The Inspiration behind the novel…

It all began here, in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona. This excerpt from the novel was inspired by my first visit to the city.

“Retracing my steps to the corner, I turned left onto Las Ramblas, then joined the throngs of tourists strolling along the center promenade. All around me, the atmosphere vibrated with the sounds of life in a big city. Horns blared at taxis clogging the road as they stopped to unload passengers, and music joined the chorus of sounds. One guy was blasting rap on a boombox. A guitarist sat strumming Spanish songs. Teenage girls giggled with their friends, and from every direction, I caught dangling pieces of conversation as people passed.

Surrounded by tourists, an uneasy twinge sent a prickle up my spine. I was entirely alone in a strange country for the first time in my life. And yet it was as if this beating pulse had absorbed me into something greater than myself—a community of fellow travelers with a common mission. There was a difference between being alone and lonely. Yes, I was traveling alone, but oddly, I felt far less lonely than in the familiar surroundings of my home.

High above me, a canopy of lacy leaves glowed against the angled light as I continued strolling, passing by outdoor terraces, souvenir shops, and gelato stands. Something in me was shifting, almost imperceptibly at first. My mood brightened with each step. My shoulders relaxed and the muscles in my back lengthened. A little voice squealed in my head, I am in Barcelona! Halfway down the promenade, my face broke into a giddy grin for no particular reason at all.”