Author Guest Post
Spice It Up!
I started Spice while on holiday at the Hotel Volcan, Lanzarote. The place looks like a volcano and is astonishing inside. You go into reception at the top of the volcano where lo and behold there is a waterfall that cascades to swimming pools below. Anyway, I won’t do my travel agent bit here, because there is sufficient description in the book.
I was so mesmerised by the hotel that I decided it was the ideal destination for my character, Dawn Ellis. At a drinks buffet hosted by management at the hotel, I mentioned I was writing a book and asked if I could have some more details to make the book realistic. I wanted the character to escape to the ‘Adults Only’ area of the hotel where there are Balinese beds and open-air Jacuzzis to enjoy and fabulous views of Fuerteventura and the Marina Rubicon. Management was delighted to give me all the background information on the hotel and when I returned home, they sent me photographs of the top suite in the hotel, the magnificent Tao Suite, owned by the hotel owner and never let out to guests. It was perfect for my final scenes. It had a giant Jacuzzi bath for at least two people in the bathroom and a four poster bed in the bedroom. It was superb.
As it happened, we had booked a return trip to the hotel to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary in January. I was on edits of Spice by then. Imagine my surprise when the girl at reception called out the manger to greet us on our return and we were escorted to stay in...the Tao Suite. They wanted me to be able to inject authenticity into the book. I rewrote the final chapters to do the place justice, as the photographs did not really show how splendid it was. The Hotel Volcan couldn’t have been more accommodating. I would have recommended the hotel to anyone prior to being treated so well, but now I gush about it at every opportunity. Tao is a Chinese concept signifying ‘way’, ‘path’ or ‘route’ and it most fitting for the ending. In Taoism you learn to harmonise with Nature and find peace within. I couldn’t have chosen a better place. I am most grateful to the owner and management.
As for that double Jacuzzi...well, it certainly added some spice to our holiday!
About The Author
Carol E. Wyer is an award winning author whose humorous novels take a light-hearted look at getting older and encourage others to age disgracefully.
Her best-selling debut novel Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines won five awards for humour.
Surfing in Stilettos which follows the further adventures of Amanda Wilson as she attempts to inject some fun into her life, was a Costa Award nominee.
Safkhet Publishing released How Not to Murder Your Grumpy June 1st 2012, the first of three books in a Grumpy series.
Carol has featured on numerous shows discussing ‘Irritable Male Syndrome’ and ‘Ageing Disgracefully’. She has had articles published in national magazines such as Woman’s Weekly’ and on-line magazines. She writes regularly for The Huffington Post and author website Indies Unlimited.
She is a signed author with ThornBerry Publishing and Safkhet Publishing.
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Just Add Spice - Book Trailer
Book Review
Just Add Spice by Carol E. Wyer
Publisher: Safkhet Soul
Publication Date: July 25, 2013
Format: Paperback - 184 pages / Kindle - 577 KB / Nook - 783 KB
ISBN: 1908208228
ASIN: B00E4L8U7Q
Genre: Romantic Comedy
BUY THE BOOK: Just Add Spice
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Providence Book Promotions.
Book Description:
Escape from reality comes in patent-leather Prada kneeboots.
Dawn Ellis needs to escape from her painfully dull existence. Her unemployed husband spends all day complaining about life, moping around, or fixing lawnmowers on her kitchen table. The local writing class proves to be an adequate distraction with its eccentric collection of wannabe authors and, of course, the enigmatic Jason, who soon shows a romantic interest in her.
Dawn pours her inner frustrations into her first novel about the extraordinary exploits of Cinnamon Knight, an avenging angel -- a woman who doesn't believe in following the rules. Cinnamon is ruthless and wanton, inflicting suffering on any man who warrants it. Little does Dawn realise that soon the line between reality and fiction will blur. Her own life will be transformed, and those close to her will pay the price.
Book Excerpt:
Cinnamon Knight ground the stub of her Benson and Hedges’ cigarette into the pavement with the heel of her Prada leather motorcycle boot, where it now joined a small pile of tab ends. Strategically placed in a shop doorway, she watched the top left window of a block of flats opposite. She had been there almost two hours. Rain beat steadily on the pavement, drumming against the gutter with constant thuds, but this did not deter her. Her patience was rewarded as the light blazing from the window was finally extinguished. She sauntered across the road to the BMW parked in front of the block of flats along the kerbside, sandwiched between a Peugeot 205 and a C Class Mercedes.
Dressed completely in black, face partially obscured by her North Face hooded jacket; she was almost invisible next to the dark car. It took only a minute to fiddle with the lock, open the door, and slide into the car. She lowered herself down in the driver’s seat, casting a cursory glance out of the window. The streets were empty. The weather was on her side and no one was braving the downpour, not even the old man at the end of the road who rarely missed taking his dog out for an evening stroll. She leant forward and pulled off the cover below the steering wheel with one deft movement. Extracting the screwdriver from a neat case, she stabbed it into the ignition lock. A quick fiddle, one sharp twist, and the car burst into life; the persistent thudding of the rain against the pavement hid the initial coughing of the engine. She pulled away from the kerb swiftly and headed up the road at speed.
Pushing the hood away from her head, she checked her face in the rear-view mirror. That’ll teach him to mess about with women, she thought. No one, but no one, messes about with Cinnamon—the rat!
Dressed completely in black, face partially obscured by her North Face hooded jacket; she was almost invisible next to the dark car. It took only a minute to fiddle with the lock, open the door, and slide into the car. She lowered herself down in the driver’s seat, casting a cursory glance out of the window. The streets were empty. The weather was on her side and no one was braving the downpour, not even the old man at the end of the road who rarely missed taking his dog out for an evening stroll. She leant forward and pulled off the cover below the steering wheel with one deft movement. Extracting the screwdriver from a neat case, she stabbed it into the ignition lock. A quick fiddle, one sharp twist, and the car burst into life; the persistent thudding of the rain against the pavement hid the initial coughing of the engine. She pulled away from the kerb swiftly and headed up the road at speed.
Pushing the hood away from her head, she checked her face in the rear-view mirror. That’ll teach him to mess about with women, she thought. No one, but no one, messes about with Cinnamon—the rat!
My Book Review:
Just Add Spice is an entertaining romantic comedy that follows the life of Dawn Ellis, a middle aged bored housewife, who is going through the empty nest syndrome with a grumpy unemployed husband, who isn't too much fun to be around, that has her looking to add some new excitement to her life. Dawn joins a writing class as a welcome distraction in her otherwise dull life, and through the creation of her literary alter-ego Cinnamon Knight, Dawn fills the void in her life within the pages of her novel as Cinnamon, an avenging angel whose exploits have a profound effect on her creator's life, as the lines between reality and fiction begin to blur.
Author Carol E. Wyer weaves a sassy and humorous tale written in the third person narrative that simultaneously alternates between Dawn's life and the literary persona of avenging angel Cinnamon Knight, who comes to life outside the pages of Dawn's novel.
This is a fast paced and spicy story with an intriguing storyline about a bored middle aged woman who lives vicariously through the life of a character in the novel she is writing. Through Cinnamon's outrageous exploits, Dawn goes through a profound transformation of empowerment and self-confidence as she works through the issues in her life. Filled with plenty of quirky characters and surprising plot twists, author Carol E. Wyer weaves a wickedly witty tale that captures the reality of a person's normal life and transforming it into something more exciting if you just add a little spice!
Just Add Spice is a thoroughly entertaining romantic comedy that will tickle the reader's funny bone and put a smile on their face.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
Virtual Book Tour Schedule
Tour Schedule:
Oh, I want to stay in the Tao Suite! A lovely interview, Carol. And what a fab review! I've read this book and totally agree it is "a wickedly witty tale". Thanks for sharing, Kathleen!
ReplyDeleteHi Sheryl! Thank you for stopping by and visiting with Carol. Thank you for your kind comments, I appreciate it. :)
DeleteLots of good information here about this new book. Thanks for sharing it all with us, including your review of it.
ReplyDeleteHi Lance! Thank you for visiting my blog. Just Add Spice was a fun read, hope you get a chance to read it :)
DeleteKathleen, I am delighted that you enjoyed Just Add Spice and thank you so much for this glowing review.
ReplyDeleteI think the surroundings helped hugely with the writing. I was permanently inspired. I can also tell you that the other suites in the hotel are equally as sumptuous. I shall be going back there very soon.
Once again, thank you very much.
Carol
Hi Carol! Thank you for the opportunity to read, review and host the virtual book tour event for Just Add Spice. It was a very entertaining story! Loved your guest post, the suite looks fabulous, lucky you! :)
DeleteGreat story about the hotel, and opens up all sorts of possibilities for us writers to take advantage of. I'll have to remember that! Great interview, and great book!
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa, thank you for stopping by and visiting with Carol. :)
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