Please welcome Paty Jager author of Secrets of an Aztec Temple
Brewing and Research
Rogue Angels, thank you for having me here today to talk
about
Secrets of an Aztec Temple, the second book in the Isabella Mumphrey
Adventures.
When I was brewing this book in my mind, I looked up motels
and checked out expenses hoping to talk my husband into letting me go to Mexico
City so I could see things first hand. I even had a brave friend who was
willing to go with me. But right about then there was a lot of publicity about
the drug wars and how even the residents of the city were leaving. So not
wanting to give my hubby stress over me being in a drug run country, I started
researching.
I found people who had traveled to Mexico and Mexico City,
getting their firsthand accounts of what they saw and felt. Then I went online
and watched Youtube videos of people on vacation there. I purchased the best
guide books, and watched tours of the museum and temple where I set the book.
Once I had a feel for how to depict the city, I began
reading information on the Aztec. Mainly, the temple and life that was buried
under Mexico City. As with the first Isabella book, I didn’t delve deep into
the Aztecs, but I wanted to have enough information to make it feel as if my
character, Isabella knew them well and I wanted the villains in the story to
have a connection with the Aztecs.
It was a case of, I researched and gleaned far more than I
put in the book, but I’m hoping because of the research the story feels
plausible.
Have you ever been to Mexico City? If so, what was your
favorite part? If not, would you like to go there?
Blurb Secrets of an Aztec Temple:
Revenge is not always sweet…
Isabella
Mumphrey can’t leave a puzzle alone. This time she attempts to use her
anthropology knowledge to uncover who is stealing priceless artifacts from an Aztec
Temple in Mexico City. She believes the discovery will prove her worth to the
World Intelligence Agency.
Tino
Costantine is also in Mexico City. He has infiltrated a drug lord’s
organization to find enough evidence to not only prove the man’s illegal
activities, but to bring him down for numerous deaths. Namely those of Tino’s
family.
But
when the love of his life, Isabella, strolls into his enemy’s home, Tino is
challenged with the choice of saving her or fulfilling his revenge.
Excerpt:
She pulled her
flashlight back out, shining the beam into the passageway. Footprints in the
dust proved someone had recently used it as entry to the basement storage.
Where did it lead to? It had to be an extension of the tunnels being excavated
in Templo Mayor. Who found this and why did they keep it a secret?
She mentally thunked her
forehead. It was a secret because whoever found the tunnel used it to steal
artifacts found in the temple. The people using the hidden entrance to label
specific crates had to be part of the museum or part of the archeological
groups or a combination. There could be a multitude of people involved.
The flashlight shone
down a straight passageway leading…She ducked her head and entered the area.
Logic told her to go back and research when the excavation near this passage
was done. That would give a clue as to who could know about the tunnel. Then
she could check on the whereabouts of all the people involved. But the
adventure seeking part of her, who adored Indiana Jones movies, wanted to follow
the passage and see where she came out.
Hunched in the secret
passage, debating with herself, Isabella gave in to the logic and stepped out
of the passage. Shoving the crates back against the wall, she wiped the dust
from her hands and left the storage area.
Back in the archive
room, she searched for the records and maps of the first excavation teams at Templo
Mayor.
Buy Links:
Bio
Award winning author Paty Jager
is a member of national and local writing organizations. She not only writes
the western lifestyle she lives it. With sixteen novels and several short
stories published, she continues to have characters cavorting in her head.
You can learn more about Paty
at her blog; www.patyjager.blogspot.com her website; http://www.patyjager.net or on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/#!/paty.jager
, Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1005334.Paty_Jager and twitter;
@patyjag.
Contests!
Check out my blog and website as I am giving away gift cards to restaurants and
book sellers.
Thank you for having me here today, Angels!
ReplyDeletePaty, great to see you on our blog today. Hope everyone buys your book. Allana
ReplyDeleteThank you for inviting me, Allana!
DeleteHi Paty, I haven't been to Mexico City, but it sounds like an awesome setting. I've done the cruise and tourist things to Cabo, Mazatlan and inland from Ensenada--wine country! Best of luck with this fascinating book! You are so multi-talented. xo
ReplyDeleteHi Tanya, I haven't even set foot in the tourist spots, so this was an adventure in many ways for me even though I didn't leave the Oregon borders. Thank you!
DeleteToo bad about your visit to Mexico City. I understand that Americans have been kidnapped and held for ransom there. What a shame.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your story will have the right background and flavor from your research to make it realistic and entertaining.I love the beautiful cover.
All the best to you.
Hi Sarah, Yes, the kidnapping is why my husband refused to let me go. I hope the flavor does come through. Thank you. My daughter made the cover.
DeleteI've always wanted to visit Mexico, but I have to say the whole drug thing scares me. I recently read a novel that gave some accurate accounts of the situation there. Chilling. Archeology is very cool, though, and the history of the Aztecs is fascinating. Good luck with the book! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, Yes, the whole drug thing is why my husband forbid me to go. Doing my research on the drug wars and such made me glad he put his foot down! Thank you!
DeleteSo pleased to have another of my favorite writer friends at Rogue's Angels blog! Welcome, Paty! You're so good at research and, yes, I'd love to visit Mexico--though perhaps not the cities. The more rural areas and the ruins are what tug at my interest. But traveling with my pack of doggies would be a challenge. LOL!
ReplyDelete-Amber Angel
Hi Amber Angel! I hope to some day to to the Mayan and Aztec ruins. I'd love to walk their paths and see the artifacts. But if you took your doggies, you'd have protection! ;)
DeleteGreat interview, Paty. I've been to cities in Mexico, but never Mexico City. My family threatened to disown me if I visit now though. I love reading about the rich history of the Aztecs and Mayans.
ReplyDeleteHi Tamara, Thanks! Sounds like my family... The early Native American cultures are very interesting.
DeletePaty, I had always thought I wanted to visit the Aztec and Inca temples, but now I've changed my mind. I've been to Mexico, but not far enough in to reach Mexico City. I didn't enjoy Mexico, even though I stayed in a luxury resort at Cabo San Lucas. There are so many places (like Ireland, the UK, Switzerland) that I've enjoyed, as well as in the US, I think I'll skip Mexico in the future. Great post though, and I do like to read novels set there.
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline, My dad and mom made a trip into Mexico but they didn't go to Mexico City just as it was beginning to have a bad reputation. They stayed on the west side of the country. They weren't impressed. I have my sights set on several European places to go as well. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI was in Mexico City more than 30 years ago. It wasn't in as much trouble with drug cartels then, but the combination of horrific air pollution and poverty was very difficult to deal with. I vowed to never go back. With all the drug problems now--which are even beginning to reach to popular coastal areas--Mexico is off my travel list even though I would love to visit the ruins in many places.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, your research captured the city as well as going there. Also you were able to provide information you certainly would NOT want to have experienced yourself. It is truly sad that Mexico has so many problems they can't seem to handle. The Mexican people as a whole are very giving, family-oriented, and deeply care about what is happening. However, they feel powerless to stop it. (I have a sister who is married to a Mexican national. He shares news from his family who still lives in or near Mexico City.)
Maggie, The research I did was sad. It makes you feel for the people who aren't part of the drug scene. I can't imagine living in the fear they do. It's nice to know that someone who has been to Mexico City did feel I captured the city. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Mexico City, Paty. I hope to go there one day.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you apply research to your stories. I always learn something new, but I never feel the urge to skim. It's just the right balance!
Sarah, Thank you! That means a lot, because I do try to give just enough to sound like I know what I'm talking about without boring or making the reader scratch their head.
Delete