See What Inspired Stone of Heaven

My husband found an article about a blue jade roadway in Guatemala uncovered by Hurricane Mitch in the 90's.  That article immediately sparked a flame and I began noodling with a script called King Maker.  At that time I was writing screenplays more than writing for novels as it seemed my career was moving in that direction.

The title King Maker wasn't working for me.  It sounded like a European tale. I knew Jade was often called the Stone of Heaven, but I thought was only its Asian name.  Apparently I was wrong about that. Stone of Heaven is jade, though usually green, and was mined, carved and revered by unrelated ancient societies in both Asia and Mesoamerica.

So I  now had a title that changed my perception about the story and I delved deeply into Maya Mythology and decided to visit the archeological site of Tulum in the Yucatan while we were on a cruise.

Here are a few of the pictures I took.




El Castillo "The Castle" ruin at Tulum.
 

It wasn't simply the ruins were massive, it was the fact it was the only Mayan ruin situated on the coast of the Caribbean Sea.


This is the back side of El Castillo and
plays a very important part in the novel.

This view is from the pathway behind El Castillo and
you can see the ocean below, also an important part of the story.

It was over 90 degrees, but the importance of this photo
is not super hot me :) but the beach behind me that is the cove
below and slightly to the north of El Castillo.

 

This is a carving from the temple of the frescos,
can you make out the terrifying face of the god?
 



This is the same face on a front view of the carving,
can you make out the features? 

 



More pictures and an excerpt to come on Friday. 

Does this make you want to delve into Stone of Heaven, Book One of the Carswell Adventure Series?  I hope so, it was magical for me.

ciao
LA