Autumn Bardot in Kalamata, Greece

Sexy vacations. Who doesn’t want to go on one?  Actually, any vacation is sexy in my book. I get to visit a new place, learn history, sample different foods, and pretend, if only for a week, that I am a globetrotting Jetsetter. I get to unwind, spend some quality time with hubby, and explore the world beyond our little corner of Southern California.

One of my favorite vacation destinations so far was rambling the countryside of Kalamata, Greece. We went with another couple. Leah spoke pretty good Greek—or so she thought until she conversed with the natives! Oh, and during the flight over the pond Leah read a very early version of By Sword Tip, one of the short stories from Legends of Lust.

Kalamata. Sounds familiar? Yep, that’s right. That’s where all those yummy Kalamata olives come from.

We went a week before  high season, so the rates were low and the Aegean not yet warm. But no way did a little brisk water stop us from swimming. It was warm once you were in for a few minutes.

 

This was the view from the outdoor restaurant at our hotel, Filoxenia. Loved it!!

Hubby loved the all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

FYI: The beach was rocky and pebbly. We needed water shoes. Not the Greeks, though, who were able to walk the beach and surf barefoot.

The Greek salad was too die!

Recipe for authentic Greek salad: chunks of cucumber, tomatoes, very thinly sliced red onion and green pepper, green olives, big chunks of thick toasted bread, a massive hunk of fresh feta cheese, generous amounts of oregano, a few sprigs of dill, and tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.  That’s right. Not a single lettuce leaf!

I ate one every day.

This was the view from our room. Stunning, right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made a three-hour side trip to Athens to see the Acropolis. O.M.G.  I wanted to sit there all day and bask in the ancient aura of ancient gods, goddesses, muses, and nymphs. Hubby asked the tour guide all kinds of questions. I merely wanted to feel its history. And if it had been possible, I would have sat down with my laptop and pounded out several stories.

 

I was in awe. Tried to imagine how the Acropolis looked in all its glory, before time and wars had left it a mere skeleton, only the bones left for us to admire.

I tried to imagine the people milling about….

their voices and songs to the gods…

Here I was, standing amid history, among the very buildings  dedicated to the gods of Greek mythology!

 

“Shhh,” I told hubby, “I want to hear the gods.”

“You’re weird,” he smiled and began reading the informational placard in front of Zeus’ temple.  

Then after the muses took pity on me and whispered a few story ideas, we looked out over the Acropolis hilltop and marveled at the view of Athens from our vantage point. 

 

 

The Acropolis is undergoing renovation to keep the buildings from further decay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the buildings and temples were cordoned off. We admired from afar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was as close we got to this temple.

 

 

We spend about three hours wondering the Acropolis. And sadly, we arrived too late to tour the museum at the base of the Acropolis, which I heard is fabulous.

“Are you history buffs?” asked our petite, curly-haired, perfectly English speaking tour guide as we set off in her BMW  SUV up the Peloponnese coast. “I can talk for hours and give you all the local history if you like.”

“Yes!” Four eager tourists shouted.

The blood of the ancient Spartans runs through the Mani people who live in the Peloponnese countryside. They were a tough people living in a harsh land too arid and rocky for farming.

The Mani is a culture of blood feuds, kick ass warriors, fierce family loyalty, and about a million miles ( well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration) of waist high rock walls built heater skelter to divide their wee bit of property.

Those are my olive trees, not yours!

Yes, our tour guide said, blood was spilled over olive trees and boundary lines.

 

 

 

We passed lots of goats as the SUV snaked the narrow roads up the Peloponnese coastline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And speaking of snakes…

 

The tour guide thwacked a big thick stick against the doorframe before we entered these tiny–maybe 15 by 15 ft– churches to scare away the poisonous snakes.

She was exceptionally wary of snakes, not letting us venture into the scrub or grasses until she checked for snakes. 

And then there were always the scorpions to worry about…

The tiny chapels walls were covered floor to ceiling with Byzantium style artwork of incredible color and detail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped at Diros where we climbed onto small boats, and rowers guided us through the waist-deep water into a confusing maze of gorgeous caves. 

We passed a lot of sleepy little towns that sadly, giant hotel chains are buying up. Good for the villagers, it puts much needed money in their pockets. Not so good when you realize many such places will lose their charm and history to tourist dollars.

 

 

 

 

There are many sunken pirate ships in the small bays along the coast. A haven for scuba divers. From the road above we could see a few of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our day tour ended at this fabulous hotel in Oitylo where, I swear, I plan on coming back to write a novel or two.

 

 

 

 

A trip to our friend’s ancestral hometown the following day ended with a meandering walk through the town’s cemetery. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a blink of an eye, our Greek trip flew by.

We dined on Aegean fish caught that day by local fisherman, gorged on succulent enormous octopus, slurped delicious Greek coffee, supped on many local Greek dishes, drank too much ouzo, and danced the night away at a local Greek club. 

I guess the muses worked overtime on this writer, because I got several solid stories ideas from the trip. A historical fiction of a famous but not well known event of one the places we visited.  A plot  setting idea for the fourth book of my paranormal romance series ( written under another pen name.) And several sexy ideas for future historical erotica!

Any trip that provides that kind of fun and creativity is definitely SEXY!

Stay tuned for my next Sexy Vacations blog when I’ll be writing about Costa Rica. 

 

The Writing Process | Step by Step

Are you a beginner or new writer? The writing process can be a struggle. Every writer’s process is unique to them and often comes from experience learned after writing several books.

When I first started writing it helped me to learn what other authors’ writing processes were. I always learned new tips and author tricks. Discovering the novel-writing process of other authors can help you improve and perfect your own. This episode is about my step by step novel writing process. And I don’t hold back!

? Find all my books, social media, and get new episodes sent to your inbox at https://linktr.ee/AutumnBardot

 

#writeanovelstepbystep #writingprocess #howtowriteabook

11 Ways Writing Novels Changed Me

Writing changes a person. For me, the changes were awesome!

Writing caused me to:

  1. leave my comfort zone by the wayside. In fact, my comfort zone is so far away I don’t think I have one anymore. I’m willing to put myself ‘out there.’ Why not? What do I have to lose? I’ve yet to regret a single chance I took.
  2. hone my writing and story-telling skills. Ways of telling (or in agent/editor lingo, showing) a story have changed. I’ve been around the block and see the changes. Some are good. Some are terrible. But I won’t get into that right now.
  3. learn all sorts of new tech programs/platforms. Nothing is ‘intuitive’ for me. ( I hate that phrase, anyway.) Figuring out a new platform isn’t fun. I’d much rather be writing.But I figure it out and that’s very gratifying. Plus, I can brag to my tech-savvy adult children.
  4. become a better listener. I never know when someone has a nugget—a phrase, a turn of words, a situation—I can use for a story.
  5. not  take rejection personally. Sometimes I even laugh at the reasons. My favorite: It’s not what we’re looking for. *eye roll* Whatever…
  6. keep persevering. I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Plus, it’s my zen. ( See cool Zen photo above.) Why would I ever give up on an activity that brings me so much amusement and gratification?
  7. pay attention to a person. Tone of voice, gait, mannerisms, anything to make a character more real.
  8. embrace my weirdness. Yeh, I sit around and write all day, prefer reading to partying, love research, and think of crazy stuff on a routine basis. So what? LOL
  9. be more organized. I use technology. Pinterest, excel, dated folders, and no ‘final final draft’ titles. Ever.
  10. really be in the moment, to engage all the senses, even when I’m just waiting for the server to bring my meal or sitting outside in the backyard. Being mindful helps me add sensory detail to my writing.
  11. accept myself, flaws and all. I’ve written 11 books. And work full-time. BUT…I don’t go to the gym. ( I have a treadmill and a pool.) I hate bargain shopping. Pointing and clicking takes less time away from writing. My hair stylist has to beg me to come in for a trim. I almost never have the hot new nail color. And there’s always a chair full of ironing to do. But hey! I wrote a chapter today! YES!

 

How has writing novels changed you? We’ll compare notes!

Love & hugs,

Autumn

 

 

 

Taking the Plunge

I took the plunge five years ago!  Into novel writing. Into leaving my comfort zone. Into social media. Into taking risks. Into learning new techno platforms. Into rejection.

The plunge has been long and deep and quite bracing. But I’ll tell you this, I’m never bored. There’s always something that needs creating or writing or rewriting or platform-building or social media-growing.

Sometimes it feels like I’m just treading water. ( You’d think my thighs would be more muscular, LOL) Sometimes it feels like I’m riding the waves. And yes, sometimes, I feel like I’m drowning in all those decisions that an author has to make. Some big—like what to write next, which PR firm to hire. Some medium—does my bio need tweaking? Do readers read an author’s bio anyway? Some small—is this pic OK to post?  Am I posting/tweeting enough or too much?

I took the plunge five years ago. It’s changed me in ways that would take another blog. ( Next week.) Five years ago, on a whim, I decided to indulge my secret desire—writing novels. What began as dipping my toes in the water has become a long swim in the ocean.

Here’s a super-condensed version of my Plunge Taking journey.  Mind you, I’m a non-risk-taking introvert, so if I can do it you can too!

  • Began writing a novel despite not knowing if I had the determination, perseverance, and inclination to finish.
  • Finished writing that novel. I don’t remember how may rewrites it went through. A LOT.
  • Queried agents. SO scary!
  • Attended a RWA conference when I knew nobody. Anxiety central!
  • Started website and blogged my ass off ( different pen name).
  • Self-published 3 paranormal romance.
  • Jumped into another genre—historical fiction.
  • Got an agent!
  • Wrote 3 historical fiction.
  • Agent sent one of them out on submission. Got rejected.
  • Jumped into a 3rd genre—erotica! Legends of Lust, Erotic Myths From Around the World will be published by Cleis Press January 8, 2019.  My BIG lucky break!!!!.
  • Created yet another website, IG, and twitter account.
  • My agent moved agencies and was no longer interested in my historical fiction. Sad face.
  • Query time…again. Ugh.
  • Writing a historical erotica this summer. Click here for peek at a rough draft of the first page.

 

Sometimes, I feel like a fish out of water. Often I’m swimming against the current.  Usually, though, I glide through the writing ebbs and flows and try to concentrate on why I took the writing plunge anyway. Because I LOVE writing. It’s my Zen—wait, I need a fish/sea metaphor—it’s my High Tide.

As long as my dreams aren’t floating belly side up, it’s a good day.

What did you endeavor did you take the BIG plunge into?  Let me know! 

Love & hugs, Autumn

Sign up for Alerts by Autumn. That way you’ll get in on ALL the giveaways I’ll be having leading up to and after Legends of Lust, Erotic Myths from around the World releases Jan 8, 2019.  The first giveaway will be July 11th.

 

Stories Beget Stories

One thing often inspires another.

Be it buying a new dress, decorating your house, planning a meal, or even a quick trip to the grocery store! Writing a story is no different. Lucky for me, the release date for Legends of Lust~ Erotic Myths from around the World is not until January 8, 2019. So far away, right?! But it does give me plenty of time to expand upon a short story that was just begging to be told.

When a story talks ( more like shouting), I listen! One character in particular had me itching to telling her whole story. This famous, or infamous according to some accounts, woman is cloaked in mystery, legends, and myths, which made here whole story even more compelling to write.  Of course, that meant delving into three conflicting accounts: Christian, Jewish, and Ethiopian. Have you guess who it is?

The web is good place to start research but I find the best information comes from old books ( usually ) no longer in print. I took a gamble on one such book and—bingo! Amazing information and it had gorgeous photographs of topography and artifacts.

I’ll be working on this historical erotica all summer. Here’s a rough draft of the first few pages.  Don’t mind the typos, they get fixed eventually. I’m still debating titles as well!

~~~~~~~~~~~

I was born during a sandstorm. Momma said no one heard her screams as she squatted on the mat in the tent and pushed me from her womb. Before she had swaddled me a fine layer of sand had already clung to my sticky newborn skin.

“You didn’t breathe.” Momma would always touch her throat and shake her head during this part of the story of my birth. “So I breathed my life fire into you. Once. Twice. The third time, your tiny mouth opened and you gulped so much air I worried the sand in the air would choke you.” Here, momma always gasped for effect. “But you were determined and wailed to the heavens. And your face changed from purple to the golden color of resin from the myrrh tree.”

“And then what happened?” I asked each time despite knowing the story of my portentous birth since I was two years old.

“The next day an old Wise Woman walked out of the desert to tell my daughter, Bilqīs, was destined for greatness.” Momma always kissed my forehead at this point of the birth story.

“Did she know about you?” I did not ask this question until I was seven-years-old.

My momma, my beautiful dark-haired momma with ebony skin would press me to her abundant soft bosom and stroked my hair. “I doubt she knew I was once Queen Ismenie of Ophir—that was another time and place—but I suspected she did recognize the spirit of my smokeless fire.”

At this point in my birth story—told every year on my birthday—I would crinkle my eyes in search of the slightest deviation from momma’s version. “Was the Wise Woman afraid?”

“Terrified. She knew I could snap her neck in an instant.” Momma snapped her fingers. “Or fling her back to whatever desert hovel she came from with one throw.” Momma would take me in her strong djinn arms, lift me over her head, and spin me about. When I was little I squealed, half afraid of the speed at which my body whirled, half thrilling in the sensation. When I was older, I begged momma to spin me faster. Spiraling. Whirling. The blur of my surroundings. What could more exhilarating than the world slipping into the capricious realm of the divine? Or at least, that’s what if felt like it.

Momma spun me over her head until the day I became a woman.

“No more spinning, Bilqīs,” she said after I showed her the blood smeared between my thighs. “You’re a woman now.” Momma lifted the lid on a coffer and drew out length of fabric. “And you’re not just any woman, you are part djinn.”

I frowned. “What does my half djinn-ness have to do becoming a woman?”

~~~~~~

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Hugs & love,

Autumn