"I am ready to meet my maker. Whether my maker is prepared to meet me is another matter."
-Winston Churchill

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Nuncio The Gypsy Girl by Kristin Alexandre - Graphic Novel Review

Nuncio and the Gypsy Girl in the Gilded Age is the first in a series of three graphic novels narrated by the African Grey Parrot Nuncio.This is the story of Neci, the beautiful gypsy princess who is infatuated with the brilliant composer/pilot Ezra. Neci lives at the turn of the century in Dayton, Ohio, where inventors and engineers have turned the city into the Silicon Valley of the day.
Like everyone in America at this time, Neci and Ezra want to improve themselves and their lot. While Ezra is besotted with the gypsy girl, his head is turned when the well-connected Edith offers her love and her connections to Ezra.
The two women confront each other during the rescue efforts for survivors of The Dayton Flood. Edith recognizes that she is faced with a significant rival for Ezra s affections. She sets about to abolish he enemy.
As the story unfolds, Edith discovers inside information that the Lusitania faces a real threat of German destruction when it makes its crossing to England. Edith decides to keep this information to herself. She imperils the lives of Neci and the Hubbards.
Neci and Ezra s benefactors and friends, The Hubbards, choose to make the crossing. When Ezra takes Neci to the send-off for the Atlantic crossing, his emotions overwhelm. He is seen making his way on board.
After a friendly breakfast The Hubbards and Neci find themselves on deck as the ship is struck by a torpedo. The Hubbards choose death and Neci frees our narrator Nuncio and jumps into the Irish Sea. We must wait for the next book to uncover her fate and the fate of the man she loves.

My Review:

I loved it! I wasn't too sure what I would get when I was asked to review this graphic novel, but I'm so glad I accepted. I'm not a big fan of history, but Alexandre did a magnificent job with description and era that I was sucked right in. Tom Loepp is the illustrator and he did fantastic! It all blended so well together, you couldn't help but read it through.

It's a beautiful love story turned love triangle. While a young woman named Neci is in love with Ezra, he just doesn't feel the same way thinking she's too young. He goes his own way, leaving the gypsy community behind. This is when he meets the beautiful Marlene, who is almost appalled that she's fallen for him so quickly. They both share a love of music, and when Neci sends her animal friends to spy, she realizes that this Marlene may just be the one to make Ezra famous. With the new world being built and autos being introduced, Neci may be forgotten from Ezra's memories forever.

Marlene has her own agenda and though the book leaves you with a continuation, you're definitely going to want more. I definitely give it 5 flaming roses! Anxiously waiting book two.







Kristin’s last books, “Find a Great Guy: Now and Forever” and “The Perfect Gentleman: the Secrets Rich Girls Use to Find the Classiest Guys,” received excellent reviews from Amazon and Vanity Fair Magazine. The much trusted “Kirkus Review” recommends and lauds this relationship book. Read more reviews here.
Kristin is a relationship expert and her website is called www.thenewgentleman.com.
This author has also worked as a news reporter for Channel 13 and Channel 5 News in NYC and hosted and produced her own show called “Enough Is Enough,” a syndicated issue oriented talk show. She was a featured columnist for The Dayton Journal Herald and has written for many magazines including Town & Country, Harpers Bazaar and The Daily News Sunday Magazine.
Kristin works closely with The Humane Society of America and auditioned for Oprah’s new OWN network. Her audition proposes a show about the bond between animals and people http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8oPe86xt3s.
Kristin was a publicist for Rums of Puerto Rico and The Economic Development Administration of Puerto Rico. She also hosted a luncheon series for executives at The New York Yacht Club for The Chairman of Ammirati & Puris Advertising.
Kristin Alexandre is a producer with Dahooma Productions where she assisted with “Not For Nothing” – a soon to be released contemporary romantic comedy.
The author grew up in a fifth generation family from Dayton, Ohio and she currently serves as President of that family’s investment partnership.
She received her BA from Sweet Briar College and is a member of The New York Junior League.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Black Opal Books: Guest Post by Jami Gray - The Kyn Kronicles


Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…

It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking.  Partnering up with the sexy and tantalizing Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.

When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head.  Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.





Thank you so much for joining us today Jami. We're so excited you're here and I sooooo LOVE your book covers! H-O-T! The floor is yours...

Forging a Character…
Urban fantasy...a fantastical world of women (and men) I wouldn't want to run across in a dark alley...leather EVERYWHERE... and weapons!  Oh the weapons are just beautiful!
Creating worlds where magic is part and parcel of who you are, what you do and where you live has always intrigued me.  Even at a young age, happy ever after left me asking, "But, why? What happened to the wicked witch/evil stepmother/monster under the bed to make them so…bad?"  Most Urban Fantasy characters walk a thin line between what's considered right and what's considered wrong.  Their worlds are filled with shades of gray. They rely on handy-dandy skills such as shifting into something more feral and beautiful, or working magic that will leave you gasping for breath, or handling weapons with such precision they're poetry in motion to conquer their daily obstacles. Yet no matter how unique their worlds are, they stand apart from the crowds.


I've always loved the idea of being part of the world but being apart from the world.  Being unique, whether you're the only human in a room full of monsters, or the only monster in a room full of humans, is key to Urban Fantasy.  Otherwise, why would any of us want to read the stuff?
Yet with all the fantastic UF authors out there (and they are legion), for an incoming author you have to find that one thing that will set your kick-ass hero/heroine apart from the others. Something that will pull readers in and keep them intrigued. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
I’ve heard, many times, that the most important story piece is unique and compelling characters. Characters that will make your story memorable, letting it stand out in a reader’s memory. Okay, sounds great, but how exactly do you do that?
Creating Raine McCord, my heroine, was probably similar to forging a sword. You start with a solid piece of unshaped good quality metal. Her voice, her motivations, her end goals made up the initial piece. Yet as you put this piece to the fire over and over again, hidden flaws and missing elements are exposed. As a writer you owe your characters the respect to treat those imperfections with care and deliberation. So you pound at the weak points, alter the design through trial and error until you discover how the flaws and strengths work together. When the blade is done, the writer is left with a compelling piece of art. It may be a lethal beauty, a solid contender, or a wicked edge. Yet no matter how it turns out, it is their creation and if was forged right, won’t be like anything else out there.

Trying to maintain the balance of giving Raine a strong, lethal personality while protecting her last few remaining soft girly spots—think hiking through a swamp in four inch stiletto heels—was tricky, very, very tricky. Yet as I began to sharpen and polish her personality, she became unique because she was multi-dimensional. And maybe that’s the answer for creating unique characters—making them real in your head so they’ll stand out to your readers.
In this big, bad universe of Urban Fantasy, I’ll continue to try carving out my niche through my characters. Strong personalities with hidden flaws, who make those difficult choices—even when they seem to be utterly wrong—for the greater good, while they walk that thin gray line—I’m hoping it keeps you, my readers, intrigued enough to follow me along the twisting plots of magic and mayhem. 
Some nightmares are born of love…

Raine McCord has no problem taking down the monsters of the world, it’s one of the reasons she’s so good at her job. So playing bodyguard to Cheveyo, head Magi of the Northwest, as he consults with the Southwest Kyn should be an easy assignment. Unfortunately, simple task turns into a nightmare when Cheveyo is kidnapped and Raine is left for dead by one of the Kyn’s most feared beings, a Soul Stealer.
The Stealer’s attack leaves lasting wounds, undermining Raine’s confidence as a warrior and damaging her unruly magic. Her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand. Compelled to face the emotions raging between them, they must embrace not only their stormy relationship but their evolving magic to escape the twisted threads of murder and betrayal to find Cheveyo.

As Raine and Gavin come together and begin to unravel the complex web of secrets and hidden vendettas haunting the Southwest Kyn, they discover unsettling new truths that threaten their very existence.


Growing up on the Arizona-Mexico border, Jami Gray was adopted at the age of 14 and suddenly became the fifth eldest of 37 children. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theater.  Shortly after marrying her techie-geek hubby (who moonlighted as her best friend in high school) she completed a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon.

Now, years later, she’s back in the Southwest where  she’s outnumbered in her own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Wars obsessed husband, and an overly-friendly, 105-pound male lab.  Writing is what saves her sanity.

Shadow’s Edge: Book 1 of the Kyn Kronicles is out now and Shadow’s Soul: Book 2 of the Kyn Kronicles hits shelves Summer 2012.

You can find me at:Buy Link: www.BlackOpalBooks.com
Website: www.JamiGray.com




Friday, April 20, 2012

GFP: At The Round Table & Giveaway with Rebecca Royce - Love Beyond Sight



Welcome to Immortality and Beyond. May I offer you a beverage? 


Ooh. What is Mystic Brew?? I want some of that. Thanks for having me. 


Mystic Brew is our own witch's special blend *grins* Enjoy :)








Now that we're all settled in my lair, I'm de-bite-fully glad you stopped in.




BK:  Please tell us a little bit about your current release...
Love Beyond Sight is the fourth book in the Outsider series that I write. It is Samuel and Eden’s story. 


When Eden Roan awoke in a mental hospital, she was nearly discovered by a demon, but was rescued by a voice in her mind. The voice told her she was his but that they would never, ever meet. Now, Eden is more and more convinced that the voice is just her imagination. It can't possibly be her destined soul mate. Or can it?


Samuel Quinn was horribly disfigured by the demon when he was child. He can't stand looking at himself and doesn't want Eden to see him. Luckily, his powers allow him to hide using other's features as his own. But when Eden needs him, Samuel will have to step forward to save her even if it means showing the real him.


Can there be love without sight? Or will the demon finally have them all just where he wants them?




BK:  What inspired this particular novel/book?
Well, this is the fourth book in the series. It keeps everything moving forward in the ARC of the series.


BK:  When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When did I not want to be? I wrote my first book in fourth grade. But, I got serious when I was pregnant with my second son. 


BK:  How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?
I don’t know. I just try to do the best I can to write well and to write interesting characters I would want to read. 


BK:  What was the hardest thing about writing this story?
Samuel has a hard time. His emotional journey was tough to write because I was so moved by it. 


BK:  What character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?
I can’t pick between Samuel and Eden. I love writing both of them. They need each other so much and yet they are kept apart by circumstances beyond their control. 


BK:  Which was your favorite scene to write?
At one point, there is a lot of disguising going on and people pretending to be others. That was really fun to write. 


BK:  Will this become a series? If so, what inspired it to be a series?
Its actually the fourth book in an already established series.


BK:  Now for a little fun, and into your everyday life, What is a day in your life like?
I get up, I get the kids fed and to school. I come home. I write. I go back to school to pick up my 2 year old. I bring him home. Feed him. He goes down for a nap. I write. I go pick up my 4 year old. Bring him home. Go get my 6 year old. Do after school activities. Write some more. Have dinner with my husband. Put the kids to bed. And watch television and work out. Does it sound exciting? LOL


BK:  What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I like to go to Broadway shows, watch movies, and take trips.


BK:  What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?
I’m a video game addict


BK:  What do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?
I think everything Nalini Singh writes is brilliant. 


BK:  Please tell us one piece of advice you were given as an author that you carry with you when you write?
Write every day. If you want it to be a job, treat it like a job. You can’t dabble at it. 


BK:  What is one piece of advice you can give to aspiring writers/authors?
Just write what you love. 


BK:  What are you currently working on?
A paranormal erotic short story. 


BK:  Where can readers connect with you? 
rebecca@rebeccaroyce.com 
www.rebeccaroyce.com 

In Love Beyond Sanity, Eden Roan awoke in a mental hospital, unsure of how she got there. Nearly discovered by a demon, she is rescued by a voice in her mind who saves her life by transforming her figure into something the demon doesn't want to look at.  The voice tells her she is his but that they will never, ever meet.  As time progresses, Eden becomes more and more convinced that the voice is just her imagination playing tricks on her.  It can't possibly be her destined soul mate.
Or can it?

Samuel Quinn was horribly disfigured by the demon when he was a child. He can't stand looking at himself and does not want Eden to see him. Luckily, his powers allow him to hide himself using other people's features as his own.  But when Eden needs him, Samuel will have to step forward to save her even if he can never let her see the real him.

Can there be love without sight? Or will the demon finally have them all just where he wants them?

Excerpt #1

I’m alone in the house.

Eden Roan swallowed away the lump in her throat. Why hadn’t she known everyone was leaving? Her heart rate picked up, thumping hard against her ribcage. She hadn’t been alone in six months. Not since Charma and Marina had found her, nearly comatose, locked up in a mental institution in New Jersey.

She swung around calling out into the living. “Hello? Anyone here?”

Even as she called out, she knew she need not have bothered. No one was home. She could feel the emptiness around her. Loneliness assaulted her soul and she nearly doubled over from the feeling before she pulled herself together. Wow. She was being really, really ridiculous.

It didn’t mean anything that everyone had left and no one had said goodbye. Probably, they didn’t mean to all leave. Each one must have thought someone else remained in the house. No way, no how would she be left, by herself, in their huge house on their private island in Maine.

Except that it was December and getting back and forth from the island in the middle of winter took advanced planning. They would have all have had to board the boat at the same time. Marina would have had to spell cast the water to keep it calm…

No, there was something terribly wrong. She took off at a run. Her large, sturdy feet bracing her body for the run she made down the hall. Sebastian, the demon, must have gotten to them. They were all dead. That was the only explanation.

“I’ve got your mind, Eden.” She heard the voice of the demon resonate through the halls of the too empty house. Even though she had personally never spoken with him before, she had no doubt he was who tormented her now. “I’ve killed the others and now I’ll spend eternity torturing you with just what I want you to see.”  



Giveaway:


Rebecca will be giving one lucky commenter from her tour a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card. So follow her tour HERE for more chances, comment, and WIN!

Good Luck!

As a teenager, Rebecca Royce would hide in her room to read her favorite romance novels when she was supposed to be doing her homework. She hopes, these days, that her parents think it was well worth it.

Rebecca is the mother of three adorable boys and is fortunate to be married to her best friend. They live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.

She's in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and tries to use all of these elements in her writing. She's been told she's a little bloodthirsty so she hopes that when you read her work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. Rebecca loves to write series because she loves to see characters develop over time and it always makes her happy to see her favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In Rebecca Royce's world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.




Goddess Fish Partner

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Black Opal Books: Bonded by Crimson by Zrinka Jelic


I am delighted to be here today. My debut novel “Bonded by Crimson” has been released on January 28th, and it is available in all formats at Black Opal Books, Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and All Romance eBooks






 Today, I’d like to blog about Dalmatian cuisine. To many connoisseurs, the white fish and crab of the Adriatic is the best in the world. That is why this coast has become a place of pilgrimage for the most sophisticated gourmets.


Those who enjoy the taste of exquisitely prepared lobster, shrimp, oyster, date shells and high quality white fish, complemented with excellent wine, will have their senses uplifted in this part of the world. Similarly enthused will be those who choose the delicious roast lamb from Cres, with its unique taste derived from salty island grass. The cheese from Pag will please the palate as much as the finest from France and the quality is equally excellent. The secret lies in the environment and special technology. It is made from ewe's milk which, during maturation, is covered with olive oil, giving it a unique aroma and flavour. Take it as a gastronomic pleasure and also a souvenir. The Mediterranean influence on the cuisine means food will often be prepared "na leso" - boiled and seasoned. This produces meals which are both tasty and light. The added advantage is you can enjoy them more often.


Rich vineyards and a special talent of the locals to please themselves and their guests result in fine wines, which are highly valued. Red wines are famous along the coast: Teran, Merlot and Cabernet in Istria, and Opolo, Plavac, Dingac, Postup further south. The renowned white wines of the coast include Malvazija, Zlahtina, Posip, Kujundzusa and Grk.


This has been but a taste of what you will experience as you become familiar with the cuisine of the Croatian islands. Each region will add some special ingredient, producing a flavour of its own, often tastier than before. Bon Appetite and Cheers!




source: http://islands.zesoi.fer.hr/appetit/appeti56.html


I’d like to leave you now with a short excerpt from my novel, the restaurant scene. 


Excerpt


The legs of the cast iron chair scraped along the hard surface as he pulled the seat out from the reserved table for two. The firm cushion caressed her back. “But you must know what the letter says.”


“Sorry, but I don’t. Fortuno says the writing makes perfect sense to those who are desperate. My guess is no one who looked at it was firm against the wall. Let’s enjoy the dinner now.”


Upbeat dinner music came through the speakers. She scanned over the veranda. Good, while the restaurant was fancy, the guests seemed to be dressed casually. She didn’t feel out of place in her low-cut, knee-length dress. The smells of local cuisine wafting from the kitchen enthralled her senses, reminding her of her hunger. A waiter lit the candle on the table and nodded to Matthias’s order of a bottle of most expensive Dubrovnik’s Malvasia vine.


Matthias took her hand in his and planted a kiss on the back. “You look nice tonight as always.”


“Thanks.” The heat rising in her cheeks made her lower her head. Would she ever get used to his compliments? She searched for another topic to ease her embarrassment. “So, which one is Fortuno? Is that him?” She nodded at a tall waiter who brought the bottle of wine to their table.


The young server popped the cork and poured a tiny amount of the golden liquid to Matthias’s glass. Matthias swirled the sample around the tumbler and drank. After swallowing, he nodded to the guy and the waiter filled her glass, then his.


“Enjoy,” he said, leaving the bottle on the table.


Matthias raised his glass. “That wasn’t Fortuno. I know you don’t drink anything alcoholic, but tonight is special.”


Their glasses clinked, and she took a sip. Sweet nectar tantalized her taste buds. Matthias certainly knew how to choose a vintage. 


“Is that him over there?” She pointed to another guy, bringing the beverage to her mouth.


“No. Be patient and you’ll see.” His wide smile melted her heart.


A tall, bald man with a blond goatee approached their table. Plates balanced on his arm. His very presence caused Kate to shiver. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her trembling knees under the table.


“Isn’t this first class service?” Matthias said with a wink at Kate. “What are you cooking tonight?” The casual tone in his voice suggested the relationship between the two men was that of old friends, not a Master and his minion.


“My best friend reserves the table for two—this I got to see.” The waiter placed the dishes in front of them. “I only cooked for you and your lovely guest.”


“But, I didn’t even see your menu.” She stared at her favourite grilled squid dish. Matthias must’ve told him. How else could this man know?


“The menu?” The man chuckled and turned to Matthias. The deep throttle in his laugh suggested she had yet to learn the rules.


“Kate, this is Fortuno.”


The man extended his hand.


“P—pleased to meet you.” Of all times, she had to stutter now. She got to meet Matthias’s friend, something of a vampire, and this was all that came to her?


“The pleasure is all mine.” Fortuno took her shaky hand and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. His dry lips couldn’t compare to Matthias’s soft ones. Although Matthias had already acquainted her with this gesture of acknowledgment, she swallowed hard. Fortuno’s icy hand raised goose bumps all over her. She couldn’t peel her eyes away from the golden glow around his hazel pupils.
“I’ll let you two enjoy your dinner. Leave room for the desert.” Fortuno strutted through the patio and stopped to shake hands with other patrons.


A sudden shiver ran down her spine urging her to take another sip. “How many immortals are here? Besides you.”


“Two.” He answered after a short pause then refilled her glass. “Don’t worry, you’re safe.” Matthias unrolled his napkin and placed the cloth on his lap. “As long as you don’t ask Fortuno for ketchup—he doesn’t like that.” With a fork in his hand, he motion to his plate. “Our food is getting cold.”


Chewing the first mouthful, she moaned, “Fortuno can cook.”


“That, he can. Try this.” With a piece of steak speared on his fork, he extended his hand to her lips. 
She couldn’t believe her eyes. He wanted to feed her. Although the meat was a bit too rare for her liking, she closed her mouth over the cutlery and pulled the piece inside. Flavors exploded in her mouth. She might have to confiscate his dish, she decided, and she wasn’t that big on steaks.


“Good?” His voice snapped her from almost reaching ecstasy.


“I’m speechless.” Suddenly grilled squid seemed less appealing, but she returned to her own plate.






BLURB


Love isn’t in the cards for her…


After her short failed marriage, Kate tries to rebuild her life and takes a position as a nanny to three small boys. She quickly grows to love them, but their father, terrifies her, while igniting a passion she didn’t know she possessed. Disturbed by his distant manner with his sons, Kate struggles to make him more involved in the boys’ daily lives. Her efforts are mysteriously supported by an entity that cannot really exist. Or can she? And if she does exist, is she really trying to help Kate, or just take over her body? 


But when he deals the hand, all bets are off…


Six years after his beloved wife passed away, Matthias is still trying to become the father she wanted him to be. Not an easy task for a three-centuries-old immortal. His search for the ultimate nanny ends when Kate Rokov stumbles to his home and into his arms. The immediate attraction he feels for her seems like a betrayal of his dead wife, a love he’s harboured for over three hundred years. But when Kate is stalked by a deadly stranger, life he clung to in the past begins to crumble and break down. Can Matthias learn to trust and to love again in time to save his family from disaster, or will his stubborn pride destroy everything worth living for?






AUTHOR’S BIO






Zrinka Jelic lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and two children. A member of the Romance Writers of America and its chapter Fantasy Futuristic &Paranormal, as well as Savvy Authors, she writes contemporary fiction—which leans toward the paranormal—and adds a pinch of history. Her characters come from all walks of life, and although she prefers red, romance comes in many colors. Given Jelic’s love for her native Croatia and the Adriatic Sea, her characters usually find themselves dealing with a fair amount of sunshine, but that’s about the only break they get. “Alas,” Jelic says, with a grin. “Some rain must fall in everyone’s life.”


Contact me @: www.bondedbycrimson.blogspot.com
http://zrinkajelicromanceauthor.wordpress.com/
Find me on: Facebook Twitter  
Watch the book trailer: Bonded by Crimson

Monday, April 16, 2012

Black Opal Books - Twin Flames by Debbie Christiana


Welcome to Immortality & Beyond Debbie, may I offer you a beverage?

I would love a glass of Liquor Strega, on the rocks.



According to ancient Italian legend, in the city of Benevento where STREGA is made, all the witches of the world would meet, disguise themselves as beautiful young maidens and mix a magic brew. When two people drank this potion, they were forever united. Today, it is still believed that if a couple drinks Strega together, they will never be far apart. www.strega.it

That is interesting, I'm so going to check it out. 

Debbie is visiting from Black Opal Books today, chatting about her new release, Twin Flames. 

BK: Please tell us a little about your current release.

Debbie: Twin Flames is a story about Marc and Natalia, who discover they are soul mates who have spent hundreds of lives together spanning thousands of years and the obstacles they must overcome to be together in their present life.

BK: What inspired this particular novel/book?

Debbie: Most of us have had a dĂ©jĂ  vu moment when we feel like we’ve experienced “that” before, be it a conversation with someone or meeting a person for the first time. I like it when it happens to me. The experts who work in the field of past life regression believe birthmarks are similar to ‘battle scars’ that we carry with us into each incarnation. I put those two notions together and an idea was born.

BK: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Debbie: Ever since I can remember, I’ve been an avid reader. At some point, probably around 10 years old, I thought it would be fun to try to invent a story as cool as the ones I was reading. I still have a few of my original attempts at writing. But they are hidden away in a safe spot.

BK: How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this genre?

Debbie: This novel is about reincarnation complete with a ghost from one of their past lives. I was lucky enough to have a vampire short story published. I’m developing a character named Spookie Millane who possesses a unique ability when it comes to the dead. So for me, it’s fun to write about different subjects within the paranormal realm.

BK: What was the hardest thing about writing this story?

Debbie: Making the past life regression scenes realistic and engaging. But it was a labor of love. I spoke with two therapists who have both written books about regression. I even had the opportunity to meet with one of them. They were lovely women and very helpful. One gave me permission to use her method of having her patient/client visualize a long hallway lined with doors. Each door represented a past life and you opened the door you wanted. Whatever you believe about hypnosis and regression, it’s very real for the people undergoing the process. They actually relive all the experiences, good, bad, happy or terrifying. I wanted to show the hero and heroine’s emotions.

BK: What character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?

Debbie: Well, I’m very attached to the main characters, of course, but I’m particularly fond of Natalia. She’s stubborn, speaks her mind, drinks whiskey, plays poker and swears in English and Italian. However, some of the minor characters from their past lives were a blast to write. There’s Amelia, a spunky Madame who worked within the underground railroad, hiding slaves at her brothel on the way to Canada. And Giovanna, the mischievous ghost that lives with Natalia. They have the same temperament, so, they bicker quite often.

BK: Which was your favorite scene to write?

Debbie: The whole book was a pleasure to write. I’ve had this story in me for a long time and it poured out easily. If I were to pick something, at the risk of being repetitive, I’d have to say the four past lives Marc and Natalia relive.

BK: Will this become a series? If so, what inspired it to be a series?

Debbie: No, it won’t be a series but I hope to start on a sequel this summer. I left a few things open at the end, anticipating one more book. Marc and Natalia have a few more adventures to go on and figure out which past life Giovanna is from and why she is ‘haunting’ them this time around.

BK: Now for a little fun, and into your everyday life, what is a day in your life like?

Debbie: For ten years, I ran a local food pantry. It was a great job and I loved it. At the end of the year, I had to leave the job because of my dad’s failing health. So these days I spend a lot of time with him and at doctor visits. Then I come home to the normal wife and mother stuff. I’m an early riser so I get a lot of my writing done in the morning.

BK: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Debbie: Like most writers, I love to read. We have a small boat on a local lake and I enjoy being on the water. I practice yoga faithfully. I watch a little TV – The Walking Dead, True Blood. I’m a fan of the show ‘House’ and I’m sorry to see it end this season.

BK: What do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

Debbie: Horror, thrillers, and the paranormal. Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Anne Rice.

BK: Please tell us one piece of advice you were given as an author that you carry with you when you write.

Debbie: I have a quote hanging over my desk by Agatha Christie: “Write even when you don’t want to, don’t much like what you are writing, and aren’t writing particularly well.” That says it all to me.

BK: What is one piece of advice you can give to aspiring writers/authors?

Debbie: Don’t be afraid and don’t get discouraged. One of the scariest things is putting your work out there for other people to read and judge. I have a folder full of rejections for Twin Flames. The same day I received another rejection was also the day Black Opal offered me a contract.

BK: What are you currently working on?

Debbie: I’m finishing a manuscript about an Italian hereditary witch (Strega) named Sofia. She has the daunting task of breaking a 250-year-old family curse the hero, Armend, has on his head by the winter solstice.

BK: Where can readers connect with you?

Debbie: My website is www.debbiechristiana.com. Follow me on Twitter @DebChristiana. My
Facebook author page is Debbie Christiana.

She’d never met him before…or had she?
 
The last thing forty-year old Natalia Santagario expected was to be sitting on a Manhattan
barstool ogling a man she’s never met, but swears she knows.

 He didn’t know her at all…or did he?

The mysterious dark-haired woman at the end of the bar stops twenty-eight year old
Marc Tremonti in his tracks. His head assures him she’s a stranger, but his heart tells him otherwise.

 Together they embark on an adventure that will change their lives forever.

Their attraction instant and enigmatic, they undergo past life regression and discover that,
not only have they spent hundreds of lives together as lovers, Natalia holds the secret to
Marc’s puzzling birthmark.

But what should have been a joyful reunion is complicated by a kind, albeit confused,
almost ex-wife, a bout of temporary amnesia and a mischievous ghost from their past.

What else could possibly go wrong?

EXCERPT:

Natalia unlocked the door, walked in and threw her purse on the couch. Relieved to be off the crowded train and in the coziness of her family room, there was no solace from the chaos spinning in her head. Since that cold December evening, Marc and his birthmark haunted her thoughts day and night. As handsome as he was, it wasn’t reason she was attracted to him. There was something else, something deeper; something she didn’t understand.

He was an exciting but dangerous enigma and she was tired of behaving like a teenager with a forbidden crush. Enough was enough. It was time to act her age and be sensible. She didn’t need any more strange occurrences in her life; living with Giovanna was plenty. There was no need for further contact with Marc. Fumbling through her purse, she found Mariella’s business card and threw it in the garbage.

Later that evening as she sat at her computer, she spotted Mariella’s card on the
keyboard. “I know you’re here.” Natalia felt a cool breeze blow past. “Why do you want me to go online and look at her Center?”
Natalia often wondered how and why she was able to have these conversations with Giovanna. It was telepathic. One-sided, but telepathic nevertheless. She understood Giovanna’s communication but heard it in her head, not with her ears. Natalia, on the other hand, always had to speak aloud. Another unsolved mystery with no resolution in sight.
Do you really have no one else to bother?”

The small garbage can next to her desk tipped over.
I know I haven’t been sleeping but I don’t think I need to check myself into a facility.”

The computer booted up all by itself. “You’re a pushy ghost, aren’t you?”
Typing the website into her browser, she began to read. Mariella, as well as the other doctors on staff, were licensed Sleep Therapists, all accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. She clicked on therapies and read thoroughly the services the center offered their clients.

Okay, I read the whole thing.” Natalia felt a slight nudge on her arm.

No, I don’t want to read that. It has nothing to do with me.” Giovanna prodded her harder. Giving in as usual to her unseen houseguest, she clicked on hypnotic regressions. Mariella hired two new doctors specializing in hypnotic regression. Usually, the regressions only went as far back as childhood, using this procedure to uncover some trauma occurring during a person’s younger days. Occasionally though, it was used to go back further to look into past lives of clients. This was a not a new phenomenon by far. People had believed in reincarnation for thousands of years. However, the therapy was new to Tremonti’s Sleep and Dream Center and they were asking anyone interested to contact them.
When she was through reading, Natalia heard Giovanna in her head and spun her chair around.

What did you say? How do you know about Marc?”

The door to the library slammed shut. Natalia got up, darted to the door and opened it.

Come back here, right now!”
She ran into her family room but didn’t feel Giovanna anywhere. “I asked you a question and I want an answer.” Silence. Walking over to the steps, she shouted up the empty staircase.

You want to screw with me? Fine. You know there are certain individuals that can make unruly ghosts leave a person’s home. We’ll see how quiet you are when you’re being shoved out the damn door.”

Natalia stood there fuming with her fists clutched at her sides. The threat was
meaningless, she would never make Giovanna leave.

They needed each other too much and they both knew it.


Debbie Christiana would sit in her room as a little girl and write stories about ghosts, unexplained events and things that go bump in the night. She combined her love of the paranormal with her fascination of unusual love stories and decided to write paranormal romance. Her novel, Twin Flames, was released in the summer of 2011 with Black Opal Books. In February 2012, her short story, The Land of the Rising Sun, was one of ten included the anthology BITES: Ten Tales of Vampires. Debbie is a member of RWA and Secretary of the Romance Writers of Connecticut and Lower New York. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children.


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