“I’m a Wanderer”

Please help me welcome Katherine Prairie to the blog today. She is the author of Blue Fire, a suspense novel releasing tomorrow. I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC and  reviewed the book last  Sunday. As I mentioned in the review, the story took me to places I’d never been to visit and introduced me to the inner workings of the mining industry. 

I did some research and found out that Chai Tea is a favorite drink in Tanzania, so I thought we could have a cup while reading Katherine’s post. They are quite good. The post and the tea.

 

Thanks for having me here today, Maryann.

I’m a traveller at heart. An explorer. Even as I write this, I’m at sea following in the footsteps of the Vikings from one side of the Atlantic to the other.

I’ve met people from all over the world on this voyage, most of them with heavily-stamped passports. We all share a love of adventure and the desire to learn more about the world around us, but there the similarities end.

Among my travel mates, the die-hard explorers are easiest to spot. From their layers of fleece and quick-dry clothing, heavy backpacks and walking sticks, I know they’re heading away from civilization. They’re first off the ship setting off in the direction of distant mountains, and they won’t be seen again until we leave port.

There are others who make a bee-line for the shops or the advertised attractions and museums. These travellers are explorers too, in that they seek to find the uniqueness associated with a country. Colourful balls of Shetland Island wool, or intricately-patterned Icelandic sweaters tell the story about the people, especially the women, of a country. Art and historical artifacts reveal the past and present in ways that make the country come alive.

I find myself somewhere in the middle. As a geologist, there are places that attract me like a moth to a flame — volcanoes, fossil beds and rugged mountain peaks to name a few! But I can also be found lingering in town, enjoying coffee or a meal, or browsing the museums or shops. In these moments, I am privileged to meet the locals and experience a little of their culture. It’s this sense of the people that I carry with me when I later hike the hills and take in the scenery. This is their home, not just a tourist destination.

Tanzania was like that for me. It had long been on the top of my bucket list, and when I finally managed a trip there, it did not disappoint. The Great Rift Valley is a Mecca for geologists and I was thrilled to hike to the site of Louis Leakey’s first fossil discoveries. The animals drew me too, and I spent days with the big cats, elephants and giraffes of the Serengeti taking more photos than I could ever imagine! But only when I met the people of Tanzania did I truly feel as though I was seeing the country.

There was never a doubt that I would set an Alex Graham thriller in Tanzania, and Blue Fire is the result. For the past two years, I’ve delved deep into the cultures of Brazil, Tanzania and China, adding to my personal experiences in each country. Out of that research came Jorge Silva, Mosi Ongeti and Shen Li, three of my most fascinating characters. And through all of this, I am a little closer to getting to know these countries and their people.

I’ve travelled the world, but I feel as though I’m only just beginning to really experience it. Geologist Alex Graham allows me to indulge my passion for exploration and pushes me to dig deeper, to bring a true sense of people and place to my stories. I invite you to join me on the journey.

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BLUE FIRE – BOOK BLURB

Tanzanite, a rare blue gem born in fire and revealed by lightning, is found only in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania. But now the death of a gem smuggler points to another possibility. A South American mine owned by Tabitha Metals may hold the find of a century. But why is it kept hidden from the world? Geologist Brian Graham can draw only one conclusion: the mine’s untraceable wealth is used to fund terrorism. And he must reveal the truth.

Brian heads to Colombia to check out mines there while his geologist daughter Alex and Tanzanian miner Mosi Ongeti start in Brazil. But their daring plan ends with a gunshot, and they are now pursued by the henchmen of a sinister, powerful arms dealer.

In a high-stakes race across two continents, Alex fights to expose the mine before the man behind Tabitha Metals can stop her.

BUY LINKS

PUBLISHER BOOK/BUY LINK ** AMAZON ** INDIEBOUND ** INDIGO

AUTHOR BIO

Katherine Prairie brings her own experience as an international geologist to the Alex Graham thriller series. Her debut novel THIRST was shortlisted for the 2017 Whistler Independent Book Awards. She served as the founding president of Sisters in Crime – Canada West, and she is a 2018-19 Crime Writers of Canada director. You can find out more about Katherine at her WEBSITE. and follow her on FACEBOOK and TWITTER 

I hope you enjoyed this peek at a country that many of us did not know much about. Reading Katherine’s book was like having a geography lesson, and I learned a lot about Tanzania, mining, and some rare gems. Have you seen the rare tanzanite? Have you ever been to Tanzania? I wonder how close the color is to the color of this type.