Review: (preview) Wormwood

Content From: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/08/wormwood-dh-nevins.html
8-01-2011

I NEVER do this! I NEVER give a review for a book that I haven't read from cover to cover, however; I am going to give you all a heads up about a book I think will be the next BIG thing! 

Wormwood is a post-apocalyptic novel by D.H. Nevins.
I happened across D.H. Nevins website thanks to Twitter. While I have perused many a websites and never been tempted to hang around long, I can safely say that Ms. Nevins held me captive for quite some time as I read through the first five chapters of her post apocalyptic tale, Wormwood. I read often, turning the pages of several books a week, and not since I picked up The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, have I been so enraptured by what I was reading! Ms. Nevins writing is sheer genius, well thought out, extremely well written, and polished to perfection. I have been left ready to beg for the next few chapters, the rest of the story, and sorry for the fact that I will have to wait to finish this amazing bit of fiction! Wormwood is a book I want on my shelf, in my collection, to be able to pick up and return to on a whim, and I have only read the first five chapters! I can only imagine the impact the rest of the book will have!

Wormwood is slated for release in Sept. 2011. September is going to be an extraordinary month indeed!
Do yourself a favor and go read the first five chapters, then wait patiently with the rest of us as we queue up for that Sept. release!

Wormwood Website
The Publish Wormwood Facebook Group
D.H. Nevins' Twitter

Back of the Book options that the author is trying to decide on (you can give your opinion on her website):

Option One:

Tiamat and his brothers, a legion of one hundred Nephilim, have orders to send all humans on to their final judgment. Yet in a moment of weakness, Tiamat risks his life to rescue a hiker named Kali from the very destruction that he initiated—a choice that thrusts Kali from the safety of her world into the boundless hell of his.

Set across the landscape of a freshly devastated Earth, Wormwood follows the intertwined paths of the high-ranking, but tormented half-angel named Tiamat, and Kali, a woman who will do almost anything to survive—even if it means facing a devastating truth.

Option Two:
 I always believed that I was nothing special. Now, after The Cleansing, I am left to wander the wasted landscape alone. Yet I am continually tormented by one of the Nephilim—a half-angel named Tiamat—who claims that I must stay alive to fulfil some purpose.

He risked his life to rescue mine; a seemingly virtuous deed. It also appears as though every task Tiamat is ordered to carry out tears at his soul; but how can I know if that’s true? How can I trust him, if he’s the very one that destroyed this planet in the first place? 

Kali, thrust from the surety of her world into the boundless hell of Tiamat’s, must try to find a way to survive in the Earth’s vast, devastated landscape. Plagued by a legion of Nephilim bent on sending her on, she is forced to trust the one being that could prove to be her greatest enemy.

Review: Being

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/07/being-by-tr-mousner.html
7-29-2011

Back of the Book: For elite extraterrestrial pilot EBN-Reyoz-X, awaiting rescue while hiding out in a trailer park is a grueling nightmare. She’s injured, lacks proper supplies and can’t blend in with the indigenous population because she’s seven feet tall and can’t control the trail of wildflowers blooming in the wake of her footsteps. She’s unprepared to begin sexual maturity in the alien land and when she develops feelings for Shale, the mute teenage boy next door, she’s convinced circumstances can get no worse.
Except rescue never comes and once word spreads that her touch holds miraculous healing abilities, EBN must find a way to fix her ship, evade capture by the United States Air Force and survive long enough to return home. 

I enjoyed EBN's story. It took me a little bit to get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. 
The author, T.R. Mousner, put a lot of thought into the other worlds that she describes in this book. Not only that, but her description of Erox (Earth) through an alien's eyes was pretty nifty too! The aliens have their own language, or more to the point their own words they use for things like miles/kilometers and solar cycles. It was a very creative addition to the story, however; I find too many fictional words to be slightly off-putting when I read. It slows me down, as I have to either interpret the meaning or remember what something was supposed to convey. While I hate being slowed down, I also understood their use. Despite my own personal pet peeve for fictional word usage, I found the story to be engaging, entertaining, and even educational.

This is not just another pretty and entertaining story, it also tackles several issues, from pollution and global warming to bullying, and they are seen both through human and alien eyes. It was interesting to see how someone not of our world would react to how we care (or don't care) for our planet and each other. T.R. Mousner did an excellent job looking from the outside in at our various human failings!

If you love Sci-fi/Fantasy books about alien invasions - buy this book! It is definitely a fresh take on the topic and one that you will enjoy reading. T.R. Mousner's imagination is obviously boundless,  so I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

You can find out more about T.R. Mousner and read some pretty interesting things on her blog!

Review: Killer Temptations

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/07/killer-temptations.html
7-23-2011

Let me start with the age warning. This is an erotica novel, ages 18 and up only.

With that out of the way, let me also say, I don't normally read erotica. To me "erotica" means one big sex story tied together with a loose plot. 

Killer Temptations is not your typical erotica. The story was phenomenal. We've all been in some deep dark places in our lives and this book explores the "what if" side to a person's desperation. What if you were made an offer you couldn't refuse, when you needed it most?

Danity O'Shae doesn't skimp on the detail, nor does she shy away from building her characters, or setting the scene. There are no shortcuts. I found myself truly involved with the characters, something I didn't think would happen from a book in this genre. 

While the book ties up the loose ends, I still want to know more. What happens to the characters in the long run? You know that you've just read a good book when you still care about what is going to happen to the characters long after that last page has turned.

Danity O'Shae has a very clean writing style that seduces the reader further into the tale, until you are completely enthralled as the pages continue to turn! Killer Temptations was a great read that may have just turned me on to a little more erotica in my life! If you already read in the genre, then this one will be a treat!

Review: Molly September

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/07/molly-september-by-maggie-secara.html
7-20-2011
I've always had a fascination with Pirates. I loved to play a swashbuckling maiden as a child - the princess in me loved the dresses and the tomboy in me loved the swords and guns. I was even known to dress the part for Pirate Week when I lived in Key West, FL. Imagine then, my pleasant surprise when the novel, Molly September, fell into my lap for review. 

I was at once swept away with Molly, the beautiful redhead with a taste for adventure.  I turned the pages and sat faithfully by waiting for Molly to be rescued from her dull and boring life, having been all but sold off to a foppish man rumored to have killed his last wife. Then Dick Prentiss whisked into her world,  dazzled her with the promise of adventure, and together they set sail on a privateering adventure the likes of which I never could have dreamed, but was oh so glad to have enjoyed through this book!

Steamy scenes, swordplay, and drunken folly abound in Molly September. I laughed, I cried, and laughed some more. Maggie Secara set in place a fabulous world based on historical elements and places laced with fantastical adventures and heartening romance. Her book has quickly risen to my favorites shelf, where it shall remain, well worn for its many reads!

If you enjoy adventure on the high seas, a little bit of romance, and a lot of fantastic characters in your books, then you simply must go pick up a copy of Molly September! And while you're at it, go say hello to Mrs. Secara, because anyone who can transport me ship-side on such a believable privateering journey deserves a personal hello along with the purchase of her wonderful novel! 

You can find Maggie Secara at The Literary Underground, Twitter, or Facebook!  

Review: Wither

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/07/wither-lauren-destefano.html
7-05-2011

Wither - Book one of The Chemical Gardens Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano

From the Book Jacket:
What if you knew exactly when you would die?
Thanks to modern science, every newborn has become a ticking genetic time bomb - males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.
When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and priviledge. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape - to find her twin brother and go home. 
But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant she is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

                                                                                ****

I've been wanting to read this book for some time and this week it was handed to me in a store - a present from a friend. I do love presents! So, of course as all children do with their new found toys, I ignored everything else until I was finished devouring this book. 

Wither is told from the first person perspective of Rhine Ellery. At 16 she is taken by the Gatherers and forced to become a wife, along with two other girls (ages 18 and 13). Throughout the story you hear what life was like for Rhine and her twin brother after their parents are killed and you begin to wonder if her new life - the one where she is kidnapped and forced to marry against her will - is actually better than the one she was living. You almost think that, and then through Rhine you realize everything in her new life is just an illusion and what lies beneath is too scary to contemplate. 

I was completely enamored with the characters and their plights. From the dying Rose to the little girl Cecily who wanted to be a wife and mother so bad to Jenna, the girl who simply waited to die, you are drawn into these characters through Rhine. They are the story as much as the main character is. Through them you understand what it must be like to be so young and yet nearing the end of your life span. 

The world Lauren DeStefano has created is so disturbing you want to look away, and yet you can't because you become invested in her characters. They are so real in their flaws, hopes, dreams, and despair. It's not just the characters themselves that captivate. It's the world with all its illusions and the seemingly broken planet that is possibly waiting for humanity to die off that draw you in and demand a little of your attention along the way too. This book simply leaves you at a point where you can be hopeful for some of the characters and at the same time wonder what if?

I am personally hoping that my "what ifs" are answered soon with the second book in the trilogy, Fever. Apparently, I will be waiting until February 2012 though. ~SIGH!

More information about The Chemical Gardens Trilogy can be obtained HERE!

Review: On Dark Paths

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/07/on-dark-paths-andrew-kincaid.html
7-01-2011

On Dark Paths is a collection of thirteen short stories, by Andrew Kincaid, that will send chills up your spine.
Here is the Product Description:Now and then a person brushes up against something they can't explain, something so far outside the norm that in a sane world it ought not exist. Enclosed here are thirteen stories about this unholy interaction of the Mundane and the world Beyond:

- A mysterious stranger and horrible sounds from the night give the briefest glimpse into the horrors "Beyond the Veil"

- Is it merely a dream? Or is it a horrific glimpse into Outer Darkness? "Plop!"

- A mysterious video wends its way through the digital world, leaving nothing but madness and destruction in its wake in "...And the Truth Shall Make You Free " 

"Where the Darkest of Dark Things Dwell" - Sometimes it isn't the monster outside that gets you. Sometimes it's the one inside.

- A modern day Frankenstein learns the price of hubris in "Murphy's Law"

- Nothing can save you now. You've been bitten... in "The Bite"

-A sleepy little mining town conceals a horrible truth beneath its feet in "Benton's Station"

-The nighttime fancies of childhood sometimes turn out to be all too real in "It Came At Midnight"

- A paranormal enthusiast gets much more than he bargained for in "Death At a Train Crossing"

- It lurks in the woods. Watching. Waiting. What is it? No one knows. "The Thing That Smiles"

- An eccentric author receives a pair of strange visitors one rainy night in "Black Eyed Kids"

- A mysterious box reveals Everything...but for a price... in "The Spirit Box"

- A journalist learns the truth about a devastating plague that has swept the world in "Pandemic Hysteria"

There you have it. Thirteen stories to chill the blood. Thirteen stories that lay bear the strange reaches of our world and the dark ways beyond it.

Won't you walk with me On Dark Paths?

I took Andrew up on his offer and started On Dark Paths in a darkened room and quickly regretted it, especially when something literally scratched the wall outside my house. Luckily, it wasn't the same dark creepy thing from Andrew's first story, "Beyond the Veil."  It did however send me off into an uneasy sleep. I left the rest of the thirteen stories for daylight hours. Who's a big scaredy cat? Not me! Well, okay, maybe just a little, but I blame Andrew for his incredible writing skills. After all, those were his words that pulled me in and made me believe for a minute that something was out to get me. *Looks around worriedly* maybe it still is... night is closing in and I ... well damn, I'm terrified! There, I said it! Don't judge - till you read On Dark Paths for yourself.

In all seriousness, I really enjoyed the short stories in this book.  They were a welcome change from the books I have been reading, with the light and fluffy almost bad guys. These short stories took me away for a quick trip into another reality and deposited me back, firmly in my favorite reading spot shivering and shaking, wondering what that noise was. Should you pick the book up know that as you sit wondering if you should get up and check on the noise or run and hide, you can thank Andrew Kincaid for scaring you stupid!  This is a fantastic collection of short horror stories that will delight, scare, and enthrall you until you finish the final thirteenth tale. Of course there would be 13!  Go pick the book up. The great thing about short stories is that you can read one and recover before continuing to scare yourself senseless.   

*This review was featured in The ShriekFreak.com Daily.

Review: Eden

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/06/eden-matthew-c-plourde.html
6-28-2011


Product Description: "... the last days are not unfolding exactly as written, but make no mistake - Heaven and Hell have fallen to Earth."

When an earthquake plunges the world into darkness, Alexandra Contreras struggles for survival and seeks answers. Guided by a mysterious, scarred man, she braves the wasteland in search of humanity's mythical birthplace: Eden. Once confronted with her tragic destiny, she must make a decision which will alter the fate of the world.

Before I start this review, I have to say, this is the second book I have read in a month's time that has mentioned The Book of Enoch. After reading this fantastic novel, I am also beginning to think maybe someone is trying to send me a message!  ;)

In all honesty, I wasn't sure I would like Eden. I glimpsed a few reviews before sitting down with the book to get a better feel for it, because I didn't really get a lot from the product description. Upon scanning a few Amazon reviews I quickly realized this was going to be a highly religious / religion based book and I just wasn't sure I was up for the read.

I must say though, from the moment I picked Eden up and was immersed in Alexandra Contreras's world I was enthralled and there was no going back. The book begins firmly in the midst of an apocalypse and follows Alexandra and others through their journey to Eden. Both heaven and hell have fallen to Earth making the journey there difficult. 

The characters, the survivors, are astounding in their detail. They are so amazing, in fact, that you forget they are fictional. The characters, their interactions, discoveries, love, and endurance keep you in this book as much as the constant adventure of surviving an apocalypse. Be prepared to sit and read and read and read until you finish this book, because it literally demands your attention.

Eden is absolutely a fantasy novel, and while it is wrapped around and soaked in religion/ religious stories it was never preachy. Everything had its place within the story. This is a book that will make you think, question, and wonder. Those are the stories that stick with you over time, when other works of fiction are long forgotten. Eden will stay with me, just as The Celestine Prophecies did after reading it many years ago. Any work of fiction that can make you want to research more, know more, and believe more all while entertaining you deserves a place on your book shelf - be it the furniture variety or an electronic one. 

One last note: I will definitely be reading / reviewing Matthew C. Plourde's other book, The Antaran Legacy: Book 1very soon! His writing style and ability to create phenomenal characters have me certain that I will love whatever he comes up with next!

Review: Corona

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/06/corona-mj-heiser.html
6-24-2011

This is an amazing fantasy story that will draw you in and make you a part of the world of Jaenrye. While I had a little trouble getting into this book at first (due in part to many distractions outside the book), I stuck around long enough to be captivated by the story that was being told. The first thing that grips you about this book is the sheer volume of its cast. The characters themselves, while in large quantity, were not lacking in quality at all. As the words flowed from the pages I could feel the essence of each character as they were diligently described. Beyond the physical, their personalities shone through as if the Dim had never settled over Jaenrye, that is to say they burned brightly!

The descriptions of the world were painted as vividly as the characters were. I felt myself seated at the Crown and Staff in the town of Ellerdag talking to Jimbo as he pulled my ale from the tap. I sang with the Bohemians in Falcon's Cay as the bard played for them, and then... well you will have to immerse yourself in the book to find out what happens next, just know that M.J. Heiser is such a crafty writer you will experience every bit of this story right alongside her characters.

Aside from the interesting characters, Corona touches on creation in a unique way, reminiscent of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart series, but with its own twist. The themes of creation and belief that run throughout this book allow for an in depth look at the vast differences in beliefs that shadow our own world and how those views may affect the characters and their outcomes, thus making this story just as thought provoking as it was entertaining. 

When you find yourself ready for an adventure, settle down some place quiet and kick back with Corona. M.J. Heiserwill not disappoint you! When you reach the last pages of Corona and find yourself saddened that the end has come so fast, be heartened by the fact that more adventures await you with Canticle, the next book in The Chronicles of Jaenrye.

Review: My Life With a Blond

Content from:
6-15-2011

Have you ever looked at your family and thought to yourself, “this can't be happening,” or “only in my family!” Well, think again! Take a walk on the blond side with Jax Hix as she guides you through an hilarious tour of the often clueless, very blond antics of her family. Chronicles of My Life With a Blond will have you laughing out loud as you read, and maybe even thinking, “I'm not alone!”

I took it slow and spent a few days getting to know the quirky family in the book and laughing as they managed to bumble through life with some unexpected consequences. After reading it I immediately knew that this would be a favorite book to tuck away and break out for some light reading here and there when I need a laughter pick-me-up!

One section of the book starts out:
Blonde-Spouse, "I think I'll change that bulb in the bedroom light fixture..."

Can you see where this is headed? It ends with:
Being married to a walking blonde joke: definitely priceless frustration.

You have to go read the book to find out what happens in-between!

Chronicles of My Life With a Blond is a must read for anyone who has lost their sense of humor with their own family! When you find yourself thinking, “it really can't get any worse,” Jax Hix is there to tell you that when you are married to a blond - it really can!  And all you can do is sit back and laugh about it later!

Treat yourself to a smile and go grab a copy of this fantastically funny trip into the life of a brunette struggling to live blonds!

Review: An Apple For Zoe

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/06/review-of-an-apple-for-zo.html
6-13-2011


I loved this story! It is truly unlike anything else out there right now. The author, Thomas Amo, has woven history with present day paranormal mystery in a superb thrill ride that keeps you guessing right up till the end and then beyond.

The story follows Inspector Thomas James from his first romance at age 14 through a series of bizarre murders that seem to be copy cats of some of the most notorious murders committed through history. At every turn in the case things seem to go from strange to beyond believable and just when the characters are questioning their sanity it gets worse!

This was an amazing, intense read that kept me wanting more and wondering where everything was going. There were points in the plot that were obvious, and at the same time those obvious plot points lead to something I totally didn't see coming.

An Apple For Zoë was a refreshingly interesting and totally different story than anything I have read in a long time. If you're looking for something new to break up the monotony of paranormal books that are all variations of the same thing then An Apple For Zoë is the book for you. I promise you, when you finish and put this book down you have a bazillion new questions going through your head while you wait, not so patiently, for the next book to come out!

And that's always a good thing!

*This review has been featured in The Indie Elf Gazette! 

Review: Saletti Blood: The Order / Author Interview with Vana V

Content from: http://www.moonlitdreams.org/3/post/2011/06/review-of-saletti-blood-the-order-and-interview-with-vana-v.html
6-6-2011


Saletti Blood - The Order by Vanna V. is not my usual read, but I was intrigued by what the author presented. This is the product description from Amazon.com:

Ayana and Novella Lachlan are identical twin sisters, living in Italy with their mother and military stepfather.  Having never been separated their entire lives, they're forced to make the choice of staying together or going their separate ways when their mother decides to return to the United States.

Ayana, having met the Italian man of her dreams who happens to be the policeman she assaulted outside a nightclub, can't bear the idea of leaving him and chooses to remain in Italy. Novella, thinking that neither of them should stay, chooses to join their mother in Miami.  Ayana warns her not to go.

Paladio Hijuelos, fresh from a South American prison where he was beaten and tortured for three years, returns to Miami and finds the lovely and young Novella.  He can't help the obsession he has for her and begins to turn her entire world upside down.

Vincenzo Saletti, from a powerful and feared family in Italy, learns his baby brother is missing and must find what happened to him.  What he finds is a tragedy, and the wrong girl caught up in it.  Will his family give the order to end her life, or will they find a reason to spare her?

 Since I review so many YA books I feel the need to start out with a bit of warning for this book.

Saletti Blood - The Order starts out with a glimpse of 17 year old, beautiful, blond twins on their way back to Italy from the United States and a scene where the girls are partying with friends. Do not let that fool you! This is not a Young Adult book by any stretch of the imagination. This is 100 percent an adult book! There are some very graphic, brutally violent, and sexual scenes throughout its pages! This is a dramatic novel, so it's expected, but I wanted to throw the warning out there for my YA readers, I definitely rate this as a 16 and older book.

 With that being said, I was a little worried at first. The book jumps right into a 17 year old world. I wasn't sure I wanted to care about twin teen-aged girls, but before I knew it I had fallen in love with the characters. I fell for the depth of emotion that these twins had to go through as they were forced to make tough life choices based on their mother's unbalanced love life, the girls' love for each other, and the man who was hopelessly in love with one of them. And that was just the beginning.

As the girls went their separate ways my heartstrings were pulled, and I found myself hoping beyond hope that the characters would come out the other end alright, despite what was happening to them.

And then, there was a point half way through this book where I had to walk away. I hated the book in that moment! I hated the author for doing what she did! And I also knew immediately that I loved the book and praised Vana's ability to illicit such a strong response from me. When I can read the pages of a book and have to dry my eyes or check my rage towards a hated character I know the author has done their job and done it well. Vana V. definitely wrote pure emotion into her characters and it jumps off the page and right into your heart.

When I picked the book back up and finished reading it I was tossed right back into that roller coaster of drama you would expect from this type of book. I hoped, I feared, I wept, and I ordered a tall glass of vengeance right alongside the characters. If you love drama, you will love this book! It is both a heart-wrenching and heartwarming story of love, family bonds, and a tragic case of mistaken identity.

While reading the book I was in contact with the author, and I was very greatful for the opportunity to ask Vana some questions about herself and her first novel, Saletti Blood - The Order.

CHRISTINE: 
Saletti Blood – The Order is your first published book so many people will wonder just who is this Vana V?  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

VANA:
How to keep this answer short and interesting?  Hmmm…  I can start with the obvious.  I’m a military housewife and the mother of two beautiful girls, currently living along the central coast in sunny California.  If you ask where I’m originally from, it’s hard to say because I’ve lived all over the United States.  My father kept us on the move every year, so no place was truly ever home, though I did spend much of my childhood bouncing around Arizona.  Whenever I get homesick for a place, it’s Italy.  I spent many years there, where I experienced both the best and worst parts of my life.  Thus, came the inspiration for this particular book, which is going to be a three book series when I’m finished with it.

I have been reading novels since I was eleven, and started writing my own after being disappointed in the way I could already predict what was going to happen in the books I was buying.  I suppose that’s why Saletti Blood was so much fun for me to write.  I got to throw my readers off, writing scenes into the book that my readers weren’t expecting – especially the tragedy that you’d NEVER think to happen.  Just when you’re about to assume something, I throw something else at you and shake it up.

I write poetry, music lyrics, short stories, and now I’m publishing novels.

I love horseback riding, roller skating, karaoke (which may be why my neighbors have all moved away), and I used to enjoy jogging with my dogs until I became so consumed with Saletti Blood that I disappeared inside my office to write and haven’t been seen since!

CHRISTINE: 
What was your inspiration for this novel and the twin characters who inhabited its pages?

VANA:
My inspiration?  Well, let’s just say that I once read “a good author writes about what they know.”  Although this book is fiction and the characters are made up, there are some truths to this story – key things that I have experienced firsthand and have never been able to forget.  I was seventeen years old when I found myself at the mercy of a brutal man, and when I went to the one person who should have been there to protect me, let’s just say that she took HIS side.  It was the one moment in my life that I can never forget.  I had never felt more alone than I did then, and THAT very moment was what inspired this story.  The heartache in Saletti Blood is real, as well as the violent nature of the man Novella was hounded by.

Writing this story wasn’t just for me.  It was also for the young girls out there who are seventeen today (or around that age) and living in abusive relationships.  This story was something I thought might give them hope for something better.  We all have a Vincenzo Saletti waiting out there for us, somewhere.  And if not, it’s a damn good thought!

My inspiration for the twins?  We’ll say they’re both a reflection of my personalities.  There is a part of me who is strong – like Novella, and another part of me that has been weaker – like Ayana.  Writing twins into the story gave me more options to play with, and it was also a tribute to my own sister – who was “torn” from me for years on end (about fifteen total).  I had spent my entire childhood having a sister that I was forced to share a room with, and then suddenly – one day – she was gone.  My life changed then as I was moved to Italy.  Everything from that point on is what inspired this story.  It all began the day I stepped foot onto Italian soil, which is why Chapter One starts off with the twins landing in Italy.

CHRISTINE:
There were parts of this book that were really hard to read (very emotional), what was it like for you to write out the very abusive, violent portions of the book?

VANA:
Let’s just say alcohol would have helped, but I don’t drink!  It was extremely difficult.  There were times when I would be typing a scene with my headphones on, listening to Matt Goss’s “Change Me” song, and my teenage daughters would walk into the room and find me crying away.  I could barely type, but I had to continue on.  They’d just roll their eyes and call out, “Dad, she’s crying again!”  Then they’d tell me to stop writing my book because it was too upsetting.  I remember telling them, “It will all be worth it, some day.”  I guess that’s funny now, but a couple months ago, it was devastating to write some of the violence that I knew firsthand.  You relive the fear and the feeling of hopelessness, and it can really crush your spirit when you’re in that kind of situation.

I hope that I was able to paint a picture for the reader of what it’s like to be the victim in a situation like Novella’s.  If you find yourself crying for her – your heart aching for this young girl who has nowhere to go, then I have managed to do exactly what I set out to do.  I want you to feel her pain – to feel sympathetic toward her, and to feel a vengeance like no other for the man who is responsible for her tears.

CHRISTINE: 
I know that your character, Vincenzo Saletti, was inspired by actor Luke Goss, can you tell your readers a little about your celebrity crush?

VANA:
Hahaha…  Celebrity crush?  Never heard it put that way, but I suppose it’s fitting.  Truth is, Luke wasn’t even the face I first imagined for this character.  He has light hair and blue eyes – and an English accent, and your classic Italian man has darker features and black hair like my character Tomaso – and he speaks with an Italian accent.  My original Vincenzo character was more Italian, and I was having a difficult time trying to write the book while I had this darker character in mind.  It wasn’t going anywhere and I was quite frustrated with the whole story.

Then I was flipping the channels of the tv one night and found “Blade II” playing.  I’d always had a thing for the voice of Luke Goss, so I started watching the movie and just listening to his character’s lines.  The next day, I was watching “Hellboy II” and listening to his voice again, and watching the way his expressions moved with the emotion of his character.  I found myself on Netflix, ordering every movie he starred in and studying him for days on end.  I fell in love with him as an actor.  His eyes, his smile, the way he could wear a suit and take my breath away, but mostly his voice when it was filled with so much emotion…

I knew I was going about my book the wrong way.  I needed to put Luke Goss in the picture and rewrite the entire outline I’d worked so hard on.  Putting him into the book literally changed the entire story, but it was well worth the time and energy because it made a BETTER story than I ever could have imagined.

If you don’t fall in love with Vincenzo Saletti, you have no heart…

As for my own “celebrity crush” on Luke Goss, I admit it exists to a point.  I’d love to meet him one day and present my series to him.  After all, it was his eyes and smile that made this entire book possible.

CHRISTINE:
I admit I have a thing for strange socks!  I was instantly humored by the Sponge Bob sock reference.  Is this (strange sock love) a trait you share with your character, Novella?

VANA:
LOL, no!  In fact, I love my tiny white socks with nothing on them.  I don’t like any designs or colors.  However, my oldest daughter refuses to wear plain white socks.  You can open her drawer and find anything from Sponge Bob to Transformers!  I have no idea why she loves crazy socks, but it gave me the idea to throw that into the book.  After all, Vincenzo never knows what to expect from Novella, so it was just a little something more to humor the reader with – and to show she was still just a kid in the midst of all the drama she was forced to deal with.

CHRISTINE:
Do you have another novel in the works?  If so, tell us a little bit about it.

VANA:
I’m currently working on the sequel to Saletti Blood, but I can’t give too much away about it.  I can tell you that I am answering the few things that I never did (on purpose) in the first book.  I even bring in a rival who threatens to “destroy it all.”  His past is something that you’ll never expect, so the sequel is sure to have as much drama as the first.  I won’t disappoint the reader…

Once the Saletti Blood series are finished, I have a paranormal book that I’m planning to work on.  Did I mention that I am an avid ghost hunter?  Zak Bagans has nothing on me, LOL…

CHRISTINE:
If you could meet your own character, Novella, what advice would you give to her?

VANA:
 “Run, Forest, Run!”  Why do those words come to mind with a light laugh?

Seriously, what would I say to her?  I suppose I would commend her for keeping her head up through it all, for not giving up on her life when things couldn’t have gotten any worse.  I would tell her that “blood is not thicker than water” – that sometimes it’s okay to walk away and stand up for yourself.  I would praise her for telling Paladio off that night, even though it cost her a great deal of pain, and I would praise her for sacrificing her own selfishness to be there for Vincenzo when he needed her.

She had to grow up fast and cope with a lot – things that most adult women haven’t even been forced to deal with, so that’s something she should be proud of and I’d tell her so.  She’s a strong girl.  

More importantly, I would tell her to hold onto her man before I tried to take him away!  LOL…


I would like to take a moment to thank Vana, once again, for answering a few questions and to wish her the best of luck on writing the rest of her trilogy. Perhaps we should all chip in and ship her some Kleenex for the process!
If you love a good drama, and you're ready for that deep kind of read where you fall in love with the characters (or loathe them completely) and live through the real emotional struggles that they face (both good and bad), then you really need to grab this book. It's the little unassuming black book with the red writing that packs a very powerful punch once opened!


Vana V. can be found on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/LaPurisimaMission.GHOSTS?sk=wall