I’ve
got the suitcase open and a pile of clothes lying next to it. Every other day—okay,
every day—I enter the spare bedroom to finger over them or add to the pile. My
eagerness is rising. We leave for Paris and Berlin in fifteen days.
This
will be my second trip to both cities. Each has her own energy and identity. Paris
is like a fashion model, strutting her beauty and daring anyone not to adore
her. The City of Lights sparkles day and night.
Berlin,
having undergone a huge rebuilding after WWII, is more youthful and less status
conscious. She shows little concern for the graffiti--or street art, as the Berliners call it--decorating her buildings,
bridges and sidewalks, and in fact wears them like a badge of honor. The city
takes pride in her speedy mass transit system and technological advances.
If it’s modern, Berlin loves it.
If it’s modern, Berlin loves it.
While Paris worships her history and preens her beauty.
Paris
is my husband’s second home. He’s lived there twice, writing at sidewalk cafés
and absorbing French culture. Soon we’ll be living like the French in a Left
Bank apartment for two weeks. Then we’ll fly to Berlin to visit my step-son and
his Berliner wife for a week. Needless to say, Calvin is very eager to spend
some time with his only child. Kelly designs and maintains websites for the
Bayer Corporation.
While
my head will be on a swivel, taking in all the glorious sights, I’ll be
researching some details for a couple books—historical and contemporary. There's nothing like sitting at sidewalk cafés, watching streams of humanity pass by. Museums are great places to reach the creative and historical parts of our souls. At night, we'll return to our little apartment to cook dinner--we're both diabetics--and write notes from all we discovered during our daily walks down narrow and windy streets once traveled by chariots.
This is a picture of our living room in our little pad near the Sorbonne University in the part of Paris known as the Latin Quarter. Centuries ago, students spoke only Latin on these streets as they discussed literature, art and politics. Today, burdened by backpacks and carrying instruments, you can still find them in cafés and brasseries discussing these same age-old topics.
Located just a few blocks from our apartment is rue Moufftard, location of the oldest outdoor market in Paris once operated by monks. The French display fresh produce as if they were works of art. And don't even get me started on the pastries. I may have to forget I'm diabetic a time or two.
As you can guess, this is a trip we've been planning for a long time. I thank you for allowing me to bend your ear with all these little details. Writers love visiting where they plan to set their books. It's an important part of presenting you with stories full of accurate details and flavor.
Memories of our trip there five years ago anchor my romantic suspense series set in Paris. The Red Hand Conspiracy series involves two American sisters, French counterterrorism agents and a world-wide terrorist group called The Red Hand. Filled with suspense, sparked with passion and tempered with humor, you'll love your time in Paris as you read these two books.
Winner of the HOLT Medallion Award of Merit in two categories. Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book by a Virginia author.
Book two of The Red Hand Conspiracy. http://www.amazon.com/Rain-Love-Song-Conspiracy-ebook/dp/B00BK9QV3K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1Please visit me at www.vonniedavis.com
