Before the lives of four strangers collided in Paris, there was one young man.
Rafael, son of an emerald broker in Colombia, eventually finds his way to the City of Light. But why? One fateful and dangerous night in emerald territory, he learns his father was carrying a secret. And the key to unlock it can only be found in Paris.
This fast-paced novella is a prequel to the Amazon best-selling novel Paris, Rue des Martyrsin the From Paris to Provence series.
Interview with the Author What was your inspiration to write Before Paris? Readers of Paris, Rue des Martyrs often tell me they love the character of Rafael and are intrigued by his background in the Colombian emerald mines. I decided to delve deeper into his past and what brought him to Paris, where the story in Paris, Rue des Martyrs starts.
And what was your inspiration to write Paris, Rue des Martyrs? City life inspired me. The idea that every day, we might pass the same people as we walk down the street, yet what do we know about their lives? What would happen if our paths crossed? One of my favorite genres is literary fiction, so I decided to write a novel in that vein about life-changing encounters, liaisons and entwined paths.
What kind of story is Paris, Rue des Martyrs? I hope it will be an emotional read. Paris, Rue des Martyrs is about the importance of encounters. It is a love story, a story of friendship, family life, and coming of age. The novel is about love and loss, and healing wounds of the past. And it is a Paris love story, of course. It's not your classic Paris romance, but rather a different take of the types of relationships one encounters in this fabulous city: a French affair with a twist.
So many books have been written with Paris as the setting. What sets yours apart? Many books are about the Paris of berets and baguettes. Paris, Rue des Martyrs is about the reality of Paris life... living in a Montmartre neighborhood, sitting at a café, being Parisian by adoption in this melting pot of a city.
If you enjoy stories of encounters, family secrets & relationships, I think you'll enjoy Before Paris and Paris, Rue des Martyrs!
About the Author: Adria J. Cimino lives in Paris with her husband Didier, daughter Phèdre and son Orphée, and writes about her real-life adventures at AdriaJCimino.com and on Twitter @Adria_in_Paris. When she isn't writing, you can find Adria at her neighborhood café watching the world go by.
Adria is the author of the Amazon best-selling novel Paris, Rue des Martyrs, which is part of the From Paris to Provence series along with A Perfumer's Secret and Paris Jungle. She is also the author of Close to Destiny, a magical love story. Adria co-founded boutique publishing house Velvet Morning Press in 2014. Prior to jumping into the publishing world full time, she spent more than a decade as a journalist at news organizations including The AP and Bloomberg News.