Greek Island Dreaming, Annie West

Ever fancied an escape to an island hideaway? How about a trip to exotic Greece? I confess I’ve been dreaming of both lately.

You’ve all heard how we authors work alone, hunched over our computers, cut off from the world. 

Well, OK, I know some who write in their local café! But generally we spend solitary hours locked away indoors, living life vicariously through our characters. Is it any wonder we sometimes dream of wonderful locations for those characters?

So today I’m taking you to one of my favourite dream locations. In this case it’s a real place and I used it in my book. I could actually pinpoint a lot of the scene locations on a map!

Welcome to Corfu.

I’ve wanted to visit here since I was in my teens. It’s in the Ionian Sea to the west of Greece and is one of a number of islands there. One day I’ll get to them all. But I’m so grateful I managed to visit Corfu last year, just before the big influx of tourists. I found a lovely island, roses, olive trees, friendly people, great views, excellent food and so much history. The colours are brilliant and the quality of the air was lovely. Here is just a taste of what it has to offer and what appealed.

The streets of old Corfu town

The colours

The sea

The flowers

The sheer scenic beauty of the place

I'll leave you with a photo of some very old olive trees. These grand old trees are all over the island and make beautiful shady groves, as well as being a source of food and oil. Greek olive groves are one of my favourite places. And when they're on a slope down to a sparkling sea and also shelter some ancient ruins...what's not to love?

I hope you enjoyed this little excursion to the Mediterranean.

If you could plan a week’s dream escape, where would you go?

In case you’re wondering, the book set in Corfu is WEDDING NIGHT REUNION IN GREECE (out now).

Heaven on earth? Kandy Shepherd

When I mentioned I was going on a holiday to Santorini in Greece, I was surprised by how many people told me it was their favourite destination. “Heaven on earth” and “the most beautiful island in the world” were some of the descriptions. Santorini had a lot to live up to!

Santorini did not disappoint!

I just got back and have to say I loved it too! I went not only to enjoy the ambiance and see those famous white-washed buildings with the blue roofs but also to swim in the Aegean waters of the caldera or volcanic crater from which the clifftops of the islands rise. It was the third swimming holiday I’ve done with the swim tour company*. This means going out on a boat and swimming around the islands of the caldera with a group of open water swimmers—we even swam around the (still active) volcano, where the water was suddenly warmer from the sulphur springs.

Swimming around the live volcano! I'm the second swim cap from the right.  (Photo by The Big  Blue Swim.)

 I did the first two swims with my husband, this time we were joined by our twenty-five-year-old daughter. She loved it just as much as we did. Each time, we have swum with an amazing group of swimmers, this time was no different. Disclaimer: I am no athlete but love to swim and it is a joy in the buoyant, shark-free waters!

Yummy Greek food

My daughter is a dietitian and she really enjoyed observing the healthy Mediterranean diet at first hand. On the days we swam we ate at small, family run tavernas offering home-style cooking that was absolutely delicious. My favourite? The wonderful Santorini ways with the locally grown white eggplant (aubergine)!

We saw much of the islands from the water, the white buildings looking like frosting on the cliffs. When the swim ended, we braved the local buses to see as much as we could in our remaining few days on Santorini. The white and blue buildings did not disappoint in their elegant simplicity and the blue roofed churches were magnificent. And always there was the vista of the beautiful blue sea. 

Just walking the stone-set streets of the towns of Fira and Oia was wonderful, soaking up the atmosphere, admiring the contrast of hot pink bougainvillea against blue doors and, of course, browsing the gorgeous boutiques. Then there was the archaeological excavation at the site of the ancient town of Akrotiri—engulfed by lava and ash from the volcano explosion some 3,600 years ago. It was fascinating to see the evidence of such an advanced civilisation—right down to the efficient plumbing systems.

Those pots are more than three and a half thousand years old!

 I’ve written three books with Greek heroes. Will there be another set on Santorini? Watch this space!

Have you been on a trip that met your expectations? What about one that disappointed? Or perhaps one that is on the bucket list? We’d love to see your comments!

*For the people who’ve asked me about The Big Blue Swim, click on the name. 

Sunday Smooch with Kandy Shepherd

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from KANDY SHEPHERD but first 


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is  - KATRINA WHITTAKER! 


Can you please contact  louisageorgeauthor(at)@gmail(dot)com   to receive your copy of  Christmas In The Boss's Castle by Scarlet Wilson

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Conveniently Wed to the Greek

CONVENIENTLY WED TO THE GREEK

A marriage for the sake of her baby...

When luxury hotelier Alex Mikhalis encounters the blogger who once nearly destroyed his reputation, he wants to get even. Only Adele Hudson isn’t exactly as he remembers. She’s pregnant and alone, and he can’t stop his protective instincts kicking in!

After a difficult breakup, Adele is very wary of all relationships. She has no choice but to accept the Greek tycoon’s offer of a job, despite their complicated past. But his next suggestion is much more intimate: becoming his convenient wife!

Setup:
Food critic and blogger, Dell Hudson, is working for her former adversary, hotelier tycoon Alex Mikahalis, on his private Greek island in the Ionian sea where he is developing a luxury resort. The attraction between them is very strong but there are compelling reasons for them not to act on it. Then Alex drops a bombshell—he wants Dell to agree to a marriage of convenience. Alex has convincing, genuine family reasons for this arrangement—and it would help Dell out of a difficult situation. But a marriage of convenience between two smart, independent people in the 21^st century? Reluctantly Dell agrees. When this smooch takes place, they are on the beach outside a family run taverna where his big, warm, matchmaking Greek family have gathered for a family occasion.

The smooch:

 Now she had signed up for a year of pretending that she didn’t care about the man who was going to be her fake husband in a marriage of convenience.

‘I guess I’d be working for you, still. A different job. A new contract.’ Dell tried to sound pragmatic, to justify the unjustifiable.

Alex frowned. ‘I hadn’t thought of it like that.’

‘It might make it easier if we did.’

‘Perhaps,’ he said, sounding unconvinced. He took a step closer.

‘But right now I need you to kiss me.’

‘What?’

His gaze flickered over her shoulder and back to face her. ‘You can’t see from where you’re standing but there are interested eyes on us. In theory I just proposed to you and you said “yes”. A kiss is appropriate.’

Appropriate? When was a kiss appropriate? Obviously in this alternate universe she had agreed to enter the rules were very different. That didn’t mean she had to abide by them.

She looked up at his dark eyes, his sensual mouth she ached to kiss in an entirely inappropriate way. ‘I’ve got a better idea. You can kiss me. And you’d better make it look believable.’

 Dell was challenging him. Alex had been exultant that she had acquiesced to his admittedly unconventional plan. But it seemed Dell and acquiescence didn’t go hand in hand. Somehow, in a contrary kind of way, that pleased him. Dell wouldn’t be Dell if she rolled over and did just as he commanded.

It made him want to kiss her for real.

Her eyes glittered in the soft half-light, tiny flecks of gold among the green. Her lips were slightly parted, a hint of a smile lifting the corners—halfway between teasing and seductive. ‘What are you waiting for?’ she murmured.

He was very aware of their audience. The family members who must have watched her seek him out on the beach. They stood inside the doorway some twenty metres away, obviously thinking they couldn’t be seen, but the lights from the taverna highlighted their shapes. It appeared the group had gathered hoping, perhaps, for proof that he and Dell were a couple. He would give them that proof.

He pulled her to him and pressed his mouth to hers with a firm, gentle pressure. In reply, Dell wound her arms around his neck to pull his head closer, her curves moulded against him. Her scent sent an intoxicating rush to his head—the sharpness of lemon and thyme soap mingled with her own sweet womanliness. It was a scent so familiar to his senses he was instantly aware of when she entered or left a room. She kissed him back, then flicked the tip of her tongue between his lips with a little murmur deep in her throat. Surprise quickly turned to enthusiastic response as he met her tongue with his, deepening the kiss, falling into a vortex of sensation.

Alex forgot he was on the beach, forgot they had an audience, forgot everything but that Dell was in his arms and he was kissing her. This was no meandering journey between gentle kiss of affirmation and one of full-blown passion. It raced there like a lit fuse on a stick of dynamite. Lips, tongues, teeth met and danced together in an escalating rhythm.

Desire burned through him, and her too, judging by her response as that little murmur of appreciation intensified into a moan. He groaned his own want in reply, pulled her close, as close as they could be with their clothes between them. He could feel the hammering of her heart against his chest. His hands slid down her waist to cup the cheeks of her bottom; she pushed closer as she fiercely kissed him.

‘Get a room, you two.’ Cristos’s voice, in Greek, pierced his consciousness.

Dell pulled away. ‘What was that?’ Her cheeks were flushed, her breath coming in gasps, her mouth pink and swollen from his kisses.

Alex had trouble finding his own voice, had to drag in air to control his breathing.

‘My cousin trying to be funny,’ he said.

She looked up at him, her breasts rising and falling as she struggled to get her breath. ‘Alex...that was—’

‘I know,’ he said, not certain of how it happened, knowing what it meant for their bargain, realising he had lost control and that he had to take back the lead.

Her eyes met his as a shadow behind them dimmed their brightness. ‘We can’t do that. A kiss like that wasn’t what you’d call appropriate. It wasn’t fair. Not when I—’

When she what? Alex wanted, needed, to know what she meant. Because at that moment when she had moaned her desire something had shifted for him. Something deep and fundamental and perplexing. He had to know if she had felt it too.

Kandy is giving away a copy of her book to one lucky commentator! So her question to you is: 

Alex, the hero of Conveniently Wed to the Greek has a great aunt Penelope who is convinced Alex and Dell should be together. She is an inveterate matchmaker. Have you ever been a matchmaker? Had someone tried to matchmake you? Known any successful or disastrous attempts at matchmaking?

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch by Amy Andrews from Hot Mess will be posted!

Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver