Por cierto, Lourdes, la diseñadora, es nueva en esto de diseñar portadas, pero se ha lucido, eh? Aquí os dejo un enlace a su página por si queréis ver qué otras cosas hace:

 www.lourdesvidaldisseny.jimdo.com)

 

Familia, lujuria y cámaras.

¿Os gusta mirar? ¿Creéis que no se hace daño a nadie con ello?

¿Qué pasaría si vuestra vida se convirtiera en La ventana indiscreta? Pat creía que había dejado atrás su pasado y empezado una nueva vida. Pero uno no se libra del voyerismo, las obsesiones y la familia tan fácilmente. A veces hay que tomar medidas drásticas para sobrevivir el acoso de un hombre, especialmente de un hombre como Herman. Y esta vez Pat está decidida a ganar la partida, sea cual sea el precio que tenga que pagar.

En el mundo actual donde la tecnología domina nuestras vidas y nunca estamos solos ni existe la intimidad, esta novela corta más que una obra de ficción es una advertencia sobre los peligros que nos acechan en nuestras propias casas. ¿Hasta dónde llegarías vosotros para vengaros de alguien que intentara controlaros la vida?

Autora y psiquiatra Olga Núñez Miret vuelve a traernos una historia donde los motivos de los personajes y el funcionamiento de sus mentes os mantendrán en vilo. Breve, tensa y sin remilgos, tendréis que leerla de un tirón hasta el final. Si sois aficionados a ‘Psicosis’, ‘Peeping Tom’ y ‘Mujer soltera blanca’ y os fascina y repele ‘Gran Hermano’ esta obra para adultos os enganchará.

Enlaces:

Amazon:

http://bit.ly/1pFfUv7

Kobo:

http://bit.ly/1iFN0X6

Barnes and Noble (Nook):

http://bit.ly/1kk4DkH

Aquí al enlace al previo post:

https://olganm.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/obra-en-desarrollo-familia-lujuria-y-camaras-que-sucederia-si-la-ventana-indiscreta-transcurriera-dentro-de-tu-hogar/

Gracias por leer, y si os ha interesado, ya sabéis, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid, y si podéis haced CLIC!

Family, lust and cameras. Finally here!

Hi all:

As you’ll remember, I’ve been talking for a while about the new novella I was planning on publishing, ‘Family, lust and cameras’. I published a post with a sample of the beginning of the novel and I even shared the image I wanted to use for the cover, asking for suggestions and people seemed to be quite keen and had great ideas.

Well, after so much talking, it is finally here! It has a fair bit of the psychological thriller too, but there is voyeurism, obsession, technology…

I leave you the final cover, the description, some comments from advance readers, and just in case you fancy reading a bit to get a better idea, the link to the sample post.

Family, lust and cameras by Olga Núñez Miret. Cover by Lourdes Vidal. Designer

(The cover, by my friend and designer, Lourdes Vidal, is her first. I think she’s done an excellent job (although I took the picture!). And just in case you’re curious, she has a website with all the other things she does: www.lourdesvidaldisseny.jimdo.com)

Family, lust and cameras.

Do you enjoy watching? Do you think it doesn’t harm anybody?

What would happen if your life became The rear window? Pat thought she’d left her past behind and started a new life. But one doesn’t get rid of voyeurism, obsessions and family quite that easily. Sometimes one has to adopt drastic measures to survive the harassment of a man, particularly a man like Herman. And this time Pat is determined to win, whatever the price.

In this world where technology dominates our lives, we’re never alone and privacy doesn’t exist, this novella more than a work of fiction is a warning about the dangers that haunt us in our own homes. How far would you be prepared to go to get revenge from somebody intent on controlling your life?

Author and psychiatrist Olga Núñez Miret brings us another story where the character’s motives and the inner-workings of their brains will keep you guessing. Brief, tense and with no flourishes, the story will keep you reading non-stop till the end. If you’re fans of ‘Psycho’, ‘Peeping Tom’ and ‘Single White Female’ and are fascinated and repelled in equal degree by ‘Big Brother’ this adult story will get you hooked.

Some readers where very kind to read it and provide me their opinion in advance of the publishing:

Christoph Fischer

“Family, Lust and Cameras” by Olga Núñez Miret is a fantastic psychological thriller about the boundary breaking interest that her step brother Herman displays for our protagonist, Pat.

For some readers the issue of sexual desire between step siblings might be edgy but for me it is handled just right and it adds more than just a minor element of sensationalism to an already strong and fascinating plot.

It has been a while since a book has had such an immediate impact and almost hypnotic spell on me. Pat is brilliantly drawn as a strong and outspoken character but so is her step brother. The dialogue between the two of them is sharp, honest and explosive and compelling to read.

Pat has escaped Herman once before but now that he has found her she agrees to meet him to negotiate. She likes her new life, lover and job and has a lot to lose.

There is a little more to the story as it unfolds, which adds further to the reading pleasure. The author has a background in psychology and easily breaks her characters down with analytic ease and excellent empathy, making this an intellectual feast as well as a wild entertaining ride.

Magnificent and Olga Núñez Miret best so far. Highly recommended.

Natasha Johnstone

Before you read this book, know that this author is a psychologist, so messing with your mind is easy for her.  This is a story where “big brother” is literally Pat’s half brother. Obsessed and deprived he watches her every move and listens to her every conversation. He sets an elaborate scheme to get her to move in with him and participate in his love of voyeurism. This tale is disturbing as the female character plays his game and does the complete opposite of what you’d expect from her.  There are twists and turns at every corner. I compare this novella to a car accident. You don’t want to see it, but yet you can’t look away. It is gripping, unique and very well written. Five stars for corrupting my innocent little mind is not enough for this book.

Family Dysfunction Indeed! (Yelle Hughes)

You have a woman, who has a stepbrother that she grew up with when their parents died in an accident. Herman, the stepbrother had some serious issues. He took his relationship with his stepsister to an entirely, whole new level. He was manipulative, perverse and quite handy with technology, which made him equally scary.

Pat, the confused sister, didn’t know what to do. She felt sorry for the only family she had left and unfortunately indulged her demented brother. As I was reading, I felt an array of emotions and practically yelled at Pat to stop being so damn gullible. But, once I read the entire story, I felt how trapped she felt in this crazy relationship.

I don’t want to give out any spoilers but, I will say the ending was perfecto!

If you are looking to read a thriller that is hard to imagine what will come next, this is an excellent read.

Ms. Nunez did a great job of describing these character’s personalities, the scenes and begs the reader to ask the question, “What would I do?”

A Wonderfully Creepy Tale (John Dolan)

Pat McKenzie has a serious problem, in the shape of her stepbrother, Herman …

The author spins a wonderfully creepy tale of voyeurism and sexual obsession. You find yourself frequently in the heads of the main characters, and that is not a healthy place to be, as sexual mind-games are played out and normalcy recedes ever further into the distance. Expect your skin to crawl during certain passages.

Ms Nunez Miret’s narrative is tightly controlled, building to a Hitchcockian climax. You will never quite be able to think of your webcam the same way again. Sick, sick, sick individuals – I loved it.

And here the link to the previous post:

https://olganm.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/work-in-progress-family-lust-and-cameras-what-if-rear-window-took-place-inside-your-own-house/

Links:

Amazon:

http://bit.ly/1jBZZZt

Kobo:

http://bit.ly/1nBzTOo

Barnes and Noble:

http://bit.ly/1nZZ76Y

Thanks so much for reading, special thanks to the advance readers for their comments and if you’ve found it interesting, remember to like, share, comment and of course CLICK!

 

Autora Invitada. Rocío Castrillo y lanzamiento en papel de ‘Ellas y el sexo’.

Hola amigos:

De nuevo es viernes y toca post de autora invitada. Y no solo es Rocío Castrillo una gran autora que aún no nos había visitado, sino que justo ayer presentaba su obra ‘Ellas y el sexo‘ en papel. Pero vayamos por partes. Primero, un poco de información sobre Rocío.

Autora Rocío Castrillo

 

Rocío Castrillo es periodista y escritora. Empezó su carrera en los diarios Huelva Información y ABC y tiene una larga trayectoria profesional en diversos medios de comunicación de difusión nacional, como RTVE o Cambio16. Cuenta con más de 200 portadas publicadas en la prensa española y en 2001 recibió el premio a la No Violencia Contra la Mujer del Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales, modalidad prensa, por tres reportajes publicados en portada de Cambio16. En la actualidad ejerce el Periodismo en varias publicaciones digitales y escribe.

Su primera novela, Una Mansión en Praga, publicada en 2013 por la editorial Enxebrebooks, obtuvo una excelente acogida por parte de crítica y lectores. Ellas y el Sexo, la segunda novela, se ha construido sobre la base los relatos más leídos de su blog Abremeloya, que superó las 100.000 visitas en un año de existencia. Ha sido prologada por la también periodista y escritora Paloma Aznar, “Vampirella”. Será publicada por el grupo editorial Sial-Pigmalión y se pondrá a la venta en la Feria del Libro de Madrid 2014.

Puedes seguir a la autora en:

https://twitter.com/roautora

https://www.facebook.com/rocio.castrillo

https://www.facebook.com/EllasYEso

Y ahora un poco de información sobre sus novelas:

Portada de Una mansión en Praga

TÍTULO NOVELA: UNA MANSIÓN EN PRAGA

NÚMERO REGISTRO PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL: M-006933/2008

Sinopsis del contenido:

Últimos días de 1993. En el Sarajevo sitiado, Alexander Korac pinta la guerra desde una minúscula habitación con vistas al horror. Las terribles circunstancias que acontecen en su entorno familiar precipitan su huida a Praga. Es un hombre atormentado e incapaz de amar.

En la capital checa conoce a Adriana, una española que ha heredado una vieja mansión perteneciente a su abuela -viuda de un exiliado español que combatió en el Frente Republicano durante la Guerra Civil- y se dispone a restaurarla para montar un negocio de organización de fiestas y eventos sociales. Además de la mansión, otro legado familiar configura su existencia: sus genes están marcados por el estigma de las mujeres que aman demasiado.

Alexander y Adriana viven una turbulenta historia de amor con el trasfondo de las grandes guerras de finales del siglo XX: Yugoslavia, Chechenia, Zaire, Kosovo, Sierra Leona, Afganistán e Irak.

 

Ellas y el sexo

ELLAS Y EL SEXO. SINOPSIS.

 Wynie recibió los cuarenta años en forma de un cataclismo que amenazaba con destruir todo aquello por lo que había luchado a lo largo de su vida. Atemorizada por su marido, Emi vio la suya en peligro y una madrugada huyó del domicilio familiar con sus dos hijas adolescentes. A Olivia, su cónyuge le pidió un tiempo de reflexión y todo el mundo menos ella sabía que pasaba ese tiempo metido en la cama con una abogada, junto a la que diseñó el plan para despojarla de la fortuna que habían generado juntos. Después de dos matrimonios fallidos, Katty buscaba en las barras de los bares y en los portales de contactos de Internet al hombre que la hiciera feliz dentro y fuera de la cama, al otro yo junto al que despertar cada mañana.

Desde que firmaran sus sentencias de divorcio, Wynie, Emi, Olivia y Katty han aprovechado las oportunidades surgidas y han compartido la cama con el caballero que les ha gustado en cada momento. En unas ocasiones buscando solo sexo; en otras, amor; y en las más, ambas cosas. A través de estas páginas, los hombres tendrán la oportunidad de averiguar qué piensan las mujeres acerca de sus actitudes, reacciones e incluso sobre el tamaño de sus penes; y las mujeres se sentirán identificadas con pasiones y decepciones, aventuras y desvelos, fantasías y anhelos.

Aquí os dejo un enlace a un vídeo de RTVE donde la autora nos habla de su última novela:

http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/la-tarde-en-24-horas/nuevo-libro-rocio-castrillo/1713068/

Y más información sobre el lanzamiento de Ellas y el sexo:

Lanzamiento de la novela ELLAS Y EL SEXO

El grupo editorial Sial-Pigmalión ha adquirido los derechos de publicación en papel de Ellas y el sexo, segunda novela de la periodista y escritora Rocío Castrillo. La obra, cuya versión digital salió en Amazon en febrero de 2014, ha tenido una excelente acogida por parte de crítica y lectores. Desde que vio la luz ha ocupado el Top 100 de los títulos más vendidos de ficción erótica en la citada plataforma. El próximo 20 de mayo, el ebook de Ellas y el sexo se retirará de la venta durante un año.

El libro, editado por Sial-Pigmalión y prologado por la conocida periodista Paloma Aznar, “Vampirella”, tendrá una portada distinta a la del ebook. Se presentará en Madrid el 29 de mayo y se pondrá a la venta al día siguiente, en la Feria del Libro de Madrid, caseta 197 de Sial-Pigmalión. Asimismo, se distribuirá en El Corte Inglés y las principales librerías de España.

Ellas y el sexo narra las aventuras de cuatro mujeres divorciadas que rondan los 40 años, así como sus conversaciones sobre sexo y hombres. El libro ofrece a los hombres la oportunidad de conocer qué piensan cuatro mujeres liberales, adultas y experimentadas sobre actitudes y comportamientos típicamente masculinos, como quitarse el anillo de casado con la intención de echar una cana al aire, preocuparse por tener el pene pequeño o por no alcanzar la erección completa… Y las mujeres disfrutarán con su lectura porque se sentirán identificadas con las aventuras, los miedos, las decisiones, los problemas o los sentimientos del cuarteto de amigas, personajes de ficción extraídos de la realidad y capaces de provocar simpatía o extrañeza, risas y lágrimas, adhesiones o disensiones.

Se trata de una obra de lectura rápida y entretenida, que en cierto sentido podría recordar a la exitosa serie televisiva Sexo en Nueva York. Con la diferencia de que sus protagonistas no viven en urbanizaciones de lujo ni ganan miles de dólares. Son mujeres normales, que sufren la precariedad y tienen dificultades para llegar a fin de mes; pero también saben evadirse en las largas noches festivas de la capital de España, ligar y divertirse con quien más les apetezca en cada momento.

“…Un buen libro, escrito por una mujer, que recorre cuerpos de hombres y describe un deseo femenino que contempla su piel, sus manos, los pies, las bocas y las nalgas, las curvas y los pliegues, cada rincón y cada sensación, lentamente, sin tapar nada, llenando de sensualidad todas las páginas. Un libro con sorpresas, que observa nuestro mundo y saborea las frases para llegar hasta el fondo de las historias de sus protagonistas, que rompe moldes, narra con sencillez cómo nos relacionamos unas mujeres con otras, despierta la curiosidad y nos regala un mosaico hecho con emociones, dolor, atrevimiento, desparpajo, experiencia, risa y DESEO, con palabras directas y sin tapujos, con libertad…” (Extracto del Prólogo).

Las novelas de Rocío Castrillo se pueden comprar en una gran variedad de sitios. Os dejo una lista por si acaso (ah, y si estáis en la Feria del Libro de Madrid, no os la perdáis):

Ellas y el sexo en papel estará a la venta en la Feria del Libro de Madrid, caseta 197 de Sial-Pigmalión y se distribuirá en todas las tiendas de El Corte Inglés y principales librerías de España.

Una mansión en Praga se puede conseguir en Amazon en ambos formatos, libro impreso y ebook, así como en la web de la editorial Enxebrebooks-Descubrebooks y principales plataformas digitales: Casa del Libro, FNAC, El Corte Inglés, etc.

Aquí esta el enlace a la versión electrónica en Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMV7WRU/

Gracias a Rocío por visitarnos y traernos unas noticias tan excitantes, a vosotros por leer, y ya sabéis, si os ha gustado, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid, y haced CLIC!

 

Guest author. James W. McAllister. Science-Fiction at its best

Hi all:

Friday again and it’s time to have another guest author. James W McAllister is a writer of a group I’ve joined recently and is an indefatigable worker, always trying to find new ways to promote books, reading and writing, not only his own, but also that of other writers. I was sure you’d like to know more about his work and his books, and I invited him here. And he agreed!

First a little bit about James:

Author James W. McAllister

 

My name is James Warren McAllister.  I am a Registered Respiratory Therapist living near Syracuse in Central New York State. Currently I am employed in Healthcare Accreditation. I have extensive experience in both the hospital and the home care aspects of Respiratory Care, including management in both settings.

I have been interested in science fiction since reading the Lensmen Series of books by E. E. “Doc” Smith in Junior High School. TV shows like Star Trek and  Battlestar Galactica, and movies such as Robinson Crusoe on Mars and Star Wars further peaked my interest in the genre.

My first novel, THE BEST LAID PLANS, has been selected as a Runner-Up in the 2013 MARSocial Author of the Year Competition.

If you want to keep informed of all his work and follow James, here are some of his links (and I know well that he will happily post stories and share his progress, so don’t hesitate!):

Website: http://fortiterpublishing.com

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/StarclanAdmiral

FaceBook:  https://www.facebook.com/FortiterPublishing

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/James-McAllister/e/B00DA1ZSFI

Blog: http://fortitersstarclanforum.wordpress.com

MARSocial’s Lagrangian SciFi Lounge:  http://marsocialauthorbusinessenhancementscifi.wordpress.com

And now, a bit more information about his books:

The Turret: Starclan Foundation

The Turret: Starclan Foundation by James McAllister

 

It has been generations since the Earth survived the alien invasion. Politicians have cast a greedy eye on the funding of unused defenses, eyeing the reallocation of the funds as a way to pave their path to reelection.

Young Jock MacAlister’s life long dream comes true with his assignment to ADS 1437, the last operational Asteroid Defense Station.

The capture of an alien scout vessel changes everything. Jock is thrust into a prominent role in planning Earth’s defense. He must overcome personal tragedy, political corruption, and devastating treachery to build the forces needed to save the Earth.

Along the way, something unexpected takes root, something crucial to Humanity surviving as a greater struggle between good and evil follows Humanity to the stars.

Link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ITVK7KK/

Watch the book trailer:

THE TURRET:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vsKN8aB48Q&feature=youtu.be

The Best Laid Plans: the Birth of the Starclan

The Best Laid Plans: The Birth of the Starclan

In two weeks, when the Fleet arrived at Earth, the man known to a quarter of the galaxy simply as “The Admiral” would officially retire. What Admiral MacAlister faced was no where near his plans: Fierce battles in space; Tragic losses of dear friends; Bloody combat with strange aliens; Daring rescues; Failed revenge; Assassination attempts; And, a little romance.

Angus MacAlister finds himself the default leader of what is left of mankind. His actions and reactions to all of this, and the foundations he has placed, fuels the birth of something much larger, and much more important, among the few million surviving humans.

Link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D92HG5S/

And the book trailer:

THE BEST LAID PLANS:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC2cgrRuK80&feature=youtu.be

The Page: The Year of the Dragons

The Page by James McAllister

A disillusioned, war-weary hero becomes a reluctant king. His rule is such that he becomes known as the Good King.

While defending his people from one of the incessant attacks from the North, the Good King takes an orphaned child as his page, and raises the boy by the ideals of a more promising time.

Grown into a young knight, the Page sets out to find his overdue king. Along his way he finds a village controlled by a tyrannical sheriff. The secret behind the sheriff’s power is unleashed when Page tries to free the village.

Dragons.

As the knight fights off the dragons, one captures a maiden as revenge. Page pursues, and thus begins or tale.

Heroes grown old try to pass on the Way of a more civilized time. Have they taught the young ones enough?

Link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7H06RK/

And here the book trailer:

THE PAGE:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSRYoo0aTxs&feature=youtu.be

Thanks so much to you all for reading, to James for visiting us, and if you’ve enjoyed it, remember, please like, share, comment, and of course, CLICK!

Sant Jordi (Jorge) en Barcelona. La rosa i el llibre. La rosa i el libro. El día de los enamorados estilo catalán

Pan de St Jordi (con queso y sobrasada) en una panadería local. Y tambén podéis ver algunos dragones) en Barcelona

Volví a Barcelona por unas cuantas semanas y me puse muy contenta cuando me di cuenta de que sin planearlo demasiado iba a estar allí por Sant. Jordi. Sant Jordi (San Jorge en Catalán) se celebra el 23 de Abril. Tradicionalmente es el día de la rosa y el libro. Creo que hoy en día la mayoría de lugares adoptan tradiciones globales y actualmente San Valentín se celebra en casi todo el mundo (al menos en los países occidentales, aunque sospecho que con películas y anuncios debe ser difícil escapar su influencia incluso muy lejos), pero cuando era niña, en Cataluña era más tradicional celebrar el amor romántico y su parafernalia por Sant Jordi. El día coincide con el aniversario de la muerte de Cervantes (en 1616) y es el día del libro. Las mujeres reciben como regalo una rosa (y os puedo decir que ese día son especialmente caras y no podréis ir a lugar alguno sin encontrar una parada intentando venderos una rosa. Según las leyendas, al matar al dragón Sant Jordi, de su sangre nació una rosa roja que le dio a la dama a la que había salvado) y luego están los libros. Paradas vendiendo libros también surgen en todas partes, autores más y menos famosos firmando libros, y los libros se venden con descuento. Ah, Sant Jordi es el santo patrón de Cataluña (sí, ya sé que también es el patrón de Inglaterra, y ese día se celebra el aniversario de la muerte de Shakespeare, tantas coincidencias) y aunque no es un día festivo como tal, muchos edificios oficiales (como el ayuntamiento, la Generalitat…) están abiertos al público.

No había estado en Barcelona por Sant Jordi hacía más de 20 años. Recuerdo haber hablado sobre ello con una amiga, Silvia, y ella me advirtió que se llena muchísimo de gente ese día y que hay que estar preparado. Al final nos vimos ese día, y fuimos a visitar a su hijo (Daniel, Dani) que estaba vendiendo rosas cerca de la Sagrada Familia. Yo había ido a dar una vuelta por la mañana, había estado paseándome por las paradas y había querido comprobar si algún autor amigo estaba firmando libros (algunos lo hicieron, pero no en Barcelona o no por donde yo visité). El día era algo ventoso pero soleado, buen día para rosas y libros. Vi una parada dedicada a leer El Quijote. Cuando pasé por allí estaban leyendo el capítulo cinco, así que aún había para rato.

Aquí la parada donde estaban leyendo El Quijote por capítulos, en La Diagonal

Recibí varios mensajes de otros autores que viven en la ciudad o cerca y que planeaban ir a comer juntos. Silvia y yo conseguimos encontrarlos cuando estaban a punto de irse del restaurante y hablamos un poco (sobre la vida, la escritura, ser una súper-mujer y hacerlo todo, Egipto, medios sociales, vender libros, alcaldes, salud, padres)* y luego Silvia sugirió que podríamos ir a l’Ateneu Barcelonés, donde su marido (Bernardo) está estudiando un curso sobre escritura de novelas. El edificio normalmente solo lo pueden visitar los miembros, pero como era Sant Jordi hacían una excepción. Es un edificio maravilloso e incluyo algunas fotos. La biblioteca es excepcional.

La bibliotec de l’Ateneu Barcelonés

L’Ateneu Barcelonés. Quién no querría leer aquí?

Después de nuestro descanso en el Ateneu nos atrevimos a bajar por Las Ramblas. Si habéis visitado Barcelona alguna vez, conoceréis Las Ramblas. Es la meca para los turistas, llena de personalidad, una avenida que os lleva al puerto, con flores, suvenires, tiendas de artesanía, artistas callejeros y estatuas vivientes, la Boquería (El Mercado de Sant Antoni) un mercado como no habréis visto muchos, de visita obligada, con la Fuente de Canaletas a un extremo (al lado de la Plaza de Cataluña, y que la leyenda dice que si bebes de ella volverás a Barcelona) y Colón (el monumento a Cristóbal Colón donde apunta a las Américas. Me extrañó no ver a ninguna paloma ni en su dedo ni en su cabeza…) al otro extremo. Y casi me olvido del Liceu, el teatro de ópera de Barcelona, también en las Ramblas y que se merece una visita (y tiene una acústica fabulosa). Silvia tenía razón. Estaba a rebosar. Pero, sorprendentemente, ya que es la avenida más turística de la ciudad, la mayoría de los paseantes eran locales. Rosas, autores firmando libros, excitación…

La pastelería Vives ofrecía cajas de bombones en forma de libro con portadas de libros de verdad (naturalmente la caja también hecha de chocolate). Si os gustan los libros y el chocolate…irresistible!

Se hizo tarde y dejé a Silvia que tenía que ir a encontrarse con su marido y su hijo y volver a casa (ya que no viven en Barcelona sino en Terrassa) y yo volví a casa también. A esa hora las rosas se vendían mucho más baratas ya que no quedaba mucho del día.

Me encantó volver a estar en Barcelona por Sant Jordi. Y si tenéis la oportunidad, también os lo recomiendo a vosotros.

Gracias por leer y si os ha gustado, dadle al like, compartid, comentad y… a ver si podéis ir de visita!

*La verdad es que no tuve ocasión de hablar con todo el mundo y sé que me perdí a gente que se unió luego o que se había ido ya, pero pude hablar un poco con David de Luca, Antonia Romero (y marido), Josep Capsir, Pat Casalà…A ver si en un futuro cercano somos muchos más.

Sant Jordi (St George’s) in Barcelona. The rose and the book.The day of love Catalan style.

St Jordi’s bread (cheese and sobrasada) in a bakery in Barcelona

I went back to Barcelona for a few weeks and I was pleased when I realised that without much planning on my side I was going to be there for Sant. Jordi. Sant Jordi (St George, in Catalan) is celebrated on the 23rd of April. Traditionally it is the day of the rose (from the blood of the slayed dragon was born a red rose that the knight gave the lady, as the legend goes, but check some of links at the bottom for more information) and the book. I think most places tend to adopt global traditions and nowadays St Valentine’s Day is celebrated nearly everywhere (at least Western countries, although I suspect with movies and advertisements it might be difficult to escape it even farther away), but when I was a child, in Catalonia is was more traditional to celebrate love and all its accoutrements for Sant Jordi. The day coincides with the anniversary of Cervante’s death (in 1616) and therefore it also became the day of the book. Women would get a rose (and I must tell you they are particularly expensive that day and you won’t be able to go anywhere and not find a stall trying to sell you a rose) and then you have the books. Stalls selling books also everywhere, famous (and less famous) authors doing book signings, and books at a discount. Oh, Sant Jordi is the patron saint of Catalonia (yes, I know it’s also patron saint of England and the same date also celebrates Shakespeare’s death, so many coincidences), and although it is not a bank holiday, many official buildings (like the Town Hall, la Generalitat…) will be open to the public that day.

I hadn’t been back in Barcelona for Sant Jordi for well over 20 years. I remember talking to a friend, Silvia, about it; she warned me that it gets very crowded that day and you have to be prepared. We ended up meeting on the day, and going to visit her son (Daniel, Dani) who was selling roses near la Sagrada Familia. I had gone for a walk in the morning, checked the stalls trying to see if some of my author friends were signing (some were, but not in Barcelona or in the area I visited). A bit windy but a sunny day, good for both roses and books. I saw the stall dedicated to reading El Quijote from beginning to end. A volunteer would step in and read a chapter, and so on. At that point in the morning they were reading chapter 5. A fair way to go.

Stall where they were reading El Quijote by chapters, in La Diagonal

I had received many messages from other authors in the city who were planning on meeting for lunch. Silvia and I joined them briefly and managed to have chat (about life, writing, being a superwoman and doing everything, Egypt, mayors, social media, selling, health and parents) and then Silvia suggested we could go and visit l’Ateneu Barcelonés, where her husband (Bernardo) is studying a course on novel writing. The building is normally only open to members, but it was Sant Jordi and they opened it to general public. It is a gorgeous building and I include some pictures. The library is truly amazing.

The library at the Ateneu Barcelonés

L’Ateneu Barcelonés. Who wouldn’t want to read there?

After our break at the Ateneu we ventured down Las Ramblas. If you’ve ever been to Barcelona, you’ll know Las Ramblas. It’s the Mecca for tourists, full of character, an avenue that walks you down to the port, with flowers, souvenirs, craft shops, street performers, the must-see Boquería (El Mercat de St Antoni) a market the likes of which you’ve probably never seen, with la Font de Canaletas at the top (legend has it that if you drink from it you’ll go back to Barcelona) and Colón (the monument to Christopher Columbus pointing towards America) at the bottom. I nearly forgot el Liceu, the Opera Theatre well-worth a visit, also in Las Ramblas. (And it has fabulous acoustics.) Silvia was right. It was crowded. But surprisingly enough, this being the most touristic avenue of the city, most people that day were locals. Roses, people signing books, buzz…

A well-known cake-shop (Vives) decided that books in chocolate were the way to go. These books made of chocolate reproduce covers or real books. And you’ve guessed it, inside there were more chocolates!

It got quite late and I left Silvia, who was going to meet with her husband and son and go back home (as they live outside in Terrassa) and I got back too. At that point the roses were selling much cheaper as there wasn’t much day left.

I loved being back in Barcelona for Sant Jordi. If you have a chance, I’d recommend it too. I leave you links to some information on the web, just in case you feel curious:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George’s_Day

http://barcelona.de/en/barcelona-sant-jordi.html

http://www.spain.info/en_GB/reportajes/la_fiesta_sant_jordi.html

And an article in The Guardian by Matthew Tree, one of their correspondents, who seems to quite like it too!

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/apr/23/st-georges-day-catalonia

 

Thanks for reading and if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment and CLICK…and see if you can go and visit!