Over this SATURDAY COFFEE I have Invited The Author Carmen Stefanescu of Shadows of the Past for an Interview as a part of BLOG TOUR. (Check out the review HERE).For The Giveaway Of this book click HERE, 3 winners will be chosen!! HURRY!!
1. ME: What inspired you to be a writer? And tell us about your other published works.
2. ME: In your book ‘Shadows of the Past’, Wiccan people and their practices are beautifully etched. Do you have personal connections with them? Any personal experience with such practice, if so then please share.
3: ME: What was the author's favourite part of ‘Shadows of the past’, any special memory of writing that part?
4. ME: Anne and Genevieve are same in many ways yet different. How are they the same/different from you?
5. ME: Do you believe in ghosts? Why?
7. ME: You are from Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula. Any planning of including him in your book? Also tell us about your next project.
8. ME: I am going to give you a name/word & you have to describe them in one word/few words.
9. ME: Thank you Carmen for stopping over Saturday Coffee for my blog. Shadows of the Past is an amazing book which certainly gave me chills and can’t wait to read your next work but before leaving, give us your favourite quote from your book.
"Genevieve wrapped the dark mantle covering her shoulders more tightly around her and swallowed her fears as they began the cautious ride through the silent forest, through the silent night, enveloped by their own silent guilt.
ME: Hello
Carmen, it's a pleasure to have you over Saturday Coffee, How would you like
your Coffee?
Carmen Stefanescu: I must thank you for being so
kind and hosting me and my Giveaway! As about coffee, I like my coffee hot and black.
No sugar, no cream. I can't start my day without a large mug of strong coffee.
It's my only addiction beside reading, writing and playing computer games.
1. ME: What inspired you to be a writer? And tell us about your other published works.
Carmen
Stefanescu: Deep in my heart I always dreamed to become a writer.
Since I was a child. And the writer who, in fact, inspired me at first was
Agatha Christie and her well crafted mystery novels.
I started writing short satirical
poems as a student. Then short -stories. All were in my native tongue Romanian,
as you know I am not a native English speaker. I lived all my life in Romania, known
to many as Dracula's country. 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. Poems in English, first. Some of them were selected
for a collection of contemporary English poems, Muse Whispers, and were
published in 2001 and 2002. Now novels.
2. ME: In your book ‘Shadows of the Past’, Wiccan people and their practices are beautifully etched. Do you have personal connections with them? Any personal experience with such practice, if so then please share.
Carmen
Stefanescu: Not at all. I only read and did a thorough
research about Wicca and their beliefs. An interesting thing anyway, be it fate
or not, the submission editor, the one who accepted the manuscript was a Wiccan.
And now, among the friendly ladies who host me on this tour is another one. I believe
in the freedom of other people's beliefs and as long as they harm no one, I
respect them. "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will" as the Wicca will say.
3: ME: What was the author's favourite part of ‘Shadows of the past’, any special memory of writing that part?
Carmen
Stefanescu: I liked writing the whole story, but as you ask
this I think that writing about Genevieve was my favorite part. I have an
attraction for tragically evolving characters. I remember waking up in the
morning with new ideas buzzing in my mind regarding this heart-rending
character.
4. ME: Anne and Genevieve are same in many ways yet different. How are they the same/different from you?
Carmen
Stefanescu: In
fact, I can say that all my feminine characters share a small part of myself:
feelings, thoughts. Sometimes things I did or I would have liked to do. I like
to interject real facts into my stories.
5. ME: Do you believe in ghosts? Why?
Carmen
Stefanescu: Yes, 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.
6. ME: Do
you have a specific writing style or a genre?
Carmen Stefanescu: I am
attracted by paranormal stories. Both reading and writing them. Not vampires,
but ghosts, reincarnation, karmic retribution. I believe that our soul is
immortal. Should it be my fear of the eternity of nothingness? May be! I can't
really say.
The mystery genre appeals
to me, too, and I’d like to write a mystery novel with elements of paranormal.7. ME: You are from Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula. Any planning of including him in your book? Also tell us about your next project.
Carmen
Stefanescu: Absolutely. I have just signed the contract for my next
novel Dracula's Mistress. It’s linked to Vlad the Impaler’s life. Again,
the Middle Ages, but this time in Romania. There are many books on
Vlad, written by foreigners who focus on the “vampire” idea, and I think it’s
time for one of his country people to show what historical, political and
social circumstances led to his being nicknamed Dracula.
8. ME: I am going to give you a name/word & you have to describe them in one word/few words.
Carmen
Stefanescu: Sure
a)Ghosts: wandering spirits, poltergeist
b)Romania: my home
c) Genevieve: loss, tragedy, unfulfilled love
d)Anne: determination, honesty
e)Love: elusive goddess
f)Black magic: evil thing, curse
a)Ghosts: wandering spirits, poltergeist
b)Romania: my home
c) Genevieve: loss, tragedy, unfulfilled love
d)Anne: determination, honesty
e)Love: elusive goddess
f)Black magic: evil thing, curse
9. ME: Thank you Carmen for stopping over Saturday Coffee for my blog. Shadows of the Past is an amazing book which certainly gave me chills and can’t wait to read your next work but before leaving, give us your favourite quote from your book.
Carmen
Stefanescu: As you have already posted one in the lovely review you
made for Shadows of the Past, I will give you another:
"Genevieve wrapped the dark mantle covering her shoulders more tightly around her and swallowed her fears as they began the cautious ride through the silent forest, through the silent night, enveloped by their own silent guilt.
or,
"People have vivid imaginations
when it comes to describing something they don’t really understand.”
And thank you for being a part of my book tour!
_____________________________________________________________________
About the Author:
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.
English
teacher 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 dreamt 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.
Find the Author
___________________________________________________________________
I really enjoyed the interview. It is always fun when the interviewer has read the book. I have Carmen's Book on my TBR pile and this interview makes me want to read it even more.
ReplyDeleteWe are hosting Carmen tomorrow @ http://4covert2overt.blogspot.com/ and I am also interviewing @ http://thebridgeofdeaths.tumblr.com/
Thanks again for the lovely interview...I can just smell the coffee.
Catalina Egan
Thanks Catalina Egan,
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely visit tomorrow!!! :)
I wish I could serve coffee as well... :)
XX
Ankita
Thank you, Ankita for the huge helping hand you've offered me with the Givewaway and book tour!
ReplyDeleteThough we've never physically known each other, you prove a real friend!
Best regards and hugs,
Carmen
Hey Carmen,
ReplyDeleteIt is an absolute pleasure knowing you,
And I enjoyed the journey myself :)...
Best for your current and next book,
I am Glad you see a friend in me, Reading sure helps meeting wonderful people Like you :)
Hugs
Ankita
Another great interview Carmen!
ReplyDelete