Blog Tour Stop, Guest Post & Contest: Paty Jager

Thank you for having me here today!

Sensory Descriptions

My book Secrets of an Aztec Temple is set in Mexico City. I checked out the flights, the cost of a motel and talked a friend into going with me to do the research for the book and my husband put his foot down. He didn’t want me going to a city that was full of drug violence. So I called my friend and said we couldn’t go.

But I still needed sensory information to be able to write the story and make is sound like the characters were in the city. That’s when I put out feelers to other writers asking if they or anyone they knew had been to Mexico City and if so I’d like as much sensory descriptions as they could give me. I was fortunate to have three different people send me some good stuff and by comparing their notes, I could get the info I needed along with watching YouTube videos of the city, museum, and temple in the story.

I also found that the museum in the story had a virtual tour so I could “walk” the halls and see the set up of the building. Then I dug up all the info I could on the digging going on under Mexico City to unearth one of the most prominent Aztec temples. A temple that was used for human sacrifice.

Usually, I prefer to go to the area where I set a story but both this book and the first Isabella Mumphrey book, Secrets of a Mayan Moon, my husband was too worried I could come to harm if I went to the places of the books. But I plan to go to the area where the net book takes place because it will be on the U.S. / Mexico border.

Have you ever traveled to some place exotic? Was it safe or did you have to be careful?

For every 20 comments I will give-away a $5 egift certificate to Amazon.


Title: Secrets of an Aztec Temple by Paty Jager
Publisher: Windtree Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense, Romance
Length: 287 pages

Summary:

Revenge is not always sweet…

Isabella Mumphrey can’t leave a puzzle alone. This time she attempts to use her anthropology knowledge to uncover who is stealing priceless artifacts from an Aztec Temple in Mexico City. She believes the discovery will prove her worth to the World Intelligence Agency.

Tino Constantine is also in Mexico City. He has infiltrated a drug lord’s organization to find enough evidence to not only prove the man’s illegal activities, but to bring him down for numerous deaths. Namely those of Tino’s family.

But when the love of his life, Isabella, strolls into his enemy’s home, Tino is challenged with the choice of saving her or fulfilling his revenge.

Purchase Links: Windtree Press * Kindle * Nook * Kobo


Excerpt:

Isabella slipped her arms into her survival vest. The many pocketed fishing vest held every item needed to get out of any situation. She may not be exploring a jungle or cave, but knowing her tin of survival items and first aid kit were handy made her feel less vulnerable. And keeping her passport, money, and visa on her, felt safer. The vest and all its contents had been folded in her tote bag when she visited the drug lord. One never knew when disaster might strike.

Isabella exited the hostel. The exhaust fumes from the bumper to bumper traffic made her sneeze and wish for a scarf to cover her nose and mouth. How could people live every day of their life in this toxic air? She tried to take small breaths as she walked down Argentina Street and crossed, entering the sacred grounds of Templo Mayor. She strode toward the museum intent on checking the archeology logs for the list of artifacts found at the same time as the two carvings in señor Garza’s home. Tourists and employees moved in unison toward the secured area that led to the underground archeological dig. What could be of interest there?

Shifting her direction, she nudged her way through the crowd, picking up snippets of conversation about the possibility they finally found Ahuitzotl’s resting place. Adrenaline pumped through her body. The quest to find the most feared Aztec ruler’s burial spot had been going on since the religious site was unearthed in 1978.

She pulled out her temporary “Visiting Specialist I.D.” and flashed it toward the guard at the opening. He allowed her entrance and the crowd behind her collectively groaned. There were perks to being an anthropologist studying Native American people.


Author Bio:

Award winning author Paty Jager is a member of national and local writing organizations. She not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it. With sixteen novels and several short stories published, she continues to have characters cavorting in her head.
You can learn more about Paty at her blog; her website; or on Facebook; Goodreads and Twitter.


Contest:

Ms. Jager is giving away a $5.00 Amazon gift certificate for every 20 comments answering these questions: Have you ever traveled to some place exotic? Was it safe or did you have to be careful? . To enter the contest:

You must Do TWO of the Following:

1. Sign up for e-mail updates (upper left corner). One email daily with the day’s posts.

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Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

5. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Reviews and More by Kathy you MUST fill out the contest entry form (found HERE). This form only needs to be filled out ONCE. Your privacy is important to me, and I will not share your information.

And don’t forget to:

6. Answer the following questions: Have you ever traveled to some place exotic? Was it safe or did you have to be careful?

Follow the rest of the tour HERE.

29 Comments

Filed under Blog Tour, Contest, Guest Blog, Paty Jager

29 Responses to Blog Tour Stop, Guest Post & Contest: Paty Jager

  1. Janet Hagen

    In the late 80s I traveled to Spain &Morocco with my mother for 2weeks. While in Tangiers we were with a travel group with guides and had went down to the market. It was a surreal experience, and so foreign. The guide had told us about the amazing craftsmanship and quality of the rugs & leatherwork so we were browsing and a young man came to me and started talking about the craft of leather and how they did the dye. I assumed he was one of the proprietors for the shop area we were in, but after a few minutes of conversation he told me that where we were at was good, but the true and best workmanship was at a shop around the corner. Prices were better because it wasn’t on the main tourist strip and mostly this was where the locals went. I was somewhat reluctant but of course he had just talked with me for several minutes so he knew I really wanted to find something special to take home so he knew I was convincible. I eventually followed him “just around the corner” which was really down an alley and around numerous corners and the whole time he is saying it’s just u p ahead. I at first thought it was the language barrier and I had misunderstood him or be I, but by the tome I realized I could be in trouble I was so turned around and lost I would have no hope of getting myself back. We did get to a specialty leather shop eventually but I was so distraught and scared by then I pretended to “browse” for a minute and then told him to take me back to my group. He tried very hard to sell me something, anything but I think he realized that I was terrified and he did lead me back to the area I came from so I could find the group and my mom. I was in my early 20’s and was so glad to see her. She asked where I had disappeared to and told the guide I had came back, but I never told her what had really happened because I didn’t want her to be scared or ruin her day with my carelessness. I just told her I had went into a Shoppe looking for a bathroom. I realized that day how potentially stupid I had been and how lucky I was that the young man had truly just been trying to get more people to that store and had not intended to hurt me because I was indeed helpless and in many countries especially in the middle east without a lot of protection from the law as a woman. We as Americans are very sheltered to the harsh realities that exist, it’s not like on TV, and I felt very insulated from the realities until this event. On the tour groups they take you to the tourist areas that are cleaner and more presentable, but one step around a corner can be a different world where you are not safe. I learned a lesson that day and lost some innocence too.

    • Janet, you were indeed very lucky! While I’m not naive or innocent, my husband knows me well enough to know I can be a bit like a bulldog when I find something that interests me. And that was one of the reasons he suggested strongly that I do all my research from home. Thank you for sharing your story.

  2. Thank you for having me here today!

  3. laurie goudge

    the farthest i have traveled would be paris, france and london, england. neither are overly exotic but seeing as i have never had much money to travel to me both places were different enuff to be memorable!

    • Hi Laurie, I’ve been to the Netherlands. My husband’s family is all there. I”m hoping to make it to England but not necessarily London. I like the rural settings more. I agree, just going somewhere that is a different culture can make the trip exotic. Thanks for commenting!

  4. This is a good subject, Paty. I found that I rely heavily on my memories of traveling in Wyoming to use in my western novels. I wish I had known that I would need that information back then because I would have dug in deeper. Most of my stories take place in towns that I am very familiar with or in my own world building. I agree with the premise of familiarizing yourself with the things you write about. It’s an adventure to discover these things, too.
    Your husband was wise to discourage you from going to Mexico City. It really has become a dangerous place. I love your resourcefulness though. The virtual museum came as a surprise to me. I didn’t know such a thing even existed except in the housing market. Asking people who have been there to share their experiences with you is a wonderful idea, too.
    Great blog, Paty.

  5. In 2001 and 2002, I lived in Northern Ireland. I was smitten with a Northern Irishman, of course, and I moved there after we became engaged. The Northern Irish were, as a whole, the kindest, funniest, quickest to smile, easiest to like people I have ever met in my life. But there were moments when the tensions that run throughout that culture were revealed. We lived in a Protestant area, and the vivid sectarian paintings on walls reminded me of the divisions of heart and mind. One night we went to a chippy (fish and chip shop) and a British Army saracen (an armored personnel carrier) pulled up outside.
    I felt a moment of fear but soon realized they were just coming in for an order of fish and chips too.

    Now, as a writer of historical fiction, there are lots of places and times I’d like to visit but can’t, dangerous or not. But that’s a horse of a different color. 🙂

    Great and thought-provoking post, Paty. I’m glad you stayed safe, but I will learn from your means of researching a place you can’t experience firsthand.

    • Hi Christy! One of my daughter’s best friends lived in Ireland for a while. She had a similar encounter. I agree, it is hard to visit history other than in books. But it would be fun to go back in time. Thank you for stopping in!

  6. What a fortunate opportunity for research. I can imagine my husband wouldn’t let me go either. These guys worry about us!

  7. I’ve never travelled to anywhere unsafe (though I did live in Northern Ireland for two years with my soldier husband in the early 1980’s) but my second eldest son does it all the time.

    In fact he even ended up having lunch with some drug lords in the middle east once! He said that he felt safe enough as the guys had machine guns on the table to keep others away!?!

    Thank goodness I rarely find out about his travels until after he is back, I have enough grey hairs already.

  8. Overseas travel is no longer an adventure or fun trip, it can unfortunately become deadly. Janet was indeed lucky, the “just around the corner” ruse is used by some very nasty people against the unwary. I’m retired military and the most uncomfortable I felt was in the “New Territories” on a trip to Hong Kong looking across an open field at armed Chinese Communist toops as they watched our tour group through binoculars. p.s. commented on your Facebook about not being able to find the “follow” for the contest as vampwriter (my “Immortal Relations” series in on Amazon and Kindle).

    • G.D., I agree, this day and age it really isn’t safe to travel anywhere. IN some cases even the U.S. Thanks for commenting. I’ll take a look.

  9. Caroline Clemmons

    Paty, your husband was wise and so were you for listening to him. Anglos stand out and make a perfect target. I’ve only been as far as Cabo San Lucas, but would not have felt safe on my own except in daytime. My daughter was with me, and we are both tall women, so we were all right. In spite of the tourist dollars, tourists are not loved by most redidents. We felt the same way when we lived near DisneyWorld, so I understand. That’s why the internet is so wonderful, isn’t it?

    • Caroline, Yes, he does have some good decisions now and then. 😉 I just get excited when I start a project and want to gather all the information. He’s my voice of reason.

  10. Heather E

    Last summer my family and I went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean. One of our middle stops was Belize and we ventured into Belize City for shopping for about an hour. We were warned by the cruise company not to leave the tourist area for any reason. We didn’t, actually opted to go snorkeling instead after we shopped. They said the only area of Belize that is not safe is Belize City. I was surprised since I had heard nothing but good things about the country.

    My bff once went to Egypt with her husband when he was stationed in Europe. They saw so much and have wonderful photos. They stayed at a hotel on the Red Sea that was bombed exactly one month after she stayed there. She is a lot more brave than I! I’m not sure I would be brave enough to ever go to the Middle East.

    Thanks for stopping by today Paty. You books sounds interesting and I’m adding it to my wishlist. 🙂

    • Hi Heather. I always thought Belize was safe too. Hmmm… Might need to re evaluate my Caribbean experience. I don’t think I want to go to the Middle East either. There is too much turmoil there and you are so far from home if something did go wrong. Thanks! I hope you enjoy the book when you get the time to read it.

  11. Jess1

    Years ago, my sister and I went down to the Yucatan peninsula to visit Merida and the Chitzen Itaz ruins. I thought we were going to be part of a tour group but it turned out that we had vouchers for local providers. Since we were two small women, we had to be careful about how late or where we went etc. I think women need to be aware of being careful even when you are not travelling, unless you live in a very safe community.

    • Jess1, I agree. Women need to be careful anywhere they are. Unless you’re running in a pack. LOL You and your sister were lucky you had reputable guides. Thank you for stopping in and commenting.

  12. Meghan Stith

    I follow via email: mestith at gmail dot com
    I liked your FB page: Meghan Stith
    Yes, I’ve been to Cancun, Mexico, The Bahamas, and I’ve been to Sweden, Finland, and England (I know, those last three are not exotic.) When I was in Mexico, we couldn’t go out at night without the assistance of the staff at the resort we were staying at. We also couldn’t drink the water. That was a few weeks before the huge Swine Flu outbreak that centralized in Cancun. Thankfully, I was fine and didn’t get sick. In the Bahamas, I felt safe enough.
    Wow! I can’t WAIT to read this! I love that cover, too ; )
    I wonder what kind of events or people inspired the author while writing this book!?
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    mestith at gmail dot com

    • Meghan, I make mention of the water and since the book is set around a drug lord there is some violence. I hope I captured the flavor even though I couldn’t go there.

      I used newspaper accounts for the drug problems to come up with scenes.
      Thanks!

  13. What a great way to learn more about a locale without going there! I haven not been anywhere exotic (other than Hawaii and Japan) and nowhere dangerous (that I knew of!)

    • Hi Heidi!
      My husband won’t go to Hawaii. He just says he’s not seen anything there that he cared to go see. So I doubt I’ll get there unless my daughters(who have been there) hijack me. I don’t think I’d like Japan. Isn’t it super crowded? We went to Holland years ago and the Amsterdam was so crowded with people it made me nervous. I like my mile between neighbors. 😉

  14. Renata S

    Not yet. But next December I intend to go to southeast Asia, including Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. From what I researched so far, they are all safe places, but precautions to avoid scams are really needed on Vietnam.
    But I live in Brazil – it’s quite exotic, right? lol

    • Hi Renata, That sounds like a great trip! Glad you did the research on the safety. I would say Brazil is exotic! Thanks for stopping in and commenting!

      • Renata S

        I know Brazil seems exotic (except for Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, that are big cities like any other), but is a super safe place, with amazing vacation spots.
        Thank you for the reply 🙂