Today, I'm hosting bestselling Romance author, Carmen DeSousa.
But don't forget to enter the Books-a-Fire Giveaway ~ it ends November 17th! Just click the link on the sidebar and enter to win a Kindle Paperwhite!
Also, scroll down to pick up Carmen's book, She Belongs to Me, for FREE November 15/16 WOW
Entangled Dreams
By
Carmen DeSousa
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: September 2012
Digital ISBN 13: 978-1-4524739-7-0 ISBN 10:1-4-524-7397-8
Print ISBN 13: 978-0-615-68919-7 ISBN 10:061568919
Purchase link : www.5princebooks.com/buy.htm
Entangled Dreams
When Alexandra Nicole was eight, she thought she was a
princess in a fairytale. But after a tragic accident shatters her magical life,
she finds herself in a cold and heartless reality.
As an adult, she once again faces harsh truths and decides
to take control of her destiny. Unfortunately, choices have a way of entangling
her dreams and pushing her down a dark and dismal path.
Alexandra must trust her instincts to escape danger, but be
able to surrender all to find her happily ever after. Knowing how to decipher
the difference, will be her toughest challenge.
About Carmen
DeSousa:
While
Carmen DeSousa does not write "Christian" books, she does share her
characters' Christian beliefs. Her characters are real people who come with
real flaws; no perfect people allowed.
She
characterizes her stories as modern-day fairytales, as they are overflowing
with romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would
a fairytale be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of her novels are
sensual, but not erotic, gripping but not graphic and will hopefully make you
cry, laugh, love, and hope.
Both of
her published novels, She
Belongs to Me and Land
of the Noonday Sun, have reached bestseller status right
alongside Nicholas Sparks, J.D. Robb, and other great authors.
WOW ~ CARMEN HAS LISTED SHE BELONGS TO ME, FREE, TODAY AND TOMORROW ~ GET IT WHILE YOU CAN, FOLKS!
Author Contact Info:
Website
Excerpt from
Entangled Dreams:
As a child, Alexandra Nicole was a princess in a fairytale.
Her royal family would spend every Sunday on the pristine beaches of Destin
together. Her father, the king, would carry her on his shoulders, pretending to
be her noble steed as he pranced around at her behest. He would battle dragons,
the vicious Chihuahua that chased them; conquer new worlds, also known as a
sand dune further down the beach; and build elaborate castles, well actually,
sandcastles.
If her father was the king, then her mother was most
definitely the queen. She would laugh softly under her umbrella as she watched
Alexandra and her father roll in the gentle surf. When her mother did venture
into the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico, her long, platinum hair
would blow softly in the breeze, her blue eyes sparkled like the water below
her, and her skin glistened from the ever-present sunshine in their lives.
But alas, as in any good fairytale, everything good and
wonderful must come to an end.
After the tragic accident that snatched her mother away from
Alexandra, her father moved them away from the beaches of Destin to another
beach in Florida. Cocoa Beach.
Cocoa Beach was loud, the water murky, and there were no
weekend adventures as there had been in Destin.
Her father married her evil stepmother, Lilith, who
Alexandra was certain was a witch with her long, black as midnight hair and
pale-white skin as if she’d never seen sunlight. Her father had admitted he
wasn’t in love with Cruella, as she had come to think of the witchy woman, but
that he’d wanted Alexandra to have a mother and siblings.
Well, she definitely got that.
The king started staying out later and later at night, and
the princess had to do excessive amounts of chores around her new castle. Her
stepmother treated her like a pariah; certainly, she’d rather have the dogs at
their dinner table. Her stepsisters were ugly inside and out and were forever
jealous of Alexandra and her golden-blonde tresses. Anything nice Alexandra
ever received mysteriously disappeared.
Alexandra knew something was wrong with her father, but she
was too young to understand. Her father, forever the happy-go-lucky guy, had
turned to drinking to drown his troubles.
It sounds like your typical fairytale, but it isn’t. There
are no furry creatures to help the princess prepare a gown for the prom, no
fairy godmother to waive her magic wand and produce glass slippers. In fact, at
age sixteen Alexandra found herself living on her own with no family contact
and no prospects of a healthy, normal life.
Alexandra had only one advantage, if you could call it that.
Alexandra was beautiful. But so far, her beauty had not opened any doors;
actually, it had only caused her misery.
The only
people who welcomed Alexandra were the outcasts. The parents of other losers in
school fortunately didn’t care who slept over and what they did when they
stayed the night. So, Alexandra Nicole, now deciding to go by Nicky, as she was
no longer a princess, found herself wandering from house to house throughout
her remaining high school years.
And then
she met him…
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
I love being able to create characters that reach into a
reader’s soul, making them feel as if they are living and breathing
individuals.
What genre(s) do you write?
Short answer: Romantic-Suspense
Long answer: I characterize my stories as modern-day
fairytales, as they are overflowing with romance, mystery, suspense, and of
course, tragedy. After all, what would a fairytale be without a tragic event
setting the stage? All of my novels are sensual, but not erotic, gripping but
not graphic and will hopefully make you cry, laugh, love, and hope.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Ending it. I fall in love with my characters and don’t want
to let them go. I end up having to trim away scenes, so my stories won’t be too
long.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
A pantser without a doubt. Even when I write a whodunit, I’m
not sure who did it until the end. J
Why do you think people should choose your books over
another author?
For years, I watched as writers felt in order to tell a
story they had to shock their readers with graphic scenes. My goal is to take
you to the precipice in all areas of my writing. My stories do have violence
and sex as they are a part of life, but I leave the best parts to your
imagination, as I believe most readers have marvelous imaginations. That’s why
they read.
What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of
your stories?
Above all, love and hope. My stories are about overcoming
adversity and finding a way to live again.
How long have you been a writer?
My entire life, but I decided to see publication in 2010.
How much time did it take from writing your first book to
having it published?
Approximately eighteen months.
What other careers have you had?
Sales and marketing for fifteen years. Editing ten years.
Are any of your characters based on real people or events?
Yes, but I won’t tell you which book or characters.
What books or authors have most influenced your life?
Sidney Sheldon
Iris Johansen
Nicholas Sparks
Jaime Rush
How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or
writing venture in general?
Shocked the heck out of the ones I told. I kept it a secret
for two years until I decided to publish. Yep, even my husband didn’t know.
Where are you from?
Florida native.
How do you come up with the titles?
Usually from a line in the novel that best describes the
story.
Has your life changed significantly since becoming a
published writer?
Not really. I’m still me.
Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
Multi-task without a doubt. I have three in the stage of
editing at the moment, and I’m writing two.
When not writing, how do you relax?
Is this a rhetorical question? Read, of course. J
I have two follow up novels my readers might be interested
in.
Split Decisions is the follow up to She Belongs to Me
When Noonday Ends
is the follow up to Land of the Noonday
Sun
Love Like Crazy is
my first young adult, which I believe adult readers will still enjoy.
6 comments:
You have a YA book you're working on? Hurry up so I can buy it for my sisters(and myself)!
Great interview. Always love reading about your work :)
Thanks, Christine. It's finished, but as you know, the editing is what takes forever... LOL! You'll be the first to know. Oh, wait...I think I told Jessica she'd be the first, so you'll be second. :)
Thank you, Ann, for such a wonderful layout. I appreciate you taking the time to host me. :)
You are very welcome, Carmen. You've done the same for me, and more!
Another awesome interview with one of my favorite authors, person, friend and all around great lady. Thank you for sharing Carmen with us Ann❤❤ her books are of the charts... I have one more to read from this fabulous author. I know she working on another masterpiece for us.. Can't wait.
Thanks for stopping by, Kim. I agree, she is one awesome author!
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