Tuesday, January 25, 2011

International Romance - Corsica

Sadly, this is the last post in the International Romance series. I've really enjoyed hosting these amazing women and I learned some interesting and fun things about each one. If you missed the previous posts, be sure to read the adventures of Nicole Ducleroir in Africa, Katie Mills in France, and Jessica Bell in Greece!  Today we have the lovely Joanna St. James (bottom right) - live from Corsica...

Turning Weirdness into a Resource

First of all, thank you Carolyn for having me over at your blog today. I am deeply humbled to be in such great company; now everyone bend in and listen close to me story.

By blood I am a Nomad, with artistic license I can now say I have wanderlust just like Jack Kerouac. When the hubs got a job offer in Corsica, I jumped at the opportunity, before he could blink twice or accept the job offer I quit my job and pulled out my trusty old notepad, the writer in me had gone all tingly.

Before moving to Corsica, my stories had been set in Iowa or in a fictional town called Whisper. I needed some more zing in my settings than Iowa cornfields had to offer, so off to Corsica I went and you have to agree its beautiful and inspiring.

I live right by the Mediterrenean sea and it turns at least three different kinds of blue every day, in the morning its more of an emerald blue, in the afternoon its more of a real blue and in the evening it turns into an amazing shade of purple. I have ledges and rocks where fictional characters can fall to their deaths if I were so inclined. I have a billion watch towers, beautiful flowers, villas and when I need glam, royalty or fast cars, the Principality of Monaco is just a flight or ferry ride away.

Even better yet, I have learnt a lot from the people, and yes Mediterrenean guys are HAWT! The girls are not so bad either but am just gonna go back to my mediterrenean hotties; passionate men amazing with babies, olive skin, perfect dressers and I have not found any with a bad tushie either, and if these don't float your boat, we always have the Frenchmen to fall back on - always arrogantly good looking, in a maddening way (ask creepyquerygirl - she's got her a hottie like that at home).

The unexpected bonus for me has been the passion in the people here; for a Brit seeing guys kiss everyone - even strangers - passionately twice on the cheek was very inspiring for me. They have taught me a lot about passion here. It's very common to see couples arguing with raised voices in public and no one even raises an eyebrow because they still sound all lovey dovey in the midst of it all.

So here is how a typical, passionate, lovey dovey heated argument goes - and I just go by their body language because my French or Italian is not good enough to decipher the accent most of the time: The woman is all sulky and attention seeking. She raises her voice but that pout is always present - you can tell she is still trying to look cute. The guy is arguing back but he does it in a dejected tone because he knows he cannot win, he is just arguing with her so she gets her much needed attention. He eventually gives up and throws his hands up in the air; she smiles and they continue moving - he has just given her the one thing she wants.

That is the kind of passion I want to leap off of my pages.

Joanna St. James


Thanks, Joanna! I am so jealous you get to live next to that amazing water! (And I wish I could pout and shout at the mall without a million people staring at me!) Here's a visual for everyone to drool over:



Calvi, Corsica via Wikipedia 

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27 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Oh wow!!!! I want to pack my bags and move to Corsica!! LOL!! Oh what a great place to experience romantic passion first hand!!! How lovely!!!! And hot blooded men who kiss everyone with meaning!! LOL!! Love it!!

Thank you so much Carolyn Abiad for hosting the lovely Joanna St James! Take care
x

Rula Sinara said...

Wonderful topic, Carolyn!
Joanna, loved your post and descriptions. I lived along the mediterranean for a few years when I was a kid. I'm dying to visit you :).

Matthew MacNish said...

Wow. So cool. Corsica is not one of those places you think about much, at least not as a boring American, but it sounds just as beautiful as Sardinia, Sicily or even the Balearic Islands. I know Joanna a little bit, and she is very cool.

Thanks so much for featuring her here!

Grandpa said...

Wow! Places and people to die for! Good for you Joanna. Thanks Carolyn, for everything.

Carol Kilgore said...

Joanna, you know I want to go there now, right? Absent that, I'm going to practice my pouty face in the mirror and give it a go. Great post.

Thanks for hosting her, Carolyn.

Carolyn V. said...

Great guest post Joanna! The pictures are beautiful!!!! I so want to visit.

LTM said...

oh, how gorgeous! And I love the fictional town name "Whisper"... ooo~ :o) great to know you better, Joanna~ <3

Unknown said...

I wanted to visit La Corse when I lived in France, but the opportunity never presented itself. Now, reading this, my enthusiasm for a visit is back. Thanks for the awesome read, Joanna! Off to discover your blog :))

And Carolyn, this series has been wonderful. Aren't you going to contribute? Next Tuesday...?

Also, I announced a blogfest today on my blog. Stop over! I'd love if you played along :)

Joanna St. James said...

Ha ha thanks everyone, this has been mad fun, I wish I could flood this post with my pictures but I decided less is more.
Hi LTM nice to meet you too that name was inspired by a Jude Devereaux novel I read years ago - Legend.
and yup I like having visitors, we could blunder through our limited french in glee - and if you have kids, they get free candy in the stores , its like an almost unspoken rule.
Matt thanx for the vote of confidence, the good thing about Corsica is that they don't pander to tourists so most of it is still beautiful and unspoiled.

J.L. Campbell said...

Joanna,

Your descriptions make the people and the place come alive. I'm drooling over the image of the sea changing colours. The men sound good too! lol.

Golden Eagle said...

I loved reading this post, and the pictures are beautiful--now I want to go to Corsica!

Thanks for hosting, Carolyn!

Michael Di Gesu said...

Oh, Joanna,

Here I am sitting living room everything is white and gray in my windows. I haven't seen a blue sky or sun in days and then I see Corsica....

AHhhhhh... the memories flood back when I spent on summer on the Monte Carlo. I modeled back then and ze French loved my look so I worked and played A LOT.

I wish I was there right now. Soak up some sun for me...


Michael

Angelina Rain said...

Wow, Joanna. Prepare me a room, I’m moving in. Between the location and the hot men, that might just be my new home.

Donea Lee said...

Heck! I'd trade Iowa for Corsica in a heart beat! (actually I'm from UT, but...the sentiment remains) Just beautiful. What an amazing adventure it must be for you ~ :)

Christopher said...

Sounds romantic, I love a good public squabble, so much intrigue and passion.

Hart Johnson said...

It looks AMAZING and i love your description of the argument! Fabulous! I can picture it perfectly and it totally seems to fit. What a great experience!

Unknown said...

Okay first question: You post all these picture of paradise and leave out the cute tushes? What!? I say you remedy that immediately! ;)

I would jump at the chance to live there too. What a cool location to write.

Nas said...

Lovely place, Joanna. I'm with all these friends and want to move in with you!
Thanks for sharing.

Heather M. Gardner said...

As I sit in NY, freezing, and waiting for the next snow storm scheduled for tomorrow, I am warmed by your words and pictures. Thanks for sharing Joanna!

Carolyn Abiad said...

Thanks to all for commenting! And if anyone else would like to post something like this here...let me know!

Jules said...

Okay I'm with Clarissa, forget the water, tushes!! Thanks Joanna for sharing and giving some warmth to this cold KY girl :)

Carolyn, It has been so nice meeting all these lovely women. Thanks! :D
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Southpaw said...

OH MY STARS, that sound like heaven.

Kari Marie said...

You've got me deamimg through the evening. This is a great series.

Deniz Bevan said...

Lovely story, Joanna! I'm jealous [g] I visited Corsica once with my family, but that was many years ago and I'd love to go back!

Joanna St. James said...

Ha ha the hubs would die if i took pictures of the mediterrenean tushies. He would think I have finally lost it.

Creepy Query Girl said...

isn't that beautiful! I want to live in Corsica! lol. Great post!

Denise Covey said...

Way cool Corsia! I loved Joanna's take on it and it certainly does sound more inspiring than the Iowa cornfields.

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