I’d wanted to
travel to Greece ever since I first fell headfirst into Greek mythology in the
second grade. But it wasn’t until I was
on my honeymoon, a few months before the release of my first book Emerge, that I finally went. It was so
worth the wait!
My husband and I began our
adventure in Athens. Absolute musts in
Athens include the Acropolis (including the Parthenon and the Erechtheion) and
The Acropolis Museum as well as the Agora. Mount Lycabettus provides amazing
views of the city. By far our favorite
part of our time in Athens was our evenings spent wandering the Plaka, a
wonderful neighborhood for dining, shopping, and simply strolling while taking
in the lively atmosphere.
Next, we headed by bus around the
Peleponese. It was definitely worth it
for us to book a good guided tour here because there’s so much rich history to
learn as you go from site to site.
Highlights included Mycenae (incredible!), Epidaurus, Olympia, and
Delphi. I can’t even begin to describe
how breathtaking and humbling these places were and how connected they made me
feel to all the people who had walked there before me.
By far the most romantic part of
our honeymoon was spent in Santorini, lying by the pool or the beach, taking
hikes from Fira to Oia to drink in sweeping views, then having a sunset dinner
in Amoudi Bay. For a dash of excitement,
we rode an ATV to Kamari’s black sand beach.
Let me just say right now that it’s totally worth it to get a massage on
the beach—it felt self-indulgent at first, but I’m so glad I did it because the
atmosphere made it the most memorable, relaxing massage I’ve ever had.
Finally, we went to Crete. I’d been dreaming about seeing the palace of
Knossos since I wrote a story about the Minoans for my sixth grade history
class—and it was better than I ever could have imagined! I still find myself thinking about it
often. The Heraklion Archaeological
Museum is also a must. When you’re done
site seeing, Crete has gorgeous beaches!
I didn’t work most of the trip, but I did find myself writing a few
romantic scenes of Submerge, the
second book in the Mer Chronicles series while on a beach in Crete.
If you’re looking for a trip
that’s a perfect mix between history, site seeing, and relaxation, I couldn’t
recommend Greece more. I hope you fall
in love with it like I did!
***
Mer Chronicles
Book 3
Tobie Easton
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: March 19th
ISBN: 978-1-948671-23-1
ASIN: 1948671239
Number of pages: 396
Cover Artist: Beetiful Book Covers
Book Description:
Immerse is the spellbinding and breathless final installment of the Mer Chronicles series where descendants of the Little Mermaid must face deadly magic, shifting alliances, and the dangers of forbidden love.
Lia can’t wait for her parents’ coronation. Now living in the sparkling palace beneath the waves, she sneaks off to Malibu whenever possible to see Clay. Tucked away in an abandoned seaside mansion, Lia and Clay devise a plan to ensure they can stay together forever.
But when an old enemy resurfaces and Lia is restricted to the palace for the safety of all Merkind, she and Clay are ripped apart once more.
She fears not only for Clay, but for her best friend Caspian, who seems to be swimming down a dangerous path. He has invited the conniving Melusine to the coronation ball, convinced she’s capable of change. And no matter how hard Lia fights it, showing up on Caspian’s arm is just the start of Melusine’s insidious return to her life.
With threats Below growing more ominous by the day and a powerful ancient ritual looming, soon the two girls can’t escape each other. As their fates grow increasingly intertwined, Melusine might be the only one who can help Lia find the answers she desperately needs to save everyone she loves and to achieve her happily ever after. But can Lia trust her?
Excerpt:
I wish Clay were
here to see this. The thought flits through my mind again and again. When my
family and I swim through the sparkling entrance of the palace, I wish I could
grab his hand. As we’re greeted by hundreds of nobles swishing their tails in
applause, I imagine the excited words he’d whisper in my ear. And as we start
down the center aisle toward the thrones at the other end of the cavernous
chamber, I yearn to show him how beautifully this room has been restored since
he and I were last here.
Approaching the
thrones, we process over an exquisite mosaic made up of abalone, mother of
pearl, and troca shell pieces. It takes everything in me to keep my face
neutral, to keep my head lifted and my sunbeam crown upright. This is the spot
where, not so long ago, Clay risked his life to save mine. I glance around me
at the splendor and the celebration. Clay’s sacrifice made today possible, and
he’s not even here to see it.
About the Author:
Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she’s grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie hosts book clubs for tweens and teens (so she’s lucky enough to spend her days gabbing about books). She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies.
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