FLY ME TO THE... by Tessa McFionn
Tessa McFionn, author of "TO DISCOVER A DIVINE" is sharing her travelling experiences with us. Don't forget to get a copy of her science-fiction romance. Enjoy reading!
FLY ME TO THE… (INSERT DESTINATION HERE)
Travel. Exotic locales. Amazing food.
Lost luggage. Missed connections. Cramped lodgings.
There are thousands of stories, both good and bad. Most of them start with a defining event. Mine started with a break-up. No, I promise this isn’t going to be an Eat, Pray, Love thing. Anyone who knows me can tell you that for free. I had recently escaped from a horrible six-year relationship. Betrayal, infidelity, emotional abuse. You name it; it had it. So, finally free at last, I decide to treat myself to a road trip. It was mid-August, which meant I had a couple of weeks of freedom before I had to start getting ready for another school year. At the time, I was competing in Irish step dancing and we had a competition in Ventura, California. I live in San Diego, so that’s about four hours north of me.
After the event ended on Friday night, I stared at my hotel room ceiling and began to plan my route. I was going to drive up the coast. I’d lived in Southern California all my life and had never experienced the splendid beauty of the West Coast. I’d been to Disneyland numerous times and flew to San Francisco, but I hadn’t driven historic Highway 101.
So, in the morning, I called my mom and let her know of my grand scheme. Since she never truly liked the guy I was with, she was enthusiastic and wished me luck on my adventure. Armed with her blessing, I headed out.
Now, for anyone who has ever seen pictures of miles and miles of California coastline, the images do not even come close to doing it any justice. Breathtaking, as cliché as it may sound, doesn't begin to describe it. Clear blue waters and rocky cliffs meeting in the frothy white. Surfboards dotting the crashing waves. And the world-famous strip of asphalt hugging the edges of the continent.
I didn’t really have a direction; I just wanted to see more of my home state. After a lovely cruise, I took a left at Santa Barbara and headed to the adorable Scandinavian village of Solvang. It gave me a chance to experience the Swedish part of my heritage, which made my mother very happy. Granted, Solvang technically is Danish, but it’s the closer to Swedish than the standard Mexican fare of Southern California.
Now, I did say I didn’t have a real destination, but I did have a little bit of a goal. So, this might be where it sounds kinda like Eat, Pray, Love. I had met someone at a convention who helped me out of a dark place. He lived up in Santa Cruz. I was heading in that general direction. If we managed to cross paths, then that would be a bonus. Back into the car I go and continue my drive to Paso Robles. Heart of wine country, home of Hearst Castle, and the payphone where I finally got the nerve to make a certain call.
Yes, I said payphone. This trip dates back over twenty years. Cell phones aren’t very common just yet, nor are they very smart. The photos I have from my excursion were actually shot from one of those little disposable cameras that I had picked up before leaving.
Back to the trip. I finally did get a hold of my friend and needless to say, he was rather surprised when I told him where I was. He asked if I would be willing to drive to Monterey and meet him for dinner. Would I? Hell, I’d already been in the car for about four hours by now. What’s another few minutes?
OK, so maybe my estimate was a little off. Especially since I opted to take Highway 1 instead of returning to the 101. I mean, it looked like a shorter path on the map. Ah, if only Google Maps would have been around in ’97. But no, I relied on a 1992 Thomas Brothers guide and jumped onto the road.
Don’t get me wrong. The scenery is spectacular. Carmel, Big Sur, redwoods trees as far as the eye can see. And narrow, two-lane road weaving back and forth the entire way. All the while, I’m watching the time vanish. I had a date in Monterey and I had no idea how far I was from my destination. But I continued to drive, the beautiful sites whizzing past my windows as I pushed the limits of my little car and the road.
Aphrodite was truly on my side and I made it with five minutes to spare. A simple dinner and a sci-fi flick later, I was ready to find a place to crash out for the night. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? After all, Monterey is quite a touristy city. Hotels were everywhere and it’s a random weekend in August. How hard could it be?
I had never heard of the Concours d’Elegance before that weekend. What is that, you say? It’s only one of the world’s most prestigious car events. Now, imagine every high-end car, and every self-entitled, snobbish, high-end car owner, in one small city for one weekend. As we drove around, we saw fire engine red Lamborghinis and classic Rolls Royces parked in handicapped spaces.
This did not bode well for finding a room. Time crawled on and my energy was hitting rock bottom. I had been behind the wheel for almost twelve straight hours and I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay awake much longer. Finally, I found a hotel with one room available. Too exhausted to really care that I was paying $200 for a Motel 8 single, I turned the key and entered my night’s lodging.
Not only did I not find a jacuzzi made of gold for that price, I didn’t find a real bed either. The mattress and box spring were sitting on the floor, the 13” television actually had rabbit ears, and the light in the bathroom was one of those stick-on numbers with the little pull string to turn it on. As I gazed around the room, I did the only thing possible.
I laughed. I started, and I kept going until my sides ached.
I went out in search of an adventure. Mission accomplished.
As for the friend, we parted ways after that night. But I have no regrets. Except not making room reservations before heading up the California coast.
TO DISCOVER A DIVINE
By Tessa McFionn
Rise of the Stria Book 1
Fiery Seas Publishing
March 20, 2018
Sci-Fi Romance
When Kahlym cal Jhuen, freedom-fighting leader of the Chandar Stria, breaks into a prison ship controlled by the Rimmarian Thrall, he only expected to rescue two of his crew. But when he discovers a terrified female during his escape, he is immediately captivated by her unique beauty and makes a snap decision to take her with him. However, his good deed backfires when he learns he has stolen the Thrall Emperor’s prize.
Down to her last dollar, Evainne Wagner expected nothing out of the ordinary when she stepped out of her Boston apartment. Instead, she found herself in the middle of an intergalactic firefight, complete with strange soldiers with deadly weapons pointed directly at her. Salvation arrives in the nick of time in the form of a mysterious leather-clad warrior, skidding in and whisking her away. Trusting her heart, she follows, hoping to find answers as well as a way home.
Safely on board his ship, he learns more about her and her rare skills, triggering the memory of a half-forgotten prophecy spoken at the time of his cursed birth. Outcast because of a cruel twist of fate, he finds unexpected acceptance, even affection, from his new passenger.
Could she be the one who holds the future of his people, as well as his own heart, in her tender hands?
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Tessa McFionn is a very native Californian and has called Southern California home for most of her life, growing up in San Diego and attending college in Northern California and Orange County, only to return to San Diego to work as a teacher. Insatiably curious and imaginative, she loves to learn and discover, making her wicked knowledge of trivial facts an unwelcomed guest at many Trivial Pursuit boards.
When not writing, she can be found at the movies or at Disneyland with her husband, as well as family, friends or anyone who wants to play at the Happiest Place on Earth. She also finds her artistic soul fed through her passions for theatre, dance and music.
A proud parent of far too many high school seniors and two still living house plants, she also enjoys hockey, reading and playing Words With Friends to keep her vocabulary sharp. She is currently the treasurer of the San Diego chapter of Romance Writers of America and loves spending time working with such amazingly intelligent and creative writers.
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