Five Things about Aristide Laurent

We only saw Aristide in a loyal brother role for his sister Madeleine in Unbridled Vengeance, (Book # 5) but he then took center stage in his own story in Tainted Fortune (Book #6.) A hint that isn’t really a spoiler – he’ll also be center stage in Book #8, the follow up to Book #7, a Hawaiian Christmas Novella.

As those of you who’ve been following the series know, I always like to have in mind an actual face for my characters plucked from the web world, and the actor that best seemed to fit my idea of Aristide is Frenchman Pio Marmai.  One thing this star of stage and screen has in common with Tainted Fortune’s central character is that they’ve both proven elusive in love and are both still single in their 30s.

What else is there to know about Aristide?

1. He’s a typical Aries bull (born March 20 to April 21) – known for doing what he wants, when he wants, and how he wants. (Witness his determination to triumph in the wine industry) It’s behaviour that’s not always conducive to marriage. But with his passionate nature he also wants to set up with someone who thinks the world of him (and to hell with everyone else) so it’s likely he’ll allow himself to succumb later if not sooner.
2. Aristide’s classic go-getter personality favors bold and spicy foods like black olives, pineapple and a secret vice – a ‘haute cuisine’ French speciality – Hot souffle with orange flavored liqueur Benedictine DOM.
3.  He loves music of all types – from the opera he occasionally gets a chance to see in San Francisco’s MacGuire’s Opera House to the mariachi bands that entertain at his sister and his part Spanish brother-in-law Caleb Stewart’s family gatherings.
4. His need to protect those he loves is hidden away under a bold ambitious exterior, but he’s a fighter who will go to war for those he loves. Lie to him once, however and you won’t get a second chance to repeat the insult. He won’t abide lies.
5. His favorite color is red – the color of extremes – of fire and blood, of passion, violence, adventure and danger.