Saturday coffee Interview with Carmen Stefanescu

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!!

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

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!

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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

Goodreads | Website | Facebook

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