The Aphrodite Touch Launch Party!

A very warm welcome to this fun Greek Cypriot themed launch party for my short novella, The Aphrodite Touch, which is the first book in my new series featuring Aphrodite and Adonis, published by lovely Irish independent Tirgearr Publishing.

If you would like a chance of winning a free e-copy of The Aphrodite Touch, please leave a comment. Where in the world is your favourite romantic destination? One name will be chosen to receive the free copy, so please leave your email address if you want to be considered!

I’ve always been hugely interested in Greek mythology and fascinated with the deities and their lives. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and Adonis one of her many lovers, so who better to interfere in the lives of couples who visit Cyprus hoping to progress their relationships in one way or another. And so Carla and Jamie are the first to receive their unique guidance!

Please help yourself to some healthy Mediterranean food and a little shot of ouzo. Or a drink of juice if you prefer, and I’ll tell you a bit about the beautiful island of Cyprus, where the series is set. Take a seat in the shade under the gorgeous flowers and enjoy a day beside the sea.

CYPRUS

An island in the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus lies near to Greece and Turkey. The island itself is now divided into roughly two parts: Turkish in the north and Greek in the south. Paphos, the main setting for the story, is one of the most popular tourist resorts in the Greek side of the island. It’s some years since we visited but from the moment I arrived until I left, its history, legends and scenery took hold and have remained with me. We’re hoping to return later this year so I can update my photos and locations!

Cyprus is sometimes called Aphrodite’s Island, or Island of Love, because it is in Paphos that the goddess is said to have been born from the foam of the sea, and mythology does tell us that Aphrodite was sent here. Adonis is the beautiful youth with whom she had an intense love affair. I won’t give away too much of their story here as it will gradually be revealed in the series. But this first novella is Carla and Jamie’s story.

Here’s a little introduction to The Aphrodite Touch:

Carla hopes that ten days on the romantic island of Cyprus will finally progress her relationship with reserved Scottish boyfriend, Jamie, to a full physical commitment. Or prove that they have no future together. But they had reckoned without the intervention of the goddess Aphrodite and her lover, Adonis. Will Aphrodite awaken Jamie’s hidden depths and allow him to return the passion that Adonis senses in Carla?

First short excerpt

“Good day, we hope you are enjoying the first day of your holiday on our island.”

Carla stared at the man for a moment before gathering enough wits to reply. Impossibly, he grew more beautiful every time she saw him. Beautiful. No other word would do. His short, curling, fair hair moulded to a well-shaped head, and the chiselled cheeks highlighted the penetrating blue of his eyes. Tall, slim yet with a muscular tanned body, she drank him in as he smiled.

“Yes… thank you.” She looked to Jamie for help and saw his attention was wholly captured by the breathtaking woman. No wonder he couldn’t take his eyes from her finely sculpted face, long golden hair that flowed over one shoulder, and a statuesque figure that belonged on the cover of Vogue Magazine.

“You’re the couple who welcomed us so warmly to the hotel yesterday. Didn’t we see you earlier today?” Carla addressed the woman, trying to rouse Jamie from whatever spell she had cast on him. “At the harbour?”

The woman turned sparkling green eyes on Carla and smiled. “Did you? Perhaps.”

Aware the woman had neither denied nor exactly agreed with the suggestion, Carla held Jamie’s hand. Something about this couple caused strange sensations within her and she couldn’t decide if it was a good thing or bad.

Here’s the trailer I made - I love making these and choosing the music, so I do hope you enjoy it!

Have another drink or some cake, if you’ve had enough healthy food!

Here’s a little bit about ouzo. It has a distinct aniseed flavour and is traditionally mixed with a little water, which gives it a cloudy appearance. Evidently, it was first made by monks and in fact we did try some when we visited a monastery cut into the cliffs on the Greek island of Amorgos one year. We can pretend this little shot glass contains ouzo!

Second short excerpt

“Shall we go and find Aphrodite’s birthplace, today?” Jamie said. “Looks like another hot one, so we could have a swim. Here it is in the guide book, Petra tou Romiou, like that woman said. Seems it’s supposed to be where the goddess of love rose from the sea in a shell.”

Carla leaned across to read the passage before speaking. “Remember that magnificent painting by Botticelli? Aphrodite in her shell with the sea behind her? She was supposed to be born from the foam of the sea. Roman mythology calls her Venus.”

“Yeah, I know the one. Naked as the day she was born.” He grinned his appreciation.

“I might have known you’d remember that.” But she was relieved too; at least he enjoyed the female figure as much as any other man.

She stretched in the morning sunshine. She loved the turquoise shades of the Mediterranean Sea and its endless pathway finally blending with a topaz sky. The heady scent of lemons, and herbs, and pine permeated the air and reminded her of an article she had recently read.

“Did you know archaeologists discovered a perfume lab dating from about 4,000 years ago? Here on Cyprus. They say one of the perfumes was used by Aphrodite herself. Imagine finding something so old and precious!”

For a moment, she thought Jamie hadn’t been listening. Then he looked up. “But how could it have been used by Aphrodite? I thought she was a myth, like Zeus and Mount Olympus.”

Carla laughed at his earnest question. “How do we know what myths and legends are based on fact, and which are imaginary? I’d like to think it was true.”

 

Here’s a tiny ampulla of Greek perfume I actually bought home from our travels ages ago.

And if you want to know which Greek goddess you most resemble, then take the following quiz! Sorry men, you’ll just have to imagine you are an Adonis!

I was quite happy to discover I’m Athena – another of my favourites as she is the goddess of wisdom and is usually seen accompanied by an owl.

Thank you all so much for joining in the fun today – it makes it more of a celebration. If it’s made you want to read The Aphrodite Touch, then thank you even more! It’s now available in all e-formats from my publisher, Tirgearr, and on kindle from Amazon UK and US.