Toni's Review of The Chosen One by Gladys Quintal ***3 Stars***

Trying to exist undetected in a human world with a human family, is hard enough when you are a vampire - but finding out your son is the fabled Chosen One, makes things even more difficult.

Will Alexi's love be enough to protect his precious child from the powers that be? Or will he be condemned to live out eternity alone.....

*************************************

The Chosen One starts immediately where Be Careful What You Wish For ends. 

In The Man of My Dreams you read about Alexi and Cassandra’s beginning.  In Be Careful What You Wish For you learn about an unknown history that is beginning to wind around Alexi and Cassandra, tightening ever so slowly and in The Chosen One all the roads converge into a grand battle.

I have very mixed feelings about this book.  I enjoyed reading about what happened to Cassandra, but I also felt overwhelmed.  There was too much, too fast in this book.  It felt rushed to me.  The ending also leaves me wanting.  There are rumors of two offshoot novellas to the series, but I cannot locate any information about them.

With that said The Chosen One basically ties up the loose ends and has a happy ending, but leaves unresolved issues for me.  All in all, the story was fine, but I would have a hard time recommending it without a thorough warning.  The Dreams Series is a very good series with a few issues though.  It has a very unique love story, build around a real life legend with a fascinating and frightening history.

Even though I have concerns with the final chapter in this series, it was still an enjoyable read for me as a whole.  I hope to see more from Ms. Quintal.  She is very imaginative and I can see her only getting better with her story telling.

For all my reviews of The Dreams Series, please click the books below.

Toni's Review of Be Careful What You Wish For by Gladys Quintal ***4 Stars***

Alexi is a Vampire trying to live a human existence, he even has a human wife. The Vampire secret is paramount and cohabiting with humans - unless you intend to turn them, just isn't done. Can Alexi protect his beloved Cassandra from the would-be enforcers of this law or will he lose her forever?

*********************************

Be Careful What You Wish For continues the love story of Alexi and his human love Cassandra.  They are happy in their “normal” life.  Alexi feels something is coming, but can’t quite place the feeling.

Alexi has settled into his life as a doctor and Cassandra is happy being a mother.  Unknown to them, a darkness has fallen upon them and it’s named Sebastian.  He is an original evil; a vampire turned by the infamous Countess Dracula.  She sent him on a mission several hundred years ago and he is still going strong.  Now he has Alexi in his sights. Alexi has broken the rule of falling in love with humans and Sebastian is going to make him pay dearly; starting with his son A.J.

I really loved the unique take on the whole vampire lore.  Instead of falling back on the usual Dracula legend, Ms. Quintal went with the seldom used historical figure of Countess Elizabeth Bathory.  Pretty much the first third of the book is backstory about Elizabeth, Sebastian and Alexi.  How it all began and how it has progressed throughout the years.  While one would think it would get cumbersome, it didn’t.  It was fascinating to read Ms. Quintal’s unique take on the Blood Countess.  I also enjoyed hearing how Alexi came to be.

The story progressed nicely and really set the stage for the next book.  You started to see that there was something special about A.J. and the new characters introduced were engaging and blended into the story perfectly.

I will give you fair warning.  This book ends in a humdinger of a cliffhanger.  I would have been very upset if book three, The Chosen One, wasn’t already released.  Whew!  So if you like this book, you best have your credit card warmed and ready, because you will likely be rushing to your computer to get the next in the series.

I’m not sure where this story is going, but I can’t wait to find out.  Be Careful What You Wish For was a pleasing continuation of The Dreams Series.  I’m especially excited that I have book three of the series locked and loaded on my reader.

Since this is book #2 of The Dreams series that means I have a review for The Man of My Dreams.  Click below to see how it all started.

Thanks for reading!

MEET THE CAST & GIVEAWAY - Finding Esta by Shah Wharton

Meet the cast…

         

ABBY

I’m Able, but call me Abby, Prince of the Mimicane Vampires. My life has been devoted to finding my love, who I will avenge; ripped from our arms before she ever felt how overwhelmingly loved she is; by her family, her people, and me.

She may be lost, but she lives... her heart beats and mind whispers to me from across the miles, and throughout each year I must tolerate life, without her. And now, after twenty years of searching, I have to believe that we’ve found her.

We are the future of our kind.  We are One.

  

FLO

Shadow and best friend to Luna.

  

Okay, so I made a huge mistake and it landed me in the Shadow Lands. But I refuse to talk about that. When I found Luna, those evil freaks had just zapped her young brain. Ada spent a lot of time with me, at first. She had to trust me to be a good little Shadow before she left us. But eventually, she decided that my presence might afford her time to follow leads, and generally play Shadow superhero.

Good for her, but not so good for the ghoul whose ass she kicked.

Me? I’m all about Luna, and ice cream. Most flavours. Oh, and the occasional Merlot. But mostly Luna. I drive her crazy, I know. Some vermin - like her parents - would say crazier, but not me. If only I could bring those scumbags over to the the darkside. They’d pay for their cruelty - big time.

  

ESTELLE WHELAN

“Stolen from my family. I lost my world. I lost myself.”

A mystery; A prophecy; A true love; A Saviour?

Or a fairy tale, a cold, long buried corpse?

  

LUNA

Empath, psychometrist, ‘special’.

spe·cial  /ˈspeSHəl/  Adjective - Better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual 

I’m not important - I’m not beautiful or especially bright. I’m not even average. Far from it. But I am special.

I’m special because I talk to the dead - my head even offers some of them board and lodgings, for flip sake. How? No idea. I’m special because my body rejects food, my skin blisters beneath the vile sun, and when touched, it physically recoils at visions, and any pain induced. Oh yeah, and sorry, but your emotions are as easy for me to read, as breathing is, to you.

The love you make, the happiness you feel, is the closest I’m ever likely to get to either. Yeah, I’m special, all right.

But the worst special thing about me, is that according to my folks, I’m their crazy rat. I shouldn’t care, of course, but at least I could change this. And I will alter their negative view of me, if it kills me...

...so, you must understand, that when the story of Esta fell into my lap, I couldn’t say no. Solving a twenty-year-old cold case would make them proud. How could it not? And then... they’ll finally love me, and we’ll be like a normal family.

Even if I’m nothing like normal.

Till then, I have Flo and Ada - the Shadows who save me from myself, and from complete isolation. How would I have lasted life without them? How would I ever survive their loss?

Will I find Esta?

DREW

  

Who I am is unimportant. I’m not interested in making friends and I’m not ashamed of what I eat, or what I am. I served my time, and it was this or absolute death. I’m not ready for that.

Lucy may be our Queen, mother to hundreds of V’s, and born daughter to King Lucifer, but she’s also determined to dominate and subjugate all supernatural beings. She secretly plans to expose us to humanity, believing she can control them, too. This can never happen. As a threat to our very existence, she must be stopped. But no one dares to challenge her ultimate power.

I have learned of a prophecy and have left Lucy, and her army. She would hunt me down and rip me apart for such a betrayal, but I have finally found our saviour and will stop at nothing to prevent her destruction.

Not even the only love I have ever known.

The Story Behind the Book

It all began three years ago with a short story about a fledgling journalist who investigates the haunting of a large, spooky house, but discovers something quite different to ghosts behind the crumbling walls. I fell in love with the main character, Luna, and before I knew it, I’d developed a story spanning three books.

Luna has not had a great life when we first meet her. She is cursed with psychic touch, sun sensitivity and extreme empathy – all of which exclude her from the world around her. She also hosts Shadows within her battered mind, and these are the only companions she’s ever had. Her parents are plain cruel and even at 23 years old, she reverts to a child in their presence.

When she’s given a lead about a cold-case in Cornwall, featuring a kidnapped baby (Esta) and her disappearing parents bodies, she gets excited. Not only could it be an exciting story, but it could bring rewards for her career, and perhaps even pride from her parents.

No one, not even Luna with her over-intimate knowledge of the Shadow Lands, and the hearts and minds of humanity, could be prepared for what she finds in Cornwall. Luna begins the arduous journey of self-discovery, while the world she knew implodes.

I chose to set the action in Cornwall because I’m a quarter Cornish and love St Ives. I wanted to capture its magical quality, to set the scene. I had to research a few things, like names of streets, and about the train Luna takes to reach Esta’s house, where she finds much more than she expects. But the way it looked, the way Cornwall felt, is written from childhood memories.

 As an empath, Luna yearns for love and acceptance, for an end to her chronic isolation. Unable to touch, she settles for the lover’s caress of a stranger who visits her dreams, and her only friends in the world are Shadows – spirits who reside within in her fragile mind, seeking refuge from the Shadow Lands.

Always desperate to earn parental respect, and to solve a twenty-year-old child abduction case, she travels to Cornwall to Esta’s family home, situated on an abandoned cul-de-sac. Searching for clues to her tragic fate, she finds much more than she bargained for. A whole new reality is revealed, one where her accursed abnormalities are clarified, but her only friends vanish.

More alone than ever and desperate for answers, Luna struggles to retain a sense of identity, and the light grip on reality she's been used to.

Will she find Esta, and if so, will she live to tell her story? More terrifyingly, who will care enough to listen, and who will ever care enough about Luna?

Reviewers Opinions

 “Shades of the Sixth Sense, Ann Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, True Blood, Star Trek’s Vulcan, Stargate Atlantis’ Wraith and Ugly Duckling [....] The true source of her [Luna's] empathy is mind blowing.”

Wandalyn Thomas of Examiner.com

 “Finding Esta is a superb tale of one woman’s struggling to define her identity, while the world she knew crumbles around her. It’s thought provoking, heartfelt, and a wonderful debut novel for a talented author. Kudos to her!”

Julianne Snow (author/editor of Days with the Undead)

Bio

Horror, paranormal, urban fantasy, adult, and new adult are Shah's choices when selecting books or movies, although she also enjoys dark comedy, some romance, and an occasional young adult fantasy.

She also writes poetry - two published in anthologies, and short stories - one published.

Always a lover of the written word, you'll usually catch her immersed in some kind of story every day, while slurping tea and cuddling up next to her little family.

Shah lives in Dubai with her husband and Bobby, their German Shepherd pup, but originates from the West Midlands area of the United Kingdom, and misses the cold, the rain, and her extended family, every day.

CONNECT

Amazon Author Page (US) | Amazon Author Page (UK) | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Google+

 Shah's Blog:  http://shahwharton.com

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

Shah is giving away an eBook copy of her book! 

By entering the giveaway you are agreeing to the terms outlined in the Rafflecopter widget.

Open Worldwide!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CHARACTER INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY - Sully from Light the Shadows by Michelle Clay

Let's take a peek when Michelle interviews the sexy Sully.

I get to the interview first. James Sullivan has agreed to meet in a coffee shop at one of the battered tables, all the way in the back.

He appears out of nowhere, approaching without a sound and with no warning. It scares the hell out of me. As soon as I can breathe easily again, my spine stiffens.  I don't know if it's out of fear or awe. Maybe both. He is Death's right hand and he's drop dead gorgeous!

MC: Hi. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?

JS: My name is James Sullivan, but I prefer Sully. I am a Reaper. Man, this feels like some sort of support group meeting intro. *laughs* I’m not really into all this socializing crap, so bear with me here.

MC:  People want to know stuff about you, Sully. You sound like you’re from the South. *that’s one sexy as hell drawl he has!*

JS: Savannah, Georgia

MC: I love your accent. *blushing* Will you tell me a little about your job?

JS: Sure, I guess so. I work for Death, or Azrael. He’s sort of a dick. *grins* He sits in his office and scribbles names into a book 24/7. He seldom leaves and if he does, he acts like the world might end. Death has stacks of these books all over his office. It’s a hoarder’s wet dream.

MC: Why are the books important? Does Azrael give the book to you to check off the names like an assignment?

JS: No. As he writes it, the name forms in my mind. I usually get a time and method too. Most people would probably think of this as a morbid or maybe sick kind of job, but I enjoy it. Sometimes, I even get creative with how I mark my target.

MC: Your target? Oh, you mean the souls you have to reap?

JS: Yeah, doll, the souls. *twirls a short handled scythe (sickle) that has suddenly appeared in his hand* I don’t actually get to do the method of death that Azrael has chosen. For instance, if someone is going to be stabbed to death, I don’t get to plunge the blade in. *smirks* That’s probably a good thing. *the weapon disappears* All it takes is a touch. Once they’ve passed, a door appears and I do whatever it takes to get their spirit through where a guide is waiting to take them to the next journey.

MC: Oh. Um, just a touch? That’s it? *remembers that he touched my hand in greeting*

JS: Don’t worry, doll. It’s not your time … yet. I can touch you all I want and it won’t affect you if it’s not your time to move on.

MC: *seriously, my face has got to be bright red now as I imagine those hands…* Ah, that’s a relief. What happens if the spirit doesn’t go through the doorway?

JS: Instead of going to limbo to wait for a guide to lead them to their heaven or whatever, they stay on this side. They become what I call a shadow.

MC: A shadow? Is that like a poltergeist or something?

JS: *Laughs* Or something. If a spirit stays on this side, they become lonely, angry. Vengeful. Suffice it to say they cause a lot of trouble. You don’t want to meet one.

MC: Do you have a pretty high success rate? I mean, do very many people refuse to pass over?

JS: Hmm, I guess you could say very few shadows have resulted from my reaping. I give them a choice, but if they don’t make the right one, I push them through to the other side. I don’t have time to fuck around with them.

MC: I heard through the grapevine that there might be someone who came back from the other side, from limbo.

JS: Yeah, I heard that too. It’s not possible.

MC: The rumor is that someone jumped into a vacant body. How the heck does that happen?

JS: It’s not supposed to. Rest assured, I will track her down and send her back to where she belongs. *a frown darkens his features and seems almost sinister*

MC: Wow. Let’s lighten it up a bit, okay? What do you do for fun?

JS: Talk to pretty girls. *winks* Actually, I build and design custom motorcycles. Iron Head Customs is a small shop, but it breaks the monotony.

MC: *practically bouncing in my seat* Fancy taking me for a ride?

JS: Sure, doll. Let’s go.

Sully insists on paying for my coffee then we head outside to where he’s parked his bike. It’s a pretty thing, pearly silver with lots of chrome. A giddy rush sweeps over me as I watch him throw a long leg over the saddle then motion for me to climb on.

Buy Links:

Evernight Publishing

Amazon

All Romance eBooks

Blurb:

You only get one chance at life then you die. The game’s over, no second chances.  But she was never one to follow all the rules.

In a strange twist of fate, a woman flees purgatory only to jump into a newly vacated body. When she wakes in the hospital, she has a brand new life and a whole lot of unanswered questions.  Now she’s Micah Munroe, a real estate agent with broken memories of the messed up life she once lived. A mysterious man who claims to be Death says she’s his granddaughter and that she’s something called a grimm.

Sully knows she’s an imposter because he reaped the soul of the real Micah only a week ago. He suspects she might be a misplaced shadow, what he calls spirits and vengeful ghosts. He becomes obsessed with finding out who she really is and just how she inhabited a new body.  He’ll stop at nothing to find the truth and send her back to purgatory where she belongs.  What he didn’t bargain on was how his body would react to her or how powerful the white light within her is.

When a powerful shadow and her horde of angry spirits kidnaps Sully’s best friend, they must work together to get him back.  Fighting their feelings for each other isn’t half as difficult as fighting the army of shadows bent on starting a war with the living.

Excerpt:              

His husky drawl sent a vibration of hunger through her and ignited a fire deep within her core. “You are so fucking hot.”

Recapturing her mouth, he pressed against her, proving just how hot, how hard she made him. Micah whimpered, and he drew his mouth away from her lips. Just like his tongue and hands, his incredibly sexy eyes ignited a fire within her.

“Sully.” She bit her lower lip and reveled in knowing she was the reason he was so hard.

His fingers were at her waist, unzipping then dragging the dress pants down her hips. Micah trembled with need as he shucked them from her legs and dropped them onto the floor. He closed the space between them, and her thighs closed around his waist. Her sex drowned with desire, clouding her mind with seductive thoughts and want. With him so intimately close, his hard-on pressed against her through the damp lace of her panties. She shifted her hips, and Sully rewarded her with a groan.

“Tell me something.” He grinned wickedly then slid his fingers up her inner thigh. They inched closer to her pool of desire and made her heartbeat race. “Are you wet?”

Her hands lifted from his shoulders, ran through his silken hair and down to his chest. Her nimble fingers fluttered across his shirt and even reached the second button before his hand closed over hers, stilling it. He prevented her from going any further by pulling her hand to his mouth. One by one, he kissed her fingers.

She frowned and pulled away from him to look up into his eyes. “Sully, I want…”

“I know what you want, doll.” His eyes glittered with feral passion.

A gasp shuddered past her lips when Sully’s index finger slid past the ribbon-thin panties then traveled downward. His finger slid through the tight coils of hair at the juncture of her thighs then lightly grazed her most delicate area. She clutched his shoulders and tightened her thighs around him. “Sully!”

"Want me to stop?" His voice was full of gravel and sexy as hell.

She nipped his bottom lip. "Don't you dare."

Stalk Michelle:

Michelle's Website

Michelle's Blog

Facebook

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

Michelle is giving away an eBook copy of her book! 

By entering the giveaway you are agreeing to the terms outlined in the Rafflecopter widget.

Open Worldwide!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Elizabeth Reviews Kasadya: Hellhound Awakened

Kasadya: Hell Hound Awaken Synopsis: In a constant battle between good and evil, evil is dominating the battle field and leading mankind to its destruction. With our Creator's intervention a creature destined to concur and destroy is created. He gives mankind hellhounds to fight back and reclaim freedom. Join seventeen year old Kasadya Levourne as she fights against evil to protect us. With each step she faces destruction, and yet she has the talent to give it back tenfold. Stubborn and hardheaded she makes her mark in the fallen world and starts a battle none can escape. Not even her trainer, the very attractive Chax de Luca, was prepared for her presence. Will evil prevail? Or will Kas and her fallen friends succeed in protecting us against it? Hold on to your seats, this is going to be one hell of a ride. I used the Amazon Synopsis because it is perfect for this book (we all know in some cases it isn't.) I actually got this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. The world created was original, the book was well edited and I loved the transition of Kas the main character from scared teen to bad tail. I give this book 5 enthusiastic stars!!



 Karen lives in a small town in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. She shares her live with her husband, two sons and daughter. If she isn't reading she is writing. Her preferred genres are Paranormal and Urban fantasy. Karen specializes in payroll and HRIS systems analysis and development. At the age of 21 Karen's professional success reached it highest platform, an outstanding achievement at such a young age.

Toni's Review of Shifter's Song by Vanessa North ***5 Stars***

Edouard Bonsaint has a bear-sized problem. He hasn't shifted in ten years, and isn't sure he even can anymore. Chaperoned by his youngest brother, Bruno, he heads to the Wiccan Haus to ask Rekkus for help. But when Bruno doesn't show up on the other side of the portal, Edouard's inability to shift is no longer his biggest problem.

Lincoln Tucker has it all: money, fame, and a golden voice. But he's in the closet twice over--few people know he's gay, and even fewer know he can shift into a songbird at will. Downtime at the Wiccan Haus between tours allows him to be himself. Throw a big toppy bear-shifter into the mix, and Lincoln might just have all he's ever wanted--if he can trust himself to hold on to Edouard.

With passions and tempers burning hot, can Lincoln help Edouard bring forth the bear and save his brother?

***********************

If I had the ability, I’d be doing back flips.

When I finished Shifter’s Dance earlier in the week I was hoping, praying and I likely would have been begging to read about Stephen’s brothers, Edouard and Bruno.  I knew there was another Wiccan Haus book out there, but since I didn’t have it in my greedy little hands, I let it go.  I actually thought there was no way Vanessa already had finished one of the brother’s books.  Boy was I 110% wrong.  Not only is it done, published and excellent; a little birdie told me she is working on the last brother’s book as we speak.  Again, imagine the back flipping and dancing around.  Trust me it is all in my head and not in reality, because I’d hurt myself.

The Bonsaint brothers are heading to Wiccan Haus for a little R&R and to give newlyweds Stephen and Romy some peace and quiet.  Edouard also plans to work on his inability to shift into his bear.  Things didn’t go as planned.  For some reason Bruno didn’t make it to the other side of the portal.  Edouard is understandably upset, but the sexy Lincoln is there to take his mind off his troubles.

Lincoln is a man in need of a break.  He is a high profile singer and the stress of touring and the pressures his big sister keeps piling on him; have him at his wits end.  It’s time to break away and relax in the comforting arms of Wiccan Haus and he’s seen the arms he wants wrapped around him, Edouard’s.

Edouard’s stress from his missing brother and the likelihood he won’t be able to help search for Bruno, because he can’t shift, has him stir crazy.  One note from a lovely Blackburnian Warbler settles his soul and he is able to shift into his brown bear once again.  Now the only thing he needs to worry about is hurting his lover Lincoln.  He will not let the past repeat itself.

First the thing that stood out for me in Shifter’s Song was that even though they are both shifters they didn’t fall in the shifter’s mating trap; the zing and recognition, lust fills the air, they fall in bed together, because hello, their instincts are making them do it and the horns toot and the bells ring and they live happily ever after.  Nope these men fought it all the way.  Yes, one of them accepted it sooner than the other, but there was a bit of a battle to accept fate.  It wasn’t absolute instinct for them.  They had to work for it and let me just say, YAY!

Second thing that was a shining beacon for me…I absolutely loved these two men’s names.  Both are first for me and well like I said, I loved them!!

Finally third, I’d like to congratulate Vanessa for writing the first M/M Wiccan Haus story.  You have set the bar high and if I was sitting next to you, I’d be patting you on the back; very well done.  Their romance felt natural, yet very sexy and steamy. 

I think I only had one slight problem with the story.  Edouard wasn’t upset enough about his brother being missing.  I can understand that he was distracted by the loveliness of Lincoln, but with him being the oldest and a big protective bear, I felt there should have been just a bit more angst.  It really isn’t a big deal, but I just had to put it out there.  Now that I’m over it, Shifter’s Song was AWESOME!!

The story was well thought out and it was nice to see Stephen and Romy again.  I also love how all three of their books are flowing so well together and I personally can’t wait for Bruno’s book.  You hinted a bit about Bruno, without giving anything away and I’m booking my trip to Wiccan Haus to watch it unfold firsthand.  All aboard, the ferry is about to leave the port!

Below are my reviews of the series!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY - Carmen Stefanescu

What is better than having a guest from
the birthplace of paranormal beginnings - Romania! 

Please welcome Carmen Stefanescu!

Welcome Carmen, can you tell us a little about yourself how long you've been writing?

I am a teacher of English and German. I live in Romania, better known as Dracula's country, in Eastern Europe. After the fall of dictatorship in 1989, things changed a bit and the access to the Internet and the opening to the world helped me start publishing. Though English isn't my first, not even my second language, everything I've published until now is written in English. I've been writing since I was a student, in fact. Satirical poems and short stories at that time, in my native tongue, Romanian. They remained drawer projects. Poems in English, later. I was awarded the Silver Cup for poetry in 2004 for my English poems. And now I turned to long prose. In English.

If you didn't write, what other profession would you have selected?

I am not a professional writer, as I said above, I am a teacher. However, had I been twenty years younger in 1989, when things took a turn in Romania, I would have liked to be an IT specialist. Computers fascinate me.

Who is your favorite author?

I always dreamed to be a writer like Agatha Christie. I also came to love the writing of many authors along the years. The great classics brought another perspective on life in my teenage years. As a student I read voraciously and as an adult I continued doing it. I have respect for each and every writer who enhanced my life and made me cry or laugh or dream, who enabled me to imagine different worlds, alternative realities, paths not chosen, cities not yet built. Coming back to the answer, I will name some of my favorite authors, even if it means not mentioning other many, many ones: Stephen King, Thomas Hardy, Mihai Eminescu, Catherine Cookson, Mary Higgins Clark, A. Tennyson, Liviu Rebreanu, Jeffrey Archer, H. Balzac, Somerset Maugham, F. Forsyth, Jane Austen, Ch. Bronte, Th. Dreiser, and John Steinbeck. And many more!

What is your favorite genre to read?

Thrillers, paranormals (not vampires even if I live in Dracula's country), a combination of romance with mystery. Everything that has ghosts, reincarnation, karmic retribution. I believe that our soul is immortal. Should it be my fear of the eternity of nothingness? Maybe! I can't really say.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

Prisoner by Birth by Jeffrey Archer and Doomsday Conspiracy by Sidney Sheldon.

How long does it usually take for you to write a book? 

The first draft takes me between two to six weeks. The real challenge begins after finishing it. Polishing the manuscript, editing, finding a publisher willing to accept my submission and finally, after the release, advertising my book. For Shadows of the Past it meant three weeks for writing and seven years until I signed the contract with Wild Child Publishing, USA.

Where does your inspiration for a new book come from?

My life experience is a main source of inspiration: the people I met, a movie, an article in a newspaper, a life event told by someone, a dream, or even a line in a poem. Medieval times, as seen in Shadows of the Past, are my favorites. I like to imagine what it would have been like if I had lived in those times and places.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

As my writing isn't etched in stone and can always be improved, I consider it is better to accept the editing suggestions of professional editors. Here, I must thank my editor Shawn Howen for her coaching me and guiding me patiently along the slippery road of publication.  In my humble opinion, if we approach writing with a learner's attitude, as if being an apprentice, we can gain much from many sources. 

We would like to hear about your process of writing, ideation, and average time to actually write.  Also your typical day hours devoted to writing vs everything else.

During summer holidays, usually in the morning, I retreat to my “writing room” and loose myself in the imaginary realm of my characters and plots. I have to have complete silence and plenty of light. No multitasking. My creative side needs complete concentration. I only write when I am truly inspired. I write everything from start to finish. When ready, I put the draft away for a day or two.  Then, I come back to it and while reading again, I add or cut parts/dialogue/characters and I edit. I must tell you that what I like best about writing is making up characters, watching them develop and turn into people.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? 

Shadows of the Past is the story of two young women, Genevieve and Anne. Jumping from past to present and back, the story focuses on the lows and highs of the two, alternatively revealing the hardships, passion, truth or betrayal they meet. Their destinies seem to weave together, although they live in different epochs.

What is one statement that has been used about your writing that makes you cringe when you read it?

"The writing was, for lack of a better phrase, awkward. It read like a translation and, occasionally, like a poor one". It really made me cry. It was so unfair, undeserved! It hurt badly.

What three descriptive statements have been used about your writing that made you giddy with happiness?

Well, it's difficult to select from the many comments that gave me a warm, cuddly feeling. I will quote a few:

"A classy romance, “Shadows of the Past” is a real page-turner and a dark spooky romantic story that is crafted masterfully. Despite all the evil, love wins by the end. I really liked that." ~ Ankita Singhal booklokcoffee.blogspot.in/

"Carmen Stefanescu’s novel is a riveting story that will make the reader fall in love with its enticing mystery, skillfully blending elements of love and hatred, magic and superstitions, murder and repentance." ~ Liliana Soare lilianasoare.blogspot.com.au/

"I would recommend this book to everyone YA audience and over. One of the best romances ever." ~ Ionia Martin readfulthingsblog.com

"I also loved the fact that I could relate to the characters and Genevieve’s tragic destiny really made me sad, which is a great thing! It’s always a plus when the author manages to make the reader cry and laugh at the same time with the characters." ~ Oana Matei www.allfantasyworlds.com

And I apologize to the many reviewers who spoke so nicely about my book and aren't mentioned now.

How did you come up with the characters Genevieve/Andrew? 

I read a small article in a Romanian newspaper about a haunted mountain in England. The souls of two sinners, a nun and a priest who break their vows and elope, can’t find their rest. The tourists visiting that mountainous area hear agonizing moans during the night. The moment I put down the newspaper I knew that I had to write the story of the two unfortunate lovers. I wrote a poem first, a ballad. Later, I thought that just a poem was not enough. I felt Genevieve’s story must be told in detail. This is how Shadows of the Past came to life.

What were your feelings when you first saw the cover of your finished book? 

I was thrilled.  It was the first physical proof that my dream of becoming a published author had finally come true. The best part, for me anyway, is when I get a review from someone that enjoyed what I wrote. I love when readers can relate to my characters. Nothing makes me happier than someone saying my characters felt like friends – or that they laughed, cried with my characters along the way.

If you could pick one actress/actor to portray Genevieve and Andrew on the big screen who would she/he be and why? 

Jordana Spiro, playing the leading part in The Mob’s Doctor, is the best actress to impersonate Genevieve. Jordana is fragile in appearance, looks like a kindhearted person ready to help those next to her, yet she’s determined and brave.  Dan Stevens from the series Downton Abbey is the perfect Andrew. A quiet man, gentle and kind. Sensitive to the problems of the women in his life.

Will we be seeing a following book to this story? 

It depends. If most readers will express their interest in finding what happens further to the characters, it might be a sequel. I'm not sure, for the moment.

Thank you for hosting me today! It was a real pleasure.

Buy Links:

Wild Child Publishing

Amazon

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Publisher: Wild Child Publishing

Genre: paranormal/light romance/light horror.

Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them. 

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world--one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve's soul from its torment. 

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest? 

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love. 

Read an Excerpt

Carmen Stefanescu was born in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.

Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of the books.

She has dreamed all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989 and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

Find Carmen at the following locations:

 Goodreads

Blog

Google+

Amazon Author Page

Ask David

AuthorsDen.com

Open Book Society

Awesome Gang

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

Carmen's publisher, Wild Child Publishing, is away two PDF versions of her book! 

By entering the giveaway you are agreeing to the terms outlined in the Rafflecopter widget.

Open Worldwide!
There are many ways to enter, so increase your odds and get busy!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway