Character Interview: Annie Pierson from J. Arlene Culiner's The Turkish Affair

We’re excited to have Annie Pierson from J. Arlene Culiner's The Turkish Affair here with us today.

Thank you for your interview, Anne. How old are you and what do you do for a living?

I’m in my late forties, and I’m a translator and tour guide. I used to be a famous Washington television journalist, but that was a long time ago, before scandal hit, and I had to leave the USA.

Can you tell us about one of your most distinguishable features?

I’m not sure I have any, these days. Back when I was on television every single day, I made sure I was as glamorous as possible. I wore flashy clothes, my hair was cut short and dyed blond. But these days, I try to be as discrete. I don’t want people recognizing me as the star I was back then. Now, I have long brown hair mixed silvery threads. I’m still slim, but my wardrobe consists of simple, Indian print cotton dresses in summer, and many layers of woolly unglamorous clothes in winter, when local temperature can be Siberian.

What would I love the most about you?

My enthusiasm, my love of history, and my love of animals.

What would I hate the most about you?

I’m a perfectionist. I want to do things right, and I’m willing to take chances, even risk my life.

Where do you go when you are angry?

I go sit in some deserted place and contemplate. Here in Asia Minor the landscape is very bleak — just a broad beige plain surrounded by dark mountains — but I find it very beautiful, and it helps me calm down. Its very exciting just imagining all the powerful but now-forgotten civilizations that occupied this area with their chariots and horses, their idols and fierce armies: Hattians, Hurrians, Hittites, Assyrians, Arameans, and Luwians.

What makes you laugh out loud?

A good story cleverly told.

What is in your refrigerator right now?

I don’t have one. I’m living on an archaeological site in Turkey, and there’s a huge mess tent for all the workers and volunteers. I hate shopping and cooking anyway, so it’s quite a relief not to be burdened with those tasks.

What is your most treasured possession?

Knowing I can rely on myself, and on my intelligence.

What is your greatest fear?

That my identity will be revealed, that, once again, I will be falsely accused of something that I didn’t know about or do. That people will turn against me like they did before. That my picture will appear in every newspaper in the country again.

What is the trait you most not like about yourself?

I’m afraid I’m not as brave as I want to be.

Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

Yes, I think so, but do we really see ourselves as others see us?

What is your idea of a perfect day?

Sitting somewhere wonderful with Renaud Townsend — perhaps on a terrace overlooking the river — and sharing a meal, a bottle of cold white wine, and some excellent conversation. Renaud is an archeologist on the site where I’m living. He’s intelligent, absolutely beautiful, sexy… Yes, I could go on an on… but I wonder if that dream of sitting with him will ever come true again.

Are you a loner or do you prefer to surround yourself with friends?

I’m definitely a loner.

Who is your best friend?

I don’t have one. You need to be able to trust people first, and I can’t do that.

Do you have children?

No, I never wanted children. My life has always been too exciting and too varied.

What is your favorite weather?

Any weather is fine. It’s all part of life’s excitement.

What’s your idea of a perfect meal?

Salads, creamy yogurt, anything with lemon, middle eastern spices, and no meat. I am a vegetarian because I hate the idea of animal suffering.

Someone is secretly in love with you. Who is it and how do you feel about that?

I’m afraid that person is someone I don’t really like. He’s always watching me, and he always seems to know where I am. Believe me, it’s a very uncomfortable feeling. I just want to be left alone.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A princess, of course.

If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?

Probably carry on as usual. I love my life.

About the Book:

Title: THE TURKISH AFFAIR
Author: J. Arlene Culiner
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Pages: 242
Genre: Romantic Suspense

BOOK BLURB:

Love and Danger at the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu

Priceless artifacts are disappearing from the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu in Turkey, and the site director has vanished. Called in to solve the mystery, archaeologist Renaud Townsend is hindered by both his inability to speak the language and the knowledge that the local police are corrupt. His attraction to translator Anne Pierson is immediate, although he is troubled by her refusal to talk about the past and her fear of public scandal. But when murder enters the picture, both Anne and Renaud realize that the risk of falling in love is not the only danger.

Praise:
Author J. Arlene Culiner does not disappoint in this fast-paced novel, The Turkish Affair. Glittering descriptions, magical settings, and enviable characters bring the solemn grounds of Turkey to life as we are planted firmly in an archeological dig in Karakuyu, Turkey. Culiner’s mastery of the English language and sentence combinations form an enchanting read. The Turkish Affair is a must-read for all lovers of romance and adventure.
–Lisa McCombs for Readers’ Favorite

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0823B18Z3

Barnes & Noble → https://tinyurl.com/yx2lyg6v

About the Author

Writer, photographer, social critical artist, musician, and occasional actress, J. Arlene Culiner, was born in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot, has lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave-dwelling, on a Dutch canal, and in a haunted house on the English moors. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to local dismay, protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She particularly enjoys incorporating into short stories, mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversations with strange characters.