Dear Reader…
Today, I’m offering you Armchair
Travel — and there’s nothing quite like it! No last-minute panic getting out to
the airport; no check-in; no security check; no obnoxious seat partner on the
plane; no screaming babies; no lost baggage; no lousy exchange rate; no
pickpockets; no struggle, fuss or stress. But even without the hassle, the
destination is exotic. Sound good?
This is no tourist destination with
sandy beaches, secure hotels, and international food. We’ll be in a
little-known area in eastern Turkey,
an empty beige plain surrounded by dark mountains, where the summer heat is
intense. This is also a difficult part of the world where the police are
corrupt, rules are strict, and people watch your every move.
Important artifacts have been
disappearing from the local archaeological site of Karakuyu, and the site
director has mysteriously vanished. Under suspicion, is Anne Pierson, a former Washington
journalist who, after a scandalous affair with the wrong man, lost her job, and
her reputation. Desperate to escape her past, she avoids all personal
relationships…and that only makes people even more suspicious.
Archaeologist Renaud Townsend has
been sent to Karakuyu to discover who is responsible for the thefts. He’s passionate
about his work, ancient history, and about discovery, but when he meets Anne
Pierson, he knows his interest goes further than just solving mysteries.
Like Anne Pierson, I once worked in central Turkey as a translator and guide. Because
of that, many of the incidents in The Turkish Affair, are true. I accompanied
two archaeologists called in to verify whether smuggled coins were fakes or
antiques. I really did meet Leyla, the brave and rebellious young woman
who rescues Anne from a dangerous situation on a back road — and, yes, she did
help me, too. I knew dangerous and corrupt policemen; I met smugglers and
prisoners; I encountered opposition when I broke the rules.
And one day, while passing through
an archaeological site in Turkey,
I briefly caught sight of a lean and elegant man heading toward a jumble of smashed
pillars. He was the inspiration for Renaud Townsend.
So come along with me on this
journey, for the pleasure of a good tale, the chance to solve a mystery, and to
visit a world you might never otherwise see.
All the best to you,
J. Arlene Culiner
Writer, photographer, social critical
artist, musician, and occasional actress, J. Arlene Culiner, was born in
New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot,
has lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish
cave-dwelling, on a Dutch canal, and in a haunted house on the English
moors. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village
of no interest and, much to local dismay, protects all creatures,
especially spiders and snakes. She particularly enjoys incorporating
into short stories, mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and romances, her
experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversations with
strange characters.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: http://www.j-arleneculiner.com
Storytelling podcast: https://soundcloud.com/j-arlene-culiner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JArleneCuliner
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jarlene.culiner
About the Book
Love and Danger at the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu
Priceless artifacts are disappearing from the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu in Turkey, and the site
Praise:
Author J. Arlene Culiner does not disappoint in this fast-paced novel, The Turkish Affair. Glittering descriptions, magical settings, and enviable characters bring the solemn grounds of Turkey to life as we are planted firmly in an archeological dig in Karakuyu, Turkey. Culiner’s mastery of the English language and sentence combinations form an enchanting read. The Turkish Affair is a must-read for all lovers of romance and adventure.
–Lisa McCombs for Readers’ Favorite
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