Gypsy
Kisses and Voodoo Wishes
by
Denise N Tapscott
Genre:
Southern Gothic Horror, Paranormal Romance
Can
any good transpire when Romani magic collides with Voodoo Magic? For
Grandmother Zenobia, the answer is unclear.
The
year is 1890 in Carrefour Parish, Louisiana. A Voodoo high
priestess with a mysterious past, Grandmother Zenobia conceals her
magical powers from her grandson Will. She wants him to have a
"normal" family life, including savory Southern dinners and
festive church gatherings. When Will reveals that he's in love with a
girl named Syeira, Grandmother is overjoyed. In her excitement over a
future wedding, Grandmother fails to find out a crucial piece
information. Syeira is not a New Orleans local, she's from the
Camlo family.
On
the other side of the bayou, Queen Patia Camlo, is furious when her
daughter reveals her relationship with Will, who is not Romani. To
the Camlo tribe, The Traveler way is the only way. Desperate to
put an end to their romance, Patia casts a spell so effective that
even the great Grandmother Zenobia can't fix the damage it creates.
Grandmother
Zenobia must decide how much she's willing to sacrifice to retaliate
against Patia, as well avenge her family, without losing her soul
Denise
was born and raised in California. She left her heart in San
Francisco, but somehow managed to leave her soul in New Orleans. When
she's not creating and cultivating her characters, she enjoys dining
on spicy tuna rolls, sharing a bottle of red wine with friends and
watching the latest flick (especially scary films). From time to time
this radiant left-handed pirate will even challenge others to a
fencing match or two. But, watch out. This Gemini is determined to
win!
Often
referencing her favorite quotes, below is Denise's favorite motto by
Hans Christian Andersen:
"Just
living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom and a little
flower."
GUEST POST
Do
the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them
come to you as you write?
The
main characters are pretty much set in stone; the smaller ones
definitely come to me as I write. They all have very
interesting story lines.
Do
you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
I
prefer to write in silence. It helps me to hear and understand my
characters on a deeper level and see where I want the stories to go.
If there has to be noise, I prefer to listen to classical music,
especially Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Songs with lyrics
distract me too much and my story lines get fuzzy.
Do
you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?
I
have several stories going at a time. Grandmother Zenobia has been
around a long time and different parts of her past pop in to mind.
There are characters in my upcoming novels that have awesome things
going on and when inspiration hits I have to write their stories out
too. Because the tales are so distinctive I don’t get confused
when I write them. I just have to choose which one speaks to me the
loudest to work on. LOL
What
kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?
I
research locations of where the stories would take place so I can see
in my mind where my characters would live and breathe. I’ve been
to New Orleans many times; I took a cooking class at the New Orleans
School of Cooking to understand how Grandmother Zenobia made gumbo.
It’s way more intricate and mindful than I expected. I’ve also
done research on Voodoo and Hoodoo to understand what they are really
about and how to be respectful of them and not butcher them the way
Hollywood might. Just last month I had a nice lunch with a
Hoodoo/Root worker in Atlanta.
Pen
or type writer or computer?
I’d
have to say both. Initially I wrote everything on paper, with a nice
pen. I have countless journals and folders of handwritten notes.
After a while I got frustrated with trying to translate everything I
scribbled so lately my first choice is to sit in front of a computer.
If I’m not near a computer? I definitely will find some paper and I
always have a pen nearby.
Describe
your writing style.
I
believe I write in a visual style? I want to see what my characters
see, and feel what they feel. I have a background in acting and I’ve
found that if I can picture a certain character trait or location,
they become real to me. I hope that the visual descriptions
translate to my readers too, while still adding to the plot of the
stories.
Do
you believe in writer’s block?
Oh
yes! There are times when life gets too noisy, too emotional, too
chaotic or sometimes too dull. You’d think that my characters
would bust at the seams to be heard and seen! Yet, when I score the
time to sit in front of my computer, I’ve found myself staring at
the screen waiting for the next twist and turn for the next story,
and the curser just blinks at me. Taking a walk outside usually
helps a bit, but not always. Sometimes I have to shut the computer
down and read. I’m fortunate that I have a whole universe of
characters and adventures to toy with so if one story won’t budge,
I can edit another, or add to yet another one. Researching character
traits also helps inspire me and can get me out of a rut. Otherwise,
I have at least 4 books I’m currently reading to change my focus
and shake off my writer’s block.
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