This one’s about Africa…specifically, the roads in Africa, since they play a role in HARD TO HOLD and TOO HOT TO HOLD.
See, road is a relative term. I remember we would drive for hours on dirt roads, then suddenly find ourselves on a strip of beautifully paved, smooth road – for maybe twenty feet. And then it would end. There was no rhyme or reason to it at all, and although we traveled after the rainy season, the roads were pretty well destroyed. Without four wheel drive vehicles, forget getting anywhere. Even with four wheel drive vehicles, it was, shall we say, challenging.
But this is about the one road I remember most vividly. Late at night, we’d been driving toward Songea, to the mission where Zoo was born. We’d been on the road forever – like 12 hours at least and then the car came to a dead stop. And we all had to get out and investigate what our driver called the pothole.
There’s Zoo, standing in the tiny pothole in the road.
The driver decided that the pothole was not a problem at all.
So yeah, that’s us, in the pothole. I’m sitting in the middle seat in the back. With a box of wine.
If you drive anywhere in Africa, you will need several boxes of wine.
So when Sarah or Clutch or any of the characters talk about the roads in Africa, you’ll understand a little more.
From what I’m told, these roads were actually some of the better ones.
New York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read — romantic suspense novels starring military heroes and paranormal romance novels novels starring warrior heroes, all complete with happy endings. Her alter-ego is 
Small pothole …lol…don’t know know how tall Zoo is but I’m guessing that the little hole is at least 8 feet deep. Have never travelled to Africa, sometimes I think I’d like to visit because somethings look interesting but then I read about some violent incident and decide it’s best to stay home.
Maria,
You’re right about the violence – you really have to be careful. We’re lucky in that some of Zoo’s family is still there so they can arrange things for us, etc. But in this case, we were on a road trip. if you fly directly into the areas for the safaris, you’re much safer and the accommodations are really beautiful 🙂
Holy cow! I don’t think I’ll complain about the potholes around here anymore…
LOL, it was seriously scary…we were lucky it wasn’t raining that day…
Steph! Did you see Paperback Writer’s review of Hard to Hold? It’s awesome. 🙂
P.S. Where in Africa? I have a cousin who has a house in Senegal.
Ann, I did!!! OMG – it was great – I told her I was going to use the burnt sauce picture for my new marketing materials!
This was on the way to Songea – we drove from Dar es Salaam where his aunt lives now and we traveled all the way down.
What I had pictured in my mind while reading Hard To Hold was something like the first picture. There’s no way my imagination was going to come up with that pothole. Wow. Just wow.
LOL, Sharon! Most of the roads are probably somewhere in between the two…but going fast fast isn’t really an option for most people who drive there…
That made me choke on my drink! All I can picture is you in the middle of no where with a box of wine. And a straw.
I’m telling you, it was a rough trip…I give thanks to the god of the wine box…