jana_denardo

I wanted to immerse people in Trestan and Connor’s world. I knew the moment I took my first steps out into Victoria on Vancouver Island in British Columbia that I would be using it as a setting. It’s a little exotic being a northern island and me being an American probably made it more so. It’s quaint and frankly, downright beautiful. These people take their gardening seriously and I was so in love with that.

I’m into ghosthunting big time. I took a couple different ghost tours while I was there. When Dreamspinner announced its Two Tickets to Paradise open call I knew I had to use Victoria but I’m not really a contemporary fiction author. I prefer my stories with either a mystery or fantasy twist. I had also picked up a handful of local haunted places books and Trestan and Connor were born. Trestan is an author of a series of popular haunted houses books and his lover, Connor, is a professional photographer. They’re on a working vacation. I have to note here that Trestan’s name came from the winner of a charity auction run on

helpthesouth (which went quickly defunct, surprisingly enough) to raise money for the victims of the tornadoes last year that tore through the southern states.

I only stayed at The Fairmont Empress, an amazing hotel that serves the Royal family when they visit. It was one of the most impressive hotels I’ve ever had the pleasure of staying in. Oh and the things that happen to Trestan and Connor while staying there, the lights turning off and on (and my curling iron as well) happened (only I wasn’t having quite the fun they were)

the Bengal restaurant serves an amazing curry bar and Trestan was quite glad to see it.

This is the Inner Harbor Connor was so enamoured of. Photobucket

While I didn’t have space for it in the story, I like to think Connor got to go whale watching and got to see more than I did. I chose a day that was nearly freezing to go scooting around the waters and saw a few seals and an eagle snag a fish right in front of me, which was pretty cool.

I didn’t get to stay at the The Gatsby Inn or the Helmsbach Inn but the two ghost stories related in my story are the ones attached to both places.

Same goes for all the haunts in the story. I particularly liked the one Trestan and Connor investigate regarding Victoria’s China Town, one of the oldest in North America.

Craigdarroch didn’t have a haunt that I heard (though I know it did have a story but I ran out of time to investigate it. It is truly an amazing home and it was well worth walking until my legs fell off to get to (and I finally tired out and took a bus the last several blocks)

Unlike Trestan and Connor I didn’t get to go to Old Ross Bay Cemetery though I wanted to. I did hear its stories though. I would have needed to rent a car and with the four day conference I was attending, there wasn’t time for that.

Butchart Gardens is truly a beautiful garden and worth every penny. I could flood this post with pictures but I chose three that were included in my story.

No haunts are reported there (that I’m aware of) but even ghost hunters need a break. Trestan and Connor loved Paliacci’s mostly because I did too. If you are ever in Victoria, stop there but be prepared to be standing on the street waiting to get in. It’s tiny and so very popular.

I had wanted to put this guy into the story but to my embarrassment, I forgot. Victoria has a lot of street performers and my favorite was the guy dressed as Darth Vader playing the violin

I'm sorry I forgot this because Trestan and Connor would have loved it.

I hope I did a good job of portraying Victoria in my story and that I hope you love a view of it through Connor and Trestan’s eyes.

Here’s a snippet of the story:

“My feet ache. Who decided walking all over Victoria was a great idea?” Connor sank onto the bed, kicking off his shoes.

Trestan laughed, going to open the window, surprised the old building had ones that worked. The cool breeze ruffled the curtains when he drew them, blocking the view to the terrace balcony next door. “I think we only walked seven or eight blocks.”

“More than once!” Connor complained, wriggling his toes.

“True, but it’s barely five o’clock. We have the ghost walk yet to do tonight.” Trestan sat on the floor by the bed, plucking off one of Connor’s socks. He rubbed the photographer’s foot. “Better?”

Connor lay back on the bed, pressing his foot into Trestan’s hands. “You’ve got a little to go before I’m better. At this pace, I might be dead by the end of this vacation.”

Chuckling again, Trestan stripped the sock off Connor’s other foot, then dropped a kiss on its arch. His tongue tickled over Connor’s hot skin, working his way up to the blond’s ankle, his fingers working on the tight spots in Connor’s foot. Trestan hoped all the tension he felt in his lover’s leg was from the walking and not just over all stress of yet another pseudo-vacation.