We’re so pleased to have author Kim Fielding joining us today on the tour for her latest release, The Spy’s Love Song, a new addition to the Dreamspun Desires house line from Dreamspinner Press.
Welcome, Kim!
Hi! Kim Fielding here, and I have a new book out. Yay! The Spy’s Love Song is the tale of a jaded rock star and a State Department operative who end up in deep trouble in a country with a repressive totalitarian government. And there’s romance.
This book takes place in the fictional Eastern European city of Starograd, the capital of the equally fictitious country of Vasnystsia. Our hero, Jaxon Powers, faces a number of struggles, including an impossible attraction to his State Department handler, Reid Stanfill. Oh, and evil plots, secret conspiracies, and possible death. He is also forced to eat a lot of heavy local cuisine. Poor Jaxon!
In reality, I’m very fond of Eastern European food. My relatives immigrated from the region just a couple of generations ago, so some of the dishes feature in my memories of family. Like sarma (stuffed cabbage), kasha varnishkes (buckwheat groats and noodles cooked in chicken fat), latkes (potato pancakes), and knishes (dough stuffed with cheese, veggies, or meat). I’m getting hungry just typing this. You’ll notice, however, that none of these are exactly light foods. These are dishes intended to fill hungry bellies, to keep you warm and fortified during a cold winter.
While many foods are found throughout Eastern and Central Europe, some are specific to a region. I recently returned from a trip to Sarajevo, where I happily indulged in some Bosnian specialties. I don’t eat mammals, so I skipped the čevapi (grilled sausages). But I certainly didn’t starve. In fact, at least once a day—and sometimes twice—I ate one of my favorite foods: burek. That’s filo dough filled with various things (I like cheese and spinach the best) and baked, often in a spiral shape. You can see one here along with a couple of pastries and a delicious little plum.
Another of my favorite regional dishes looks less appetizing, perhaps, but tastes amazing. Crni rizot (black risotto) is made with squid ink and pieces of squid. Yes, it stains your mouth black. But it’s really yummy, and I’ve had a hard time finding it in the US.
I tried a new dish during this visit too. It’s called pura, and it’s a coarse polenta mixed with sour cream and salty cheese. It’s just about the perfect comfort food, I think. I’m going to try to make this one at home.
Finally, at a wonderful quirky vegetarian restaurant, I enjoyed a more modern take on sarma. This was Swiss chard wrapped around grains and veggies and topped with tomato-basil sauce and smoked tofu. I loved it as much as I used to love my grandmother’s more traditional version.
I think trying new foods is one of the best things about travel. Have you ever discovered a new favorite dish when you were traveling?
About the Book
For a singer and a spy, love might be mission impossible.
Jaxon Powers has what most only dream of. Fame. Fortune. Gold records and Grammy awards. Lavish hotel suites and an endless parade of eager bedmates. He’s adored all over the world—even in the remote, repressive country of Vasnytsia, where the tyrannical dictator is a big fan. The State Department hopes a performance might improve US relations with a dangerous enemy. But it means Jaxon’s going in alone… with one exception.
Secret agent Reid Stanfill has a covert agenda with global ramifications. Duty means everything to him, even when it involves protecting a jaded rock star. Jaxon and Reid’s mutual attraction is dangerous under Vasnytsia’s harsh laws—and matters get even worse when they’re trapped inside the borders. Romance will have to wait… assuming they make it out alive.
Buy the Book: Dreamspinner Press || Amazon
About the Author
Kim Fielding is the bestselling author of numerous m/m romance novels, novellas, and short stories. Like Kim herself, her work is eclectic, spanning genres such as contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical. Her stories are set in alternate worlds, in 15th century Bosnia, in modern-day Oregon. Her heroes are hipster architect werewolves, housekeepers, maimed giants, and conflicted graduate students. They’re usually flawed, they often encounter terrible obstacles, but they always find love.
After having migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States, Kim calls the boring part of California home. She lives there with her husband, her two daughters, and her day job as a university professor, but escapes as often as possible via car, train, plane, or boat. This may explain why her characters often seem to be in transit as well. She dreams of traveling and writing full-time.
Thanks so much for hosting me today!