I adore travel as much as (and possibly more than, dare I say it) reading, so it gives me great pleasure to welcome Alli Sinclair to Linda’s Book Bag today in celebration of Under the Spanish Stars as Alli tells us all about the exotic locations for her books.

Under the Spanish Stars is published today, 6th December 2016, by Lyrical Press, an imprint of Kensington and is available for purchase in e-book and paperback from Amazon UK, Amazon US, iBooks, Google Play, Kobo and from Barnes and Noble.

Under the Spanish Stars

Amid the vivid beauty of Granada, a woman entrusted with unraveling a family secret will discover the truth about her heritage – and the alluring promise of love…

When her beloved grandmother falls ill, Charlotte Kavanagh will do whatever she asks of her—even if it means traveling to a country that broke her abuela’s heart. Can an unsigned painting of a flamenco dancer unlock the secrets of her grandmother’s youth in Spain? To find the answers she needs, Charlotte must convince the charismatic and gifted musician, Mateo Vives to introduce her to a secluded gypsy clan.

The enigmatic Mateo speaks the true language of flamenco, a culture Charlotte must learn to appreciate if she wants to understand her grandmother’s past–and the flamenco legend that has moved souls to beauty, and bodies to the heights of passion. As Mateo leads her into the captivating world of the music and the dance, Charlotte embraces her own long-denied creative gift and the possibility of a future rich with joy…

On Location

A Guest Post by Alli Sinclair

I’m delighted to be celebrating the release of Under the Spanish Stars with all of you. Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Linda!

(You’re very welcome Alli)

I love to write stories set in exotic destinations that have family saga, mystery, and a touch of romance. My first book, Midnight Serenade, was set in Argentina and my next release will be Under the Parisian Sky, set (surprisingly!) in Paris (available from July 2017). I have been lucky enough to travel and live in some amazing parts of the world, and one of the aspects I love when travelling is learning about the country’s culture and history. I have Spanish ancestry so I was naturally drawn to setting a book there and when I was trying to figure out which part of Spain, I remembered the amazing and mysterious flamenco caves in Granada. From there the idea expanded into a multi-generational saga, with a decades old mystery, and a young woman on a quest to discover her heritage that has been shrouded in secrecy. That was when Under the Spanish Stars was born.

One of the reasons I like setting my books in foreign destinations is that the country’s culture and history can become a character in its own right. Elements such as weather, politics, music, art, and war, can have profound influences on the human characters in a story, and I pay just as much attention to the setting as I do with human characters. I think it’s entirely possible for readers to develop strong feelings one way or the other with the setting of a book. Have you ever read a story where the sights, smells, and atmosphere feel so very real that you could be standing in that country in that moment, even if it’s set one hundred years ago? I love that feeling and that’s what I aim to create in my books—a chance for readers to go on a journey of the senses and emotions and immerse themselves in a world they may never get the chance to visit. And for readers who have been to that destination, it’s a opportunity to revisit and reminisce.

As with all my books, they require in-depth research and I have been lucky enough to have flamenco and history experts help with Under the Spanish Stars. Through this research I uncovered some little known facts about flamenco and how it was heavily influenced by Spain’s political climate when General Franco ruled. In fact, in all three of my books, the stories explore how dance and music have had a strong effect on the politics of the country they are set in—tango and Argentina, flamenco and Spain, and the Ballets Russes in France.

Writing Under the Spanish Stars was such a delight. Spain is full of colour, a fascinating melting pot of cultures, breathtaking natural and man-made settings, and history that is intriguing and diverse—the perfect country to set a story with an emotional, cultural and geographical journey.

About Alli Sinclair

Alli Sinclair is a multi award-winning author of books that combine travel, mystery, and romance. An adventurer at heart, Alli has climbed some of the world’s highest mountains and immersed herself in an array of exotic destinations, cultures, and languages. Alli’s stories capture the romance and thrill of exploring new destinations and cultures that also take readers on a journey of discovery.

You can find out more on Alli’s website, on Facebook, Goodreads and by following her on Twitter. If you would like to be part of Alli’s VIP Club with free membership and a chance to receive giveaways and competitions especially for members, you can sign up here.