Today’s guest post is by Joni Parker talking about what inspired her latest book, Curse of the Sea. Check it out.
The idea for my latest book, “Curse of the Sea,” came to me over seven years ago. I set the story in the U.K. or more specifically, England. I thought about trying it in the U.S. since I’m an American and a retired naval officer, but it didn’t feel right, so the story remained as is. The problem was I’d never been to England. I used the Internet, read books, saw TV shows and movies, but my manuscript lacked authenticity.
In April 2012, my sister and I went to check it out. My sister, who’d been to the U.K. several times, agreed to go only if she didn’t have to see another museum (we went to one). In addition, she helped set up the itinerary. We started out in London, of course. I knew the landmarks that I wanted to see—Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Victoria Coach Station, and so on. But I also wanted to go into a pub, wander through SoHo, ride public transportation, and go shopping. Just walking across the street became quite an adventure for us as we kept looking for traffic in the wrong direction. Anyway, after London, we took the train to Portsmouth, then west to Glastonbury, north to Edinburgh and Glasgow and back again. I learned so much.
I had a ton of corrections to make on my book, but I wasn’t done yet. I needed to know more about the Metropolitan Police (the Met), Scotland Yard, the prison system, the justice system, the schedule for super moons, and even assault rifles. The Internet provided much of this information but I must admit to finding more on TV and the movies.
It wasn’t until a few years ago when we had several racial incidents in the U.S. that I felt a need to incorporate these tensions into my book. As it happened, the U.K. was also having their share of problems. The Admiral in my book changed from a short, white man named Admiral Tillingham to a tall, black man named Admiral Teller. I loosely modeled him after President Obama. The changed increased the intensity of the conflict and made it more relevant. Unfortunately, it didn’t give me any great revelations on solving the problem, but I’m more aware. I hope you will be, too.
I hope you enjoy “Curse of the Sea.”
About the Book
Title: Curse of the Sea
Author: Joni Parker
Genre: Urban Fantasy
A NATO training exercise goes terribly wrong when five warships from different countries are mysteriously transported to Eledon, the Realm of the Elves. The warrior, Lady Alexin, is charged to escort the troops back home to London in the year 2031 with the aid of the Wizard Ecstasy and a magic shrinking potion. Yet, when the authorities question her story, Alex is detained and imprisoned under suspicion of terrorism. Caught in a web of politics, betrayal and bungling bureaucracy, the confusing world of the future will push her magical gifts to their limit, and her own future will hang in the balance, caught between “justice” and the place she calls home.
Author Bio
Fantasy novels are Joni Parker’s writing passion. Thus far, she’s written two series—“The Seaward Isle Saga,” a trilogy, and “The Chronicles of Eledon,” the award-winning four-book series. Her latest project, “Curse of the Sea” is her eighth book and begins a new trilogy. Her work extends beyond novels into short stories with two appearing in an anthology, “Tucson and Beyond” by the Tucson Science Fiction Fantasy writers’ group. Joni’s retired from military and federal government service and devotes her time to writing. She currently resides in Tucson, Arizona.
Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FLBT312
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParkerJoni
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJoniParker
Website/Blog: http://www.joni-parker.com
Joni Parker
Thanks for hosting my book! I enjoyed writing this guest post. There’s more to writing a book than just sitting at a computer all day, although I did that, too.
Tiffany Shand
You’re welcome, good luck with your book!