Guest Post by Mayra Calvani + Giveaway!

Filed in Giveaways , Guest Post , Mayra Calvini , The Latin Lover Posted on October 24, 2011 @ 10:00 am 8 comments
We are very happy to welcome author Mayra Calvani here at Book Lovers Inc today. Her new novel, Seduced by the Shadows was released this month and she is here today to celebrate her release- BIG time. She has two free reads to share with you all and one lucky commenter will even win an ebook copy of her new book. Please give Mayra a warm welcome.

“On the Release of My Novel, Embraced by the Shadows”

Embraced by the Shadows was just released two weeks ago. But the funny thing is, I wrote the book back in the 90’s and it was previously published with a different title and cover. So this is the new revised version that has come out.
The release of this novel feels kind of strange, because my writing has evolved and changed a lot during the past decade. And I’m glad it has, of course. I want to be one of those writers who grow and evolve and change with time. But the revision process was frustrating because I wanted to edit and change everything! After being discouraged for quite some time, and following my publisher’s advice, I decided to only polish the absolute necessary and leave the original voice and style.
But when you ask me about the inspiration for the book, I must move back in time, not only to the 90’s but to my childhood.

Ever since my early teens, I’ve always been attracted to the supernatural. I loved reading anything having to do with ghosts, vampires and witches. At a younger age I also watched all those old films in black and white about werewolves and mummies. Then came Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee. I really don’t know when or how it all turned into obsessive fascination. But somehow it did. The turning point was in 1986 when I read The Vampire Lestat, by Anne Rice. The book took my breath away. I was writing other things at the time, but after reading this book I knew I had to write a vampire novel. Around this time I also watched Ford Coppola’s Dracula. The set, the music, Dracula’s obsessive love for this woman… I was spellbound. I was living in Turkey then. As soon as I moved to Belgium that same year, I started writing the novel. That’s pretty much how Embraced by the Shadows came about.

I see this novel as a dark, eccentric and even weird book about vampires who transcend gender. The novel is also about obsessive, destructive relationships and the power of one individual to mesmerize another. One thing I should point out, it is not a paranormal romance; it is a mainstream story.

Thank you, Stella, for having me on your blog today!

To celebrate the release of my novel, I’m giving away two of my other books for free. This offer will run until Halloween night only. Of course, I hope they’ll consider supporting my work by purchasing a copy of Embraced by the Shadows, but if for whatever reason they decide not to, the two free ebooks are still theirs to download. This is my Halloween gift to them!

The FREE ebooks I’m giving away are: Dark Lullaby and Cat Cellar and Other Stories and they’re available in various formats on Smashwords:

I’d also like to invite readers to visit my website at www.mayracalvani.com and join my mailing list! Those who sign up will receive my free ebook, Reviewers Talk about Their Craft and the first lesson from my Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Workshop.

Happy reading and happy Halloween!

About the Author: 

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. A reviewer for over a decade, she now offers online reviewing workshops. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

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Giveaway

Mayra has offered an ebook copy of Embraced by the Shadows to a lucky commenter!

All you have to do is leave a comment or a question for Mayra
(You can read our full giveaway policy here)
Please leave us a way to contact you.
(Email or twitter name – no way to contact you – no entry).
This giveaway is open worldwide!
Giveaway ends on 5 November and we will announce the winner on Sunday.
Good luck!
Copyright 2010-11 Book Lovers Inc.

About Caro The HEA Lover


Caroline is a HEA loving, yarn addicted French who's desperately hoping to get a HEA of her own. If she's not reading then she can be found knitting while listening to Audiobooks or watching Tv shows. Her secret addiction is reading websites that make fun at other people's expense (DYAC, Failbook)! Caroline also blogs at the Secret HEA Society with Susi.

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8 Comments

Join the Discussion
  • Mayra Calvani October 24, 2011 at 10:24 am

    Thanks so much for hosting me!

    I love your blog's template, by the way.

    Happy Halloween!

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  • Aurian October 24, 2011 at 11:43 am

    Hi Mayra, thanks for the post, very interesting to read. You sure are a globetrotter! I haven't come across your books before, so I would like to win this one to try it out 😉

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  • Arianne Cruz October 24, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Interesting cover. Did you get to pick it yourself? 🙂
    email: cruz042 at csusm dot edu

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  • Mayra Calvani October 24, 2011 at 1:48 pm

    Actually, yes, I had a lot to do with the cover. The first one the artist did was horrible–or at least, I thought it was. So I let her know what I had in mind and, luckily, she was very gracious.

    Hi, Aurian–hey, I recognize your avatar! I saw it on some other blog today. Can't remember which one. LOL. But it got my attention because I thought it was nice.

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  • Aurian October 24, 2011 at 2:14 pm

    Thanks Mayra, I've had it for some years now, as I love witches I googled for witches pictures, and fell for this one. Later, when re-watching Charmed, I recognized it. This is Phoebe, in the episode with their ancestor, when she flies on a broom to scare their followers.

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  • Tore October 25, 2011 at 8:04 am

    I really want to read your book. It sounds very good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  • Donna M. McDine October 25, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    Stella:

    Thank you for hosting Mayra. Your time is greatly appreciated.

    Best regards,
    Donna

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  • Yto October 29, 2011 at 11:37 am

    i would love to read the revised version og the book.
    i totally understand the feeling of wanting to change everything. my writing style changed over the years too and when i look at the stuff that i wrote in my teens i am totally embarassed ^^

    witchvela at web dot de

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