An Eclectic Author: How to do it, by Laura Tolomei

A big HELLO from Laura, which is me, here today as guest of AN Eclectic Author Blog! It’s a pleasure to share bits and pieces about me and my work, so I’ll get right down to it. If I had to say one interesting thing about my life it would be that I’ve been all around the world from the tender age of five. Yep! That was the first time my parents picked me up, put me on a plane and I was in Lagos, Nigeria, quite a change from my Italian country, not to mention Rome, one of the most ancient and beautiful cities in the world and my hometown. But I loved it! Couldn’t get enough of the hot humidity, sun boiling my brains out every day and the people so different from all I’d known. I guess it’s where it all started—my curiosity about people and places, and the need to have as much variety as possible.

Bottom line: this experience enriched me beyond words, heightening my perceptions each time I got on that plane to move to a new setting. I lived in the US and India, then returned to Rome and got a job where I could travel lots more—China, South Korea, Europe, Egypt, Syria, Jordan are just a few of the places I’ve visited or stayed for longer periods.

While I travelled and learned about human beings in general, I read and read to further my knowledge of how they work, never thinking I would one day be writing about it myself. Well, maybe not entirely true. I did start writing when I was in high school, about thirty years ago, but thought I’d become a journalist. In fact, I did work for Emory University The Phoenix, which was loads of fun, not to mention a very learning experience, cut short by the need to return to Rome to get my college degree, to meet my soul mate and start a new incredible life with him. Through it all, I still kept reading until one day I got tired of other people determining how the story and the characters should end. That was the day I decided I wanted to write my own stories.

It’s curious I should’ve chosen the romance genre. Never before in my life had I read romance. It didn’t interest me at the time, so I had no experience whatsoever with it, which makes it kind of ironic me being here telling you how to write this genre. Truth is: I still don’t know the half of it! But I found great mentors, ones I have to thank publicly. Tina Haveman and Jay Austin of eXtasy Books have taught me how to be the author that I am today and not just in this genre. Their help, advice and support have all been invaluable to me and to all my works, and I still can’t thank them enough. But writing styles are just one part of being a writer. There is a second side to it, which in my opinion is more important than the first one.

To be an author, you gotta have IMAGINATION, lots of it! You gotta be able to immerse yourself into someone you’re not and bring out his or her feelings and thoughts, then have them interact with other imaginary characters that are still you, only in a different form. If the voices in a book can be hundreds, the mastermind behind each and everyone is only one—the author. That’s the most difficult thing to achieve, to split oneself into the many characters that make up the book and talk from each as though one were a different person each time.

This is where the power of imagination kicks in for me. When I’m writing, I don’t think like Laura Tolomei, but like Prince DuncanCaldwell during a meeting with the High Council and his eyes cross the blue-gray ones of Lord ChristopherTempleton or the green ones of Ylianor Meyer, or like Leon Sterling taking a million dollar decision while distracted by Sean Davis, or like Martin Shaw when he’s filming his soul mate Drake Seymour. It’s the only way the story will be credible and have the depth it needs to get my message across. And sending messages is why I write.

I’d like to open people’s minds through my writing, so I have to be extra good at it, not just a collection of hot sex scenes, rather plots and characters that strive to grow and learn about themselves and their world, even trying to change or improve it. It’s what I do in my life every day, hoping it makes a difference however small my effort is. But when I hear back from enthusiastic readers, I know I reached my goal!

The Leader

Virtus Saga Book 4

by Laura Tolomei

Available from Extasy Books

They thought they defeated Virtus once and for all. They thought they could live happily ever after. And it was no consolation to know it had to be done, like Ylianor suggested from the start, the separation necessary. Now with the Fitting and an unexpected pledge, their coming together the three of them, is at risk once more, with their compelling sexual attraction standing in the way of true union. But somehow they are the future of their world, so how to relate in and out of the council, mostly in and out of bed?

EXCERPT

“I don’t want to pledge.”

“Then don’t.”

“But my father insists on it.”

“Then do.” Sitting on the floor in front of the fire, Duncan stared at the flames warming his bedroom, rather than at Chris’s pale and drawn face.

“With her?”

“Hey, you’re in luck.” Sarcastic, the prince turned to confront his angel. “The Hall is full of unpledged women right at the moment, and most of them would jump at the chance to have you.”

“I don’t want another woman.” Stomping his foot, Chris came closer. “It’s not fair, lover.”

“That’s life.”

“I’m not fucking ready for it. I need more time to decide.”

“Tough choice.”

“And you’re not helping any.” With a challenging blaze, Chris dared him to prove otherwise.

“What would you want me to do?”

“Call the whole thing off!”

“The pledge or just your pledge?”

“Both.” Exasperated, Chris flashed angry eyes at him. “What’s the difference anyway? You’re the leader. You can do anything you want.”

“Not everything.” Returning the look, Duncan held his point. “I can’t go against traditions.”

“Then tell me what to do.” Sliding down to the floor, the angel crumpled beside him. “Since it’s your fucking fault I’m stuck in this mess.”

“Mine? You did it all—”

“All I did was erase her from your head, but no!” Shoving against him, Chris crunched him to the couch on which he leaned. “You had to bring her back.”

“I don’t see your cock complaining about it.” With a sudden lurch, Duncan toppled him, pinning Chris down to the carpet with his full weight. “And you’re a damn fool for making it so difficult on yourself when it’s plain obvious you can’t get enough of her—”

“It’s not her. It’s always you—”

“Liar!”

______________________

Laura Tolomei