A while back I had decided to set the third book in Venice. I have always wanted to visit, so it was an easy decision to find a location, especially since the trip will include an extensive visit to Murano. Did I mention I love glass?
So, the trip was planned accordingly-Venice & Murano, but since I was already there, a lovely cruise from Venice to the Greek Islands would be just the ticket.
I fell in love with Santorini, Greece-it is so easy to fall in love-and found a Royal Caribbean cruise that will take me to the islands, among others to Mykonos and Corfu, and of course a stop in Athens where I’ll again I’ll get a chance to see the Acropolis; what an incredible site.
Needing to find a hotel in Venice, I thought it would be easy. Not so. I had specific needs and it did not include taking a second mortgage.
My needs were simple, or so I thought. Something off the beaten path, where the locals reside but walking distance to Piazza San Marco and the tourist frenzy that seems to stick to Venice at all times. At least that is what I read.
Something romantic, intimate, after all A Hotel in Venice needed ambiance and intimacy, and unlike Minola Grey and Peter Riley, I wasn’t willing to pay an exorbitant price.
I think I found just that, the Boscolo Bellini, a converted palace (not so unusual in Venice) on the Grand Canal, in the Cannaregio district but a short walk from Piazza San Marco and all the tourist attractions.
I love to walk, and for me that is the only way to get the pulse of the city. I have no sense of direction and get lost easily, but getting lost is part of the discovery-on the other hand-‘water, water everywhere’-how lost can I get?
I plan on keeping a journal and will share my impressions with you.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
http://www.mjustes.com/
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Science by Margot Justes
Science or Magic by Margot JustesTo me, science has always been magic; never mind that the universe is rational and can for the most part be explained by physics, math and chemistry. It’s still magic to me.
The periodic table of elements-those squiggly things that I look at and say that’s nice. What is it? When I get an explanation my eyes start to glaze over, sort of when people start talking to me about sports. (Not many do, for that exact reason) Same reaction, except whereas in sports I can figure things and ask myself why bother, so my eyes glaze over anyway.
I really, really try to understand but…must be some kind of chemical reaction in my brain that tells me not to overtax it, because nothing sticks permanently.
There is a point to this blog. Stuck in my story line, I needed a way to solve my mystery and see if it was possible to identify certain properties. I won’t say more-because it’s part of the process of solving the mystery in A Hotel in Bath-suffice to say I needed to identify a process and by using that process identify how something was done.
My younger daughter is a scientist so I asked for help. I wanted it to be unusual but true.
And would you believe my daughter and science came to the rescue. Imagine that…I can only say that I will be using a GC-MS (for those of us who do not speak Acronym GC-MS = Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer)to get the proof. Now I’m unstuck and A Hotel in Bath is moving along nicely.
Did you ever notice that scientists need to learn a whole new language-it’s called- Acronym.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
http://www.mjustes.com/
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com
The periodic table of elements-those squiggly things that I look at and say that’s nice. What is it? When I get an explanation my eyes start to glaze over, sort of when people start talking to me about sports. (Not many do, for that exact reason) Same reaction, except whereas in sports I can figure things and ask myself why bother, so my eyes glaze over anyway.
I really, really try to understand but…must be some kind of chemical reaction in my brain that tells me not to overtax it, because nothing sticks permanently.
There is a point to this blog. Stuck in my story line, I needed a way to solve my mystery and see if it was possible to identify certain properties. I won’t say more-because it’s part of the process of solving the mystery in A Hotel in Bath-suffice to say I needed to identify a process and by using that process identify how something was done.
My younger daughter is a scientist so I asked for help. I wanted it to be unusual but true.
And would you believe my daughter and science came to the rescue. Imagine that…I can only say that I will be using a GC-MS (for those of us who do not speak Acronym GC-MS = Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer)to get the proof. Now I’m unstuck and A Hotel in Bath is moving along nicely.
Did you ever notice that scientists need to learn a whole new language-it’s called- Acronym.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
http://www.mjustes.com/
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Events by Margot Justes
Authors do events to get their name out there and hope someone somewhere will buy their books.
But by the same token, the events are fun. You meet readers who stop by and chat, other writers hoping to get published and ask for advice and the route to rejection and hopefully, ultimately to publication. The rejection part is very easy.
Even if we don’t sell many books, we may wind up with another event. Hopefully that happened last Sunday. Don’t know for sure-but will keep you posted.
Young Adult author of Ordinary Me - June Sproat read my novella. I just happened to have the manuscript with me on Sunday. Odd that.
At any rate, she read my novella and made some terrific comments, and yes June, the hero does save the day. Thank you very much for reading it.
Today I’m spending the day immersed in Bath-as in A Hotel in Bath. Almost done, really…just some things to iron out and, and I begin my edits in earnest. That is not to say that edits have not been ongoing. They have. It is a continuous writing process, at least for me.
Tomorrow I’ll be at the ALA Conference in McCormick Place and hope to finish my article on Paris.
And since I’m rambling on, I might as well tell you, I’m starting research for book # 3,
going to Venice, Italy in September and of course will be writing travel logs. Guess where they’ll appear? Give up? I think I’ll keep you in suspense a bit longer.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com
But by the same token, the events are fun. You meet readers who stop by and chat, other writers hoping to get published and ask for advice and the route to rejection and hopefully, ultimately to publication. The rejection part is very easy.
Even if we don’t sell many books, we may wind up with another event. Hopefully that happened last Sunday. Don’t know for sure-but will keep you posted.
Young Adult author of Ordinary Me - June Sproat read my novella. I just happened to have the manuscript with me on Sunday. Odd that.
At any rate, she read my novella and made some terrific comments, and yes June, the hero does save the day. Thank you very much for reading it.
Today I’m spending the day immersed in Bath-as in A Hotel in Bath. Almost done, really…just some things to iron out and, and I begin my edits in earnest. That is not to say that edits have not been ongoing. They have. It is a continuous writing process, at least for me.
Tomorrow I’ll be at the ALA Conference in McCormick Place and hope to finish my article on Paris.
And since I’m rambling on, I might as well tell you, I’m starting research for book # 3,
going to Venice, Italy in September and of course will be writing travel logs. Guess where they’ll appear? Give up? I think I’ll keep you in suspense a bit longer.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com
Saturday, July 4, 2009
A Rainy day in Arlington Heights by Margot Justes
I spent the day at frontier Days in Arlington Heights, IL-well at least till 4:00 pm-after which I left in the midst of a rain storm.
It rained consistently all afternoon, and even though we had a tent, it got wet and so did we.
June Sproat, Morgan Mandel and I had fun until the rain drops; big, heavy continuous rain drops, as in pouring rain.
We’ll be back tomorrow, when it’s supposed be nice, warm and dry. There is plenty to do for everyone, from pony rides to arts and crafts.
If you’re in the area stop by and say hello.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com
It rained consistently all afternoon, and even though we had a tent, it got wet and so did we.
June Sproat, Morgan Mandel and I had fun until the rain drops; big, heavy continuous rain drops, as in pouring rain.
We’ll be back tomorrow, when it’s supposed be nice, warm and dry. There is plenty to do for everyone, from pony rides to arts and crafts.
If you’re in the area stop by and say hello.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The Latin Quarter by Margot Justes
I’m convinced that it’s time to go back to Paris, writing these blogs is a delight, but leaves me with a sense of longing to be there and revisit favorite places and discover new ones.
The Left Bank. The Latin Quarter. The collegiate pulse of Paris, and what a pulse it is.
The Latin Quarter so named because during the Middle Ages students attending the Sorbonne spoke Latin.
As in the rest of this remarkable city, the Latin Quarter has a vast architectural history and a history of political unrest, one worth mentioning was the 1968 student revolt, where even toilets were torn from the bathroom walls and destroyed.
This verve center never sleeps, the cafes are always brimming with students, and even now you get the sense of the bohemian life style.
To be sure you’ll hear discussions on the latest soccer scores, but you will also see games of chess being played, you’ll hear philosophical discussion, you’ll see students reading Voltaire, Zola, Rousseau and probably James Patterson while sipping their brew of choice.
The Sorbonne stands at the center, its creation dates back to 1253-see what I mean about history.
You’re in the intellectual center of Paris, but you’re also right smack in the urban center, vital and pulsing with life.
The Cluny Museum built on Roman Bath ruins, also known as the Middle Age Museum is filled with artifacts dating to the middle ages, among them exquisite illuminated manuscripts. You have the Pantheon that dates back to 1750, the Natural History Museum and also the Arab World Institute, a relative newcomer built in the 1980’s.
The Latin Quarter anchored (as it were) by Notre Dame, and the Seine at one end and the Luxembourg gardens at the other and so much in between.
Go off the beaten path, stray from Boulevard St. Michel and you may find yourself walking on uneven cobblestones, a maze of tiny streets that lead into others, one among many, is Rue de la Huchette, filled with beguiling multi national restaurants, just begging to sample their cuisine.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
available on amazon.com
The Left Bank. The Latin Quarter. The collegiate pulse of Paris, and what a pulse it is.
The Latin Quarter so named because during the Middle Ages students attending the Sorbonne spoke Latin.
As in the rest of this remarkable city, the Latin Quarter has a vast architectural history and a history of political unrest, one worth mentioning was the 1968 student revolt, where even toilets were torn from the bathroom walls and destroyed.
This verve center never sleeps, the cafes are always brimming with students, and even now you get the sense of the bohemian life style.
To be sure you’ll hear discussions on the latest soccer scores, but you will also see games of chess being played, you’ll hear philosophical discussion, you’ll see students reading Voltaire, Zola, Rousseau and probably James Patterson while sipping their brew of choice.
The Sorbonne stands at the center, its creation dates back to 1253-see what I mean about history.
You’re in the intellectual center of Paris, but you’re also right smack in the urban center, vital and pulsing with life.
The Cluny Museum built on Roman Bath ruins, also known as the Middle Age Museum is filled with artifacts dating to the middle ages, among them exquisite illuminated manuscripts. You have the Pantheon that dates back to 1750, the Natural History Museum and also the Arab World Institute, a relative newcomer built in the 1980’s.
The Latin Quarter anchored (as it were) by Notre Dame, and the Seine at one end and the Luxembourg gardens at the other and so much in between.
Go off the beaten path, stray from Boulevard St. Michel and you may find yourself walking on uneven cobblestones, a maze of tiny streets that lead into others, one among many, is Rue de la Huchette, filled with beguiling multi national restaurants, just begging to sample their cuisine.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
available on amazon.com
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Bundles of Books by Margot Justes
What a terrific title for a bookstore. It’s no secret that I loyally support independent bookstores. It’s a two way system, since I found quite a few support the small traditional independent publishers.
Bundles of Books (560 Crescent Blvd. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 620/545-0069 requests@bundlesofbooks.us ) is just such a store. Books, books and more books, on three levels…all lovingly cared for by owner Rosemary and her very able assistant Dani.
I had a signing there last Saturday, along with our very own Morgan Mandel, Sherrill Bodine and Allie Pleiter. We were made to feel very welcome. Upon our arrival, tea, coffee, cookies and chocolate awaited us. Chocolate and romance go very well together. In fact romance and anything go well together, but I digress…
We were there for 4 hours and the time simply disappeared. We all sold a few books, caught up on the latest news, and generally had a fantastic time.
Bundle of Books has a very loyal following-the support seemed effortless, people walked in chatted, bought books and seemed very comfortable, as if at home visiting friends, who just happen to have shelves upon shelves of stacked books.
For the most part, Bundles of Books sells used books but you will find new books by local authors. I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to introduce A Hotel in Paris.
Support for such a wonderful bookstore is the only way to keep it in business. So, if you’re in the area, even if it means going out of your way, please stop by and say hello and buy a book or two. I know I will be back.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
available on amazon.com
Bundles of Books (560 Crescent Blvd. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 620/545-0069 requests@bundlesofbooks.us ) is just such a store. Books, books and more books, on three levels…all lovingly cared for by owner Rosemary and her very able assistant Dani.
I had a signing there last Saturday, along with our very own Morgan Mandel, Sherrill Bodine and Allie Pleiter. We were made to feel very welcome. Upon our arrival, tea, coffee, cookies and chocolate awaited us. Chocolate and romance go very well together. In fact romance and anything go well together, but I digress…
We were there for 4 hours and the time simply disappeared. We all sold a few books, caught up on the latest news, and generally had a fantastic time.
Bundle of Books has a very loyal following-the support seemed effortless, people walked in chatted, bought books and seemed very comfortable, as if at home visiting friends, who just happen to have shelves upon shelves of stacked books.
For the most part, Bundles of Books sells used books but you will find new books by local authors. I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to introduce A Hotel in Paris.
Support for such a wonderful bookstore is the only way to keep it in business. So, if you’re in the area, even if it means going out of your way, please stop by and say hello and buy a book or two. I know I will be back.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
available on amazon.com
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Printers Row by Margot Justes
Finally a week later, I can write legibly since my fingers have actually thawed from last Saturday. Okay, so I exaggerate-but it was cold, windy, and wet…and of course I was dressed for summer. Silly me.
Printers Row is exhausting, exhilarating and exciting. Many people stop by to say hello, browse and chat. Some even tell me they have a book in them-and I say-let it out.
Some others shy away from personal contact, but overall I found the attendees are readers, and more often than not will give a newbie a chance. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
While still others will stop by and say they don’t read-my response-really, and you’re at a literary festival?
The other comment I had heard a few times is ‘I don’t read fiction.’
To my way of thinking, it’s an incredible loss. Ideas, situations, plots, twists and turns, resolutions, the imagination necessary to create a work of fiction is never appreciated. A slant, a perspective on our ever changing society is never seen through the eyes of make believe for the non-fiction reader. The inspired descriptive process, the power of the creative word of fiction is completely obliterated.
In my humble opinion that is a tremendous loss, and very, very sad. Open the mind to exciting possibilities the world of fiction has to offer, a person might actually learn something.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
available on amazon.com
Printers Row is exhausting, exhilarating and exciting. Many people stop by to say hello, browse and chat. Some even tell me they have a book in them-and I say-let it out.
Some others shy away from personal contact, but overall I found the attendees are readers, and more often than not will give a newbie a chance. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
While still others will stop by and say they don’t read-my response-really, and you’re at a literary festival?
The other comment I had heard a few times is ‘I don’t read fiction.’
To my way of thinking, it’s an incredible loss. Ideas, situations, plots, twists and turns, resolutions, the imagination necessary to create a work of fiction is never appreciated. A slant, a perspective on our ever changing society is never seen through the eyes of make believe for the non-fiction reader. The inspired descriptive process, the power of the creative word of fiction is completely obliterated.
In my humble opinion that is a tremendous loss, and very, very sad. Open the mind to exciting possibilities the world of fiction has to offer, a person might actually learn something.
Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
available on amazon.com
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