The Next Big Thing Book Hop

I would like to give a big thank you to Leti Del Mar author of the delightful The Inadvertent Thief, for tagging me to be part of The Next Big Thing Book Hop.

This is where one Author tags another to talk a bit about his or her current project.  So read on to get an insider's look at my newest novel and discover the work of some fellow authors! Leti, thank you for giving me the opportunity to introduce: Shadows of the Past 

  

1. What is the title of your book?

 Shadows of the Past

 

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

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.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Paranormal - the genre I feel comfortable writing. I am attracted by everything that has a link to karmic retribution, to past lives. I believe in reincarnation and in special powers we, humans, possess even if we aren't aware of it and so can't put these powers to use. Genevieve, the leading character in Shadows of the Past, can feel if the person in front of her is a good or evil one, while Anne has premonitions and visions.  I do believe in ghosts. I consider them to be wandering spirits who can find no eternal rest, the same as Genevieve couldn't, because they have not fulfilled their mission during their existence in flesh and blood on earth.

4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

 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. 

The Abbess should be played by Madeline Stowe from the series Revenge, while Dan Stevens from the series Downton Abbey is the perfect Andrew.

 5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Shadows of the Past - the story of Genevieve and Anne. Jumping from past to present and back, it 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. 

 6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

The book is represented by Wild Child Publishing from the USA.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Not very long, I think. Around three months. Then I passed it through several beta readers, native English speakers, as vocabulary usage may become a bit tricky for me, a Romanian.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I can't really say. Every author wants to consider her/his work as unique. However, if I think better, I would say Adam and Eve by a Romanian classic writer Liviu Rebreanu. 

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I was telling you about the article I read. 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.

10. What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

The combination of paranormal elements with history and with Wicca beliefs and suspense. The twists and turns that keep the reader guessing to the end. And above all the romantic element that is the main thread all along the story.

Check out the next stop of this Book Hop and visit Cami Skiba and who talks about her project, Born in Sin

and

Ella Medler as she talks about her book, Eternal Island. 

 Make sure to check out these great reads!