Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Pygmalia by Stephanie Constante: A Juniper Grove Book Tour

My distractions today include Stephanie Costante's  book "Pygmalia". Pygmalia is on tour so we all get the chance to know all about the story and its author.
Title:  Pygmalia
Author: Stephanie Constante
Published:  May 31, 2013
Word Count:  81000
Genre:  YA Sci-Fi Romance
Content Warning:  It contains scenes of a sexual nature, profanity, underage drinking, and graphic violence. 
Age Recommendation: 15+

Synopsis:
Lily is the heir to her father’s family fortune, except she wants no part in it. Especially if it means having to spend months away from her loving mother, being ignored by her genius, yet reclusive father, and tormented by her domineering grandmother.
Since her parent’s divorce, Lily has been forced to spend every summer, bored to death, at her father’s dilapidated estate in England. The one consolation is that this is the last summer she will have to visit before her eighteenth birthday frees her of this obligation. What Lily didn’t expect to find was someone who is just as lonely and out of place as she is. Someone that could make her actually want to stay at the rundown mansion.
Deep in the basement of her father’s home, she finds Adam, who is half human, half machine. He is her father’s latest prototype: a creation built for war, but able to do so much more than just basic fighting tactics and artillery protocol. Lily cannot help but be drawn to her father’s experiment, though she’s certain nothing can come of it. When she realizes that Adam will eventually be taken from her and potentially destroyed, she must decide whether putting her family in jeopardy is worth the risk of helping him escape.



About the Author:
Stephanie was born and raised in Miami where she currently works as a mental health counselor. In her spare time she loves to read, write, spend time with loved ones, travel, and watch anything made in the UK. Her other works include books one and two of The Draconi Series.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | GoodReads | Blog


Let's get to know Stephanie better with an interview.
Welcome to "Urania's distractions" Stephanie Constante. I think your readers already know a lot about you, but please share a short bio with us.

Hey there! My name is Stephanie and I currently work as a mental health counselor, but my real passion is writing. I’ve written a fantasy series about dragon shifters (Baptism of Fire, Incendio) and Pygmalia, a contemporary sci-fi novel. When I’m not reading or writing, I enjoy listening to music, watching British television programming, and visiting Disney World.

When did you discover your gift for writing?
 When I was little, I wrote a story about an alien who comes to our planet and kidnaps a boy to save his own. My fifth grade teacher asked me to type it out and she shared it with her colleagues. It was the first time I felt like what I wrote meant something to someone other than myself.

What personal need does writing cover for you?
It helps me escape. I deal with individuals on a daily basis who suffer from mental illnesses which doesn’t always make for an easy day. I like to delve into other worlds and get in the minds of other people. I went into psychology because I liked picking other people’s brains, which is funny because my characters live in my own so it’s a weird concept to pick my own mind when I write.

What kind of sacrifices have you made along the way?
I’ve sacrificed money and my social life. I wouldn’t say that it’s a sacrifice per say though. I feel that spending money on a beautiful cover is tantamount to someone else spending money on a pair of shoes or a new gadget. As for my social life, I have very supportive friends, and though I see them a lot less now that I write more often, when we get together it makes that time all the more special.

What genre do you write?
I tend to linger on paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy type stories but I don’t shy away from any genres. I’m working on a period piece right now. I want to be able write something in every genre.

Any genre you have excluded from your writing?
Not yet. I don’t think anyone should limit themselves and I certainly won’t say no to anything. If a story calls out to me, I won’t deny it the light of day.

Do you have a special genre preference as a reader?
I love urban fantasy. 

How do you approach your writing?  Do you plot or go with the flow? Who is your favorite author and why?
Plan, plan, plan! I’m a planner in everything, especially writing. I plan out what characters will look like, I make charts about how each character is connected to the other, I write out what’s going to happen in each chapter, and I even find music to go with scenes from the book. I really can’t pick a favorite author because it would feel like cheating on the others. I love Bret Easton Ellis for his grittiness, I love Jane Austen for her beautiful love stories, I love Cassandra Clare, J.K. Rowling, and Mary Shelley for their ability to create such imaginative stories. I really can’t decide on just one.

What inspired you to write Pygmalia?
I was rereading Frankenstein and I thought about what it would be like if Doctor Frankenstein had a daughter and that daughter fell in love with his monster. I wanted to modernize it though, so instead of a reanimated corpse, it was a cyborg. I also had been watching Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw which is a play/movie about a man who transforms a degenerate, lowborn woman, into a well spoken, dignified lady. It was moving to see how this woman ended up being caught in between two worlds. She found herself torn between the slum she came from, and the wealthy life of an aristocrat. At the same time, this man was changed as well. He found himself caring for this woman, his creation, even though he did not wish to admit it. I wanted to create a story that dealt with the idea of what it meant to be not only the creator of something, but also the product of that creation. 


What's the significance of the book's title?
Pygmalia comes from the name Pygmalion who is a character in mythology. He created a statue of the perfect woman when he could not find his ideal mate in his village. He fell in love with this statue and Venus decided to grant him the wish of making her into a real woman. I’m sure this story sounds familiar and that’s because it is found consistently in literature. Pygmalia is a play on this name and also the title of the project Adam is a part of.

Is there a main message that you'd like readers to take away from the book?
 I just want to present characters that are not just two- dimensional. I don’t think any of the characters in this book are all good or all bad, and maybe that’s the one thing I want people to take away from this. Also, mankind has an innate nature to create and soon enough, we might start seeing characters like Adam. When I was researching for the book, I found that we are already able to insert chips into human brains, which can control robotic limbs. The question is, how far will we be willing to go and what are we willing to sacrifice in the process? The idea of sacrifice plays a big role in the book. I think that lots of the characters in my book are forced to sacrifice something whether it’s their body, their mind, their freedom, their loved ones. . . it makes you question what you’d be willing to give up for the right or wrong reasons.  

How do you pick the character’s names?
 I research names and what their meanings are. I love to find names for characters that help describe them in subtle ways.

Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with my readers?
Well, I’m not sure it’s a quirk but I love to find pictures of actors that look like my characters and refer back to them before I start writing. It helps me to visualize how they move or speak in my head.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book?
 I noticed that I had to do some changes to the story when I began seeing other ways to portray my characters. There’s one character who I did not want to make sympathetic at all, but I felt compelled to change them slightly. Usually I like to make characters more than two-dimensional but this one particular character, I felt that she needed to stay bad but she wouldn’t let me do that to her, lol.

Did you have to do any research for your stories?
Yes, I had to do some research on robotics, human anatomy and physiology, and military procedures. It’s amazing what science has brought to the table over the years.

What’s the most challenging aspect of writing?
The most challenging is finding the time and motivation to write after a long day of work and chores. I write sometimes fifteen notes a day about my client’s progress, so when I get home, my mind feels like jelly and I have to push myself to get back into writing mode.

 Easiest?
The easiest is the planning process. I love plotting out what’s going to happen, finding names for characters, and creating profiles for them.

What’s the most rewarding aspect?
 When someone tells me how much they loved a particular character or part of the story. Also when I manage to surprise someone with a plot twist.

What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Someone told me that one of my books made them cry, which was surprising to me because it’s strange to illicit emotions like that from people. I love when a book reaches me in an intense way and I felt really honored that my book could do that for someone.

What is your experience as an indie author and what obstacles did you have to overcome so as to become a successful writer?
Honestly, marketing myself has to be the most difficult part for me. I was never good at sales or pushing people to like something, especially something I produced because it sort of makes me feel conceited or full of myself. It’s really hard for me to say, “Hey, my book is awesome, you should read it!” Even though I love the book, I can’t say that everyone will like it. Unfortunately in the indie world, you have to sell yourself and you have to do it often. I’m still working on doing that but even if one person reads my book and enjoys it, then that makes me happy.

What advice can you offer to those who are struggling to make their book known to the public?
 I really don’t have advice because I’m one of those struggling, lol. I know that those who are successful put themselves out there. They’re not shy about asking people to read and review their books. They know how to network. I’m working on being less shy about it. Writing is the easiest part of this process; it’s the self promotion that takes that extra bit of effort.

What are we to expect of Stephanie Constante in the future?
Well, I’m currently working on a period romance that takes place in 1950’s Miami.

Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
What do you think about romances that aren’t contemporary? Also do you think that killing off a main character is something that makes you feel more connected to the story or do you prefer happy endings?

Thanks again, Stephanie Constante and best of continued success to you in all your endeavours!


These were great questions; I had a great time answering them! Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you and your readers! :oD
Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
·         8 Swag Packs (including 1 notebook, 1 sticker, and 1 button)
·         5 paperback copies of Pygmalia
·         5 eBooks
Giveaway is International for ebooks, US only for print copies and swag.




Excerpt from Pygmalia by Stephanie Constante:

It was the guy from the laboratory; he managed to find me, and the panic coursing through my body is enough to send me curling up into a ball, just letting him drag me to whatever hell he came from. I can’t though; I can’t keep from fighting back. I struggle to get his hand loose from around my wrist, but there’s no use. I smack him, push at him, and even punch him in the face, which hurt me more than it appeared to affect him. He’s immovable. 
“Please,” I finally resort to pleading with him, “Please don’t hurt me.” I feel more tears streaming down my face; I fall to my knees, covering my mouth to keep from weeping. I don’t even care about dirtying the dress further; it was ruined the second I stepped foot in these woods.
“I have no instructions to hurt you. I’m here to bring you back to your father.” He says plainly. I can barely see his face in the shadows, but I remember those haunting blue eyes.
“What does he want with me?” I say, drying my tears with the back of my hand.
“I don’t know. I have only been told to find you and bring you back.”
“Who are you?”
“I was instructed to keep all information regarding myself and your father classified. Please come with me, or I will have to use force.”
“I thought you said you weren’t supposed to hurt me,” I say.
“I do not need to hurt you to get you to come with me,” I can tell that he’s probably from the London area, based on his accent.
“If I go with you, back to the house, what will happen?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then I think I’ll stay here.”
“The likelihood of your survival out here is scarce. You will only injure yourself further.” I can feel him touching a cut on my arm I got from running into a branch when I first ventured into the woods. His hand is warm, the way a live human person’s would feel against my skin.
“Please come with me,” he says, and holds out something. I grab the objects, realizing they’re my heels.
“You brought my shoes?”
“I thought they might be of use to you.”
“Heels in the forest, in the dark? Not so much useful as they are an accident waiting to happen,” I grumble. “Alright, lead the way. But if you try and hurt me, I’m jabbing this Manolo Blahnik in your eye socket.”
“What is a Manolo Blahnik?” he asks. I can’t see his face, but I’m sure it looks extremely confused. Guys.
“Never mind,” I sigh, “just know that I will do some damage if you try anything.”
“I understand,” he says. As we begin our trek back to the house, I stumble a few times. He grabs my waist before I fall flat on my face, and takes my hand in his; it’s softer than I would have imagined it to be. “This might help,” he says as he triggers something on his hand. A light emanates from beneath his skin, turning it an orangey pink. I pull away from him and point at his hand.
“How did you do that?”
“It’s one of my tools. I don’t need it really, but I suppose you do,” he says holding out his unlit hand to me, while stretching the other in front of him so he can light my way.
“What are you?”
“I am Prototype 78.”
“What does that even mean? That doesn’t tell me anything about you.”
“It’s not supposed to,” he keeps his gaze forward as we walk down the hillside towards the house. We moved silently through, and as we passed the lake, I couldn’t help but feel unnerved by him.
“Are you some kind of alien?”
“I can’t answer that,” his face barely shows any kind of emotion, but there’s something in there; I remember seeing it when I looked into his eyes.
“You were dead,” I press on. “You were dead on that table when I found you, and then you just woke up. So you’re obviously not human. You’re some kind of experiment he’s working on.” He doesn’t respond, so I keep deducing on my own.“You have scars, but they look nothing like what I’d imagine a zombie would look like. You’ve got that light coming out of your hand, and you were able to track me in this darkness. I’m guessing alien.”
“I’m not an alien,” he finally admits.
“Aha!” I jump and point at him. “So you’re an experiment. Like Frankenstein, just not as gross looking.”
“Frankenstein is not the name of the monster; it’s the name of the doctor. The monster never had a name.”
“Are you saying you’re Frankenstein’s monster?”
“I’m not a monster,” he says, except for the first time, there’s sadness behind his words. He looks down at his hand, as if somehow disgusted with himself, but his movements are robotic. Even his affect is flat and unexpressive.
“Fair enough, you’re not a monster,” I say. He looks down at me and seems relieved; he’s not a monster, but he’s definitely not human.


Until our next distraction,
keep being distracted by reading!
Urania






Monday, July 29, 2013

5-star review for Beguiled!

Hello my romantically distracted readers!


Want to know what made me jump up and down  early this morning? The five stars  that Emma and Christopher's story earned ! So here's the link if you want to share my excitement while I do my victory dance here!http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/673997131?utm_content=like&utm_medium=email&utm_source=friend_updates
And here's exactly what Sophia Lazaridou wrote!
"I will make this short and quick. I have been trying to form my thoughts about the book into words but nothing is coming. I was afraid to read it because Christopher was acting so cold that would have my heart broken if it wasn't for some tiny point of views from Christopher's side. The story continues from where the first book ended, with our heroes trying to find the gate. I loved both books for different reasons but the best end is the one on Beguiled. I swear if the author hadn't given us some hints I would have thrown my ereader at the wall and curl up into a ball and not speak to anyone for a while. I can't explain it but I had strong feelings about Christopher. I am glad Emma fought and didn't stay behind accepting everything."

Beguiled needs your reviews more than ever while it is trying to reach its audience. If you have read it post your review on your blog, Goodreads or Amazon. If you haven't send me a message and I can send you a free pdf/mobi copy for an honest review.

Keep being distracted by reading, 

Urania

Saturday, July 27, 2013

My last Beguiled blog tour stop: Sitting on the Porch, Visiting with Lynn Donovan

Good morning distracted book lovers! 
Yesterday Beguiled made a visit to Lynn Donovan we had a nice talk... She asked me about the following: Are my characters truly fictional, or are they based on someone I know?Will there be a sequel? How do I find time to write with the demands of a family and teacher? How awesome is it to live in Greece? Read all about it on:
http://sittingontheporchwithlynn.blogspot.gr/2013/07/juniper-grove-book-solutions-book-tour.html
The tour stops here but the giveaway will be on for a couple of days more. There's still time to earn more entries.
Thank you all: organizers of Juniper Grove, blogggers who hosted Beguiled and their followers and also readers for reading my Beguiled posts, sharing and taking part in the giveaway. 
There are more Beguiled events on the way, so stand by :)

Keep being distracted by reading,

Urania

Thursday, July 25, 2013

My Beguiled interview on Juniper Grove:when things get more personal!

What are you passionate about these days? 
What do you do to unwind and relax?
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? (I bet you cannot guess my answer to this!) Read my interview to Jaidis and earn more entries to the Giveaway!
http://www.junipergrove.net/beguiled-by-urania-sarri-giveaway/

I'm still here (photo)!
And I'm always distracted by reading!
Urania

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

My Beguiled interview Into the Land of Books!

Good morning my wonderfully distracted readers!

Today I'm answering alot of questions for you: What is the significance of the title in the Gate Deadlock series? What are three good-to-know facts about me? Which is my favorite scene in Beguiled? What hidden message is there in Beguiled? Just have a look at my interview on http://etherealistic-reader.blogspot.gr/2013/07/interview-giveaway-beguiled-by-urania.html and do get back with your comments!
Although I'll be spending time in the place you can see in the photo, my tab will still be wth me!

Keep being distracted by reading!
Urania

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

My Beguiled interview to "A Word Please".

Good morning my paranormally distracted readers!
Do you want to know the inspiration behind the Gate Deadlock series? Or, who's my favorite character in it? Maybe, read some of my favorite lines in Beguied? Read all about it on http://quietfurybooks.com/blog/2013/07/beguiled-by-urania-sarri/ where I make another Beguiled blog stop.
Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania

Beguiled made a stop at The Reader's Hollow blog!

Join Emma and Christopher while they visit another amazing blog on http://thereadershollow.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/beguiled-ebook-amazon-giftcard-giveaway/

Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania

Monday, July 22, 2013

Emma's letter to Sabrina's Paranormal Palace: a Beguiled guest post.

Hello fans of the paranormal romance genre!

There's a special guest post today on http://sabrinasparanormalpalace.blogspot.gr/2013/07/beguiled-blog-tour.html Read Emma's letter and maybe you can understand better the closing scene of Gate Deadlock (a question I've been asked quite often). Emma has tried to include as little spoiler as possible so I don't think that those of you who haven't read the book yet will miss the fun after reading her own view of events.
Do leave a comment. I really want to know what you think.

Dear reader,

I’m writing to respond to your persistent question, the one you have repeatedly been asking me ever since you read that last page of Gate Deadlock.

You ask me why I ran, why I caved in. Why I gave up on Christopher.
How can you ask me that when you’ve read every little detail of the tormenting journey that brought me to this muddy road?
You know I’m anything but a coward.
I started this adventure as an ignorant girl and look where it got me. I didn’t cave in to death. I fought loss. I defeated the possibility of life on a wheelchair. I confronted my father’s assassin. I fooled the leader of the future world. I fought against time. I have become cunning. I have become manipulative. But a coward I’m not.
I’ve learnt to fight. For him. For us.

You know what it was that brought me to my knees? The emptiness in his icy blue eyes. The futile search for something that should be there. For the warmth that was missing from his vacant stare. That unbearable look of a stranger. Because that invisible string that pulls me to him is still towing my heart backwards. But when I turn to find the other end I am horrified by the stranger’s face staring back at me. I know that look. I’ve seen it before. In the face of an assassin.

I wish you’d never asked me why I ran. Because I hoped you’d understand. I’d rather you asked me where I was running to. Because without Christopher there is nowhere to go.
I can’t go back to our house. His absence will be intolerable there.
Going back to London is not an option either. Because that would mean I have to start a new life and I’m not ready yet. My wound is so fresh; still bleeding. And don’t tell me I can go to Alex. I burnt that shelter long ago when I exploited his feelings for me. Yes, I had an ulterior motive; to save a life. Christopher’s life. But that doesn’t mean I can forgive myself.

So I’ll just keep on running away. I don’t know where Beguiled will take me but I have a very bad feeling my life will never be the same.
The string is pulling harder. But I won’t turn back.
I have to find a life. But first I have to find a shelter. I need to ask a favor: will you open your heart for me and let me in?

                                                                         Yours always,

                                                                           Emma 

Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania



Gate Deadlock is on sale! Only 99c!

My Beguiled blog tour stops at Indie Designz!

Good morning fans of paranormal romance!

My Beguiled Book Tour makes a stop at Indie Designz Blog on http://www.indiedesignz.com/blog/
Join me there and discover a blog where indie authors can find all the tools they need plus useful tips from experts.Don't forget to earn more entries in my  international giveaway while you're there!

Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania



Friday, July 19, 2013

Science for authors in my Beguiled guest post: is time travel possible?

Hello paranormal booklovers!
Today I'm wearing my mad-scientist's hat to explain the time travel theories in a way everybody understands. Read my article "Is time travel possible?" on http://www.pavartiktyler.com/is-time-travel-possible-a-guest-post-from-beguiled-author-urania-sarri/ and see why I love the (futuristic) time travel genre so much!
Read my post here BELOW:
Is time-travel possible?

‘Our heirs, whatever or whoever they maybe, will
explore space and time to degrees we cannot
currently fathom. They will create new melodies in
the music of time. There are infinite harmonies to
be explored.’
Clifford Pickover

Traveling between different points in time has been a popular topic for novels and films. From Mark Twain and H. G. Wells  to Doctor Who, Back to the Future and Star Trek or Terminator, some kind of timE machine or portal takes the heroes  to new adventures in the past or the  FUTURE.                                                                                                              
But how close are such stories to reality?                                                                   
 To start with, did you know that Albert Einstein proved that time is nothing but an illusion? That’s because time is relative: it either slows down or speeds up depending on how fast you move in relation to something else.                                                              
Do you find this confusing?                                                                                               
Let me help you.                                                                                                       
    Imagine you had a twin and that only you happened to be inside a spaceship which traveled almost as fast as the speed of light. When you got home you’d find that your twin has aged faster than you. Strange huh? But you should know that gravity bends time. This theory has been proven by GPS satellite technology and space stations where clocks gain 38 microseconds a day!  So you, my lucky astronaut twin, would be a time traveler who would return to Earth younger than your twin! This is called the Twin Paradox. Pretty amazing, isn’t it? And do you realize what this proves? That time travel to the Future is possible! At least, it is theoretically allowed.

I’m afraid I cannot be as positive about traveling to the past. Science has shown that you would have to do this either travelling faster than the speed of light (186,282 miles per second), which the majority of scientists consider physically impossible, or through giant wormholes which is again unfeasible as such wormholes would collapse very quickly and would only be suitable for very small particles. Also, the technology needed to create a wormhole is far beyond anything we have today.

The theory of Parallel universes fascinates me the most. With every decision you make a new universe is created.  In this version of time travel there are multiple coexisting alternate histories so that when the traveler goes back in time he ends up in a new timeline where historical events have different outcomes. This allows the time traveler to intervene. But as Steven Hawking wonders in A Brief History of Time (a must-read for fans of this genre), why haven’t there been problems with history such as a traveler going back to time and reveal the secrets of atomic bomb to the Nazis? This raises the issue of Ethics. Why didn’t I get my heroine to go back in time and save her father? Why doesn’t Christopher reveal the secrets of his world to her? Because this would change the flow of events and the repercussions could be catastrophic. As it is stated in The grandfather paradox, a time traveller cannot go back and kill his parents or his grandfather because he’d never be born. If that were to happen, some physicists say, he would be not be born in one parallel universe but still born in another. Others say that the photons that make up light prefer self-consistency in timelines, which would interfere with your evil, suicidal plan.                                                                      But then, would Christopher give Emma the cure should she suffer from a fatal disease? I strongly recommend reading Isaac Asimov’s The end of eternity for more ethical issues on time-travel.

So, is time travel possible?

 Elizabeth Howell, SPACE.com Contributor concludes: “While time travel does not appear possible — at least, possible in the sense that the humans would survive it — with the physics that we use today, the field is constantly changing. Advances in quantum theories could perhaps provide some understanding of how to overcome time travel paradoxes.”
                                                                                   

                                                                             Urania

Keep being distracted by reading (not that Hugh is not enough to distract you!)
:)
Urania

Read my article :Stories of Forbidden Love: the “apotheosis” of Eros

Good morning  my romantic book lovers!
My next Beguiled Tour stop is Sapphire Phelan's Passion Corner with a guest post about Forbidden Love. That is one of my favorite stops and I really want to share it with you. Join me on
http://sapphirephelanspassioncorner.blogspot.gr/?zx=34a93f4c6c315272
I noticed that Sapphire didn't post the picture included in this post so I'm adding it here:
Stories of Forbidden Love: the “apotheosis” of Eros.
“Every heart sings a song, incomplete until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.”
Plato

As a Greek, I have always thought of love under the scope of ancient Greek mythology and philosophy. To me erotic love (represented by Eros or Cupid) is not just a romantic concept and an essential stage in the pursuit of Happiness. It is the metaphysical power that makes us transcend the boundaries of human existence and takes us closer to the timeless universal truth of the eternal and the infinite.
But let me start small.
Do you recognize the beautiful couple in this picture? Meet the handsome Eros, the Greek god of love and his beloved one, Psyche (greek for soul), the goddess who incorporates all human emotions.


Eros was the son of Ares, god of war, and Aphrodite, goddess of beauty; an origin that defines him as the common ground between two extremes: where violence, torment and darkness unite with harmony, beauty and light. The first “forbidden” love that broke the limits and shattered the stereotypes.
Another myth wants Eros to be the son of Erebus and Nyx (Night).  Black-winged Night laid an egg in the infinite deeps of Erebus and this is where Eros sprang from. A swift and graceful creature with sparkling golden wings who mated with dark Chaos to create our race and the world of light.
“He whom love touches not walks into darkness.” Plato
According to Plato, erotic love is the only way for humans to achieve immortality; it connects human nature with eternity. In Phaedrus, Socrates characterizes love as one of the forms of “divine madness” that reunites us with universal beauty, a concept that our corrupted souls tend to forget but only until we gaze into the eyes of our beloved one. That is how our soul remembers to grow back its wings. The wings that wither when lovers separate under the intense pain of longing.
But enough with philosophy.
Lets’ stick to that long word: separation.
 Because true love should not be easy.
At least, not for me.
It is always forbidden and precarious love that is the strongest.
 Have you heard of a love stronger than that between Romeo and Juliet or Catherine and Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights?
 Remember the forbidden love stories in The Great Gatsby, the Notebook, the Titanic? Remember the Wings of Desire, the magnificent film by Wim Wenders (and one of my all-time favorites) where an angel falls in love with a beautiful, lonely trapeze artist? The angel chooses to become human so that he can experience the human sensory pleasures, ranging from enjoying food to touching a loved one, and so that he can experience human love.
Love that is worth dying for. Because nobody can guarantee there will be a happy ending in stories of forbidden love.
“The only regret I will have in dying is if it is not for love.” 
 Gabriel Garcí­a  Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera
Be it social class, feuding families, a love triangle, homosexuality, time-travel limits or paranormal complications and dystopian disasters the theme of forbidden love is often found in novels from the 19th Century and still appears in novels today. True love knows no deadlocks.
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”
 
 William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
The “apotheosis” of love cannot be achieved by trouble-free and effortless relationships. True love is like a rare flower that grows on steep rocks and needs blood and tears to take root but once it grows it stands in eternity no matter if its aroma brings happiness or sorrow. This is what true love is like. And it’s totally worth the effort.
“Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.”
 
 Alfred Tennyson, In Memoriam
                                                                                                                  
Don't forget to leave a comment about my article! I really want to know what you think of it!

Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

A Beguiled Guest Post:The ten things that drive me insane!!!

Good morning paranormal romantics!

My distractions today involve a more personal list: the ten things that drive me insane! Find me at Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews on http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.gr/2013/07/beguiled-by-urania-sarri-tens-list-and.html

Keep being distracted by reading!
Urania

Good morning my romantic paranormal booklovers!
Your distraction today includes paranormal dancing lessons!
You are going to dance with Deception first, then with Death.
Andrea Heltsley will show you how.
Lets's start:
Title:  Dancing with Deception
Author:  Andrea Heltsley
Published:  April 2013
Word Count:  20,000
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Content Warning: None
Recommended Age:  Young Adult/Teens

Synopsis:
How far would you go to keep your nightmares a secret?

Wendy has been struggling with vivid, chilling nightmares that leave her exhausted and horrified. What will Wendy do to protect her secret when she discovers her nightmares are real? Death is coming and he’s coming for her.

Read the chilling prequel novella to the paranormal romance, Dancing with Death.
·         Download your copy of Dancing with Deception on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords for FREE!


Title:  Dancing with Death
Author:  Andrea Heltsley
Published:  May 2013
Word Count:  84,000
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Content Warning: None
Recommended Age:  Young Adult/Teens
Synopsis: Murders have plagued the woods in the past, making them a place of fear. Eighteen year old Wendy and her friends become worried when a new string of murders come to their high school.

After a horrible car accident, Wendy returns to school, going from wallflower to popular overnight. Suddenly she is the center of attention, paying more attention to guys and clothes. Things are heating up for Wendy with more than one guy vying for her affections.

As the murderer edges closer to Wendy she realizes things are changing. She is afflicted with nightmares that are all too real and she herself is undergoing unnatural changes. Learning the truth about her past, could be the key to saving her future.

Feel intrigued? Feel like learning more about the author? Here you go!


Andrea Heltsley is a biology nerd who decided it was more
fun writing than dissecting. She has written four novels and three more will be out in fall/winter 2013. She lives on coffee and reads like a robot. Her husband and two Italian greyhounds usually have to tear her away from the computer...imagine that. :)


A special treat today! Andrea is distracted with us. Read her Interview here:

Welcome to "Urania's distractions" Andrea. I think your readers already know a lot about you, but please share a short bio with us.

When did you discover your gift for writing?
I won a contest in grade school for a short story I wrote.  Then I won a contest in high school for a poem I wrote.  I was in Journalism class as well.

What kind of sacrifices have you made along the way?

Money.  I left a very successful job as a scientist to follow my dreams.

What genre do you write?

New Adult/Young Adult paranormal romance mostly.

Any genre you have excluded from your writing?

Science fiction.  I’m not a big outer space or alien fan.

Do you have a special genre preference as a reader?

Absolutely.  I love romance and paranormal romance.  Sometimes I enjoy Urban Fantasy.

How do you approach your writing?  Do you plot or go with the flow?

I go with the flow.  My characters develop themselves.  That’s the only way for me.  Plots written in detail give me writer’s block.

Who is your favorite author and why?

Lewis Carroll.  Alice in Wonderland is an epic book.  It’s so full of imagination and the characters are richly created.

What inspired you to write Dancing with Deception?

I felt like I needed backstory to Dancing with Death.  I wanted both stories to blend seamlessly.  It just wouldn’t have worked as a single book.  I love a good spooky story now and again, so I created Wendy’s world of a paranormal murder mystery.

What's the significance of the book's title?

Dancing with Deception is based on the lies Wendy creates trying to protect her secrets.
Dancing with Death is based on the multiple attempts on Wendy’s life throughout the story.

Is there a main message that you'd like readers to take away from the book?

Dancing with Death- There is always a choice even when it seems like there isn’t one.  You have the power to create your own destiny.

How do you pick the character’s names?

They just kind of popped into my head, so I went with them.  Like I said, my books are controlled by my characters.

Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with our readers?

I can’t write without music, candle burning and sitting cross-legged at my desk.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book?

I learned that I had a lot to say about Wendy and her story.  Just when I think a book will be the last one, I come up with an idea for the next in the series.  I have a total of one novella and four novels planned.

Did you have to do any research for your story/ies?

I always do some research.  Google is one of my best friends.  It answers all my questions without a hassle J

What’s the most challenging aspect of writing?  Easiest?

The most challenging is keeping the characters consistent and getting into the mind of the story.  The easiest thing about writing is the beginning when the story comes to life.

What’s the most rewarding aspect?

Having the freedom to follow my dreams and do something I love.

What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?

They said one of my books were too Disney.  Who doesn’t like happy endings?  Is that really a bad thing?  I felt it was actually a great complement because Disney is epic at fairytale endings.

What is your experience as an indie author and what obstacles did you have to overcome so as to become a successful writer?

The first year I wrote, I had no guidance and it was disastrous.  I learned that by joining in with writing groups there was so much more to the process.  They have been instrumental in my journey.

What advice can you offer to those who are struggling to make their book known to the public?

Make sure you have had it edited first off, then, blog.  Network with other authors and writers.  Do giveaways, join blog hops.  Book tours can be helpful too.

What are we to expect of Andrea Heltsley in the future?

Expect a lot of books.  I planned for 7 this year and 5 for next year.  Now that I’ve started, I can’t stop creating these awesome plots.

Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?

What makes a book great to you?

Thanks again, Andrea Heltsley, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavours!

Now let's have a taste of how it feels to Dance with Deception:

Excerpt from Dancing with Deception by Andrea Heltsley:

I squinted until my eyes adjusted to the surrounding cover of night. Once they had adapted to the darkness, my eyes widened. I was standing next to a tall cluster of trees in the forest not far from my house.
Confusion settled over me as I peered around for any sign as to why I was out there. It was chilly and the wind was slicing right through me. I wished I had a coat on. 
Breaking through the haze of confusion, I suddenly shivered but not because of the cold. The hairs on my arms and neck stood on end and my heart was pounding. Thump, thump, thump, thump. 
The only sound was the rapid beating of my heart. I didn’t know why, but I felt nervous and uneasy. Something bad was coming and I was blind to whatever it was. 
Panic firmly took hold in my stomach and the butterflies caged inside me were let loose to flutter, fighting for freedom. My breathing had become harsh and labored. 
All kinds of wild thoughts were racing through my mind. The waiting was excruciating and my unease increased with each passing second. That’s when I heard it.
The crunch of branches and dead leaves in the distance filtered through the silence. I tried to discern where it was coming from, but had no luck. 
I strained to hear, but was too late. The sounds were coming in my direction. I spun frantically for a place to hide. The trees were thick, but not thick enough to cover me. I could only hide behind one and still myself. 
My hand flew to my mouth to cover the gasp of surprise I was about to unleash. The situation was bad, so much worse than I could have imagined.
There, in the inky darkness of the woods, I focused on two figures ahead of me. It was a chase. The first figure ran with little care of their surroundings. Twigs were snapping and branches were whipping. Leaves crunched loudly below their feet.
The second figure was faster though. It caught up and yanked the first figure to the ground with a loud ‘thud.’ A panicked scream pierced the air and I realized it was a woman that was being chased.

Now it's time to claim your Giveaway Prize!
Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
·         $10 Electronic Amazon Gift Card
Giveaway is International

Good luck and...
as always, keep being distracted by reading.
Urania

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