Thursday, May 15, 2014

Author Interview: The Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani

The Luthier’s Apprentice
Mayra Calvani


Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Number of pages: 184
Cover Artist: Renu Sharma

Book Description:

Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), one of the greatest violinists who ever lived and rumored to have made a pact with the devil, has somehow transferred unique powers to another…

When violinists around the world mysteriously vanish, 16-year-old Emma Braun takes notice.  But when her beloved violin teacher disappears… Emma takes charge. With Sherlock Holmes fanatic, not to mention gorgeous Corey Fletcher, Emma discovers a parallel world ruled by an ex-violinist turned evil sorceress who wants to rule the music world on her own terms.

But why are only men violinists captured and not women? What is the connection between Emma's family, the sorceress, and the infamous Niccolò Paganini?

Emma must unravel the mystery in order to save her teacher from the fatal destiny that awaits him.  And undo the curse that torments her family—before evil wins and she becomes the next luthier's apprentice…

MRP would like to extend a very warm welcome to Mayra Calvani, author of The Luthier's Apprentice. Mayra, to begin, can you tell us where you're from, and where, from/whom did your love for writing come? 
I’ve been writing and creating worlds for most of my life, since I was about 12. In secondary school I wrote stories and plays. At 16, I wrote a romance novel which was secretly passed around in class. By 20, writing was already a passion, an obsession. I saw myself doing no other thing than becoming an author.
In my early teens, strong influences were Agatha Christie mysteries and Barbara Cartland romances. Also Harlequin contemporary romances.
In my twenties, strong influences were Tama Janowitz, Kate Chopin, and Albert Camus. Later on, Anne Rice and Donna Tartt.
If you were to be left alone on an island, what three books would you take with you?
The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
The Stranger, by Albert Camus
Can I please add a third one? Interview with the Vampire.

What are your most and least favorite movie genres?
I love suspense thrillers. I don’t like war movies.

When you are on a deadline, what aspect of your ‘regular’ life suffers most?
The house is the first to suffer, I’m afraid. And laundry. I also become a hermit: I don’t answer the phone or go out with friends—unless it is to write at cafes with writer friends. I become quite taciturn, so I may not be the perfect person to have an animated conversation with later in the evening, mostly because I’m already so mentally tired from working on the book, it’s hard to keep my eyes open.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?
Don’t let anyone interfere with your dreams or goals of becoming an author. No matter what anyone says. Do what you have to do to accomplish it. Learn the craft, take courses and/or workshops if you have to, join writer organizations and a critique group. Interact with like souls who actually understand the creative spirit. Above all, read a lot and write a lot, as often as you can. Usually, the longer you stay away from writing, the harder it is to get back to it. And the more you write, the better you get at it.

What advice would you give seasoned writers?
Persevere. Keep learning. Keep improving and evolving as an author. Writing is a never-ending learning process. Make your goal to grow and advance with each new book.

When reading for pleasure, do you prefer a physical or electronic book?
Because of my bad eyesight, I now prefer to read on my Kindle. I love how I can adjust the size of the font. Every time I pick up a print book, I always find the font incredibly tiny, even with my glasses on.

From the first stroke of a pen (or laptop), how long did it take you get published?
Hmm…if you mean the first time I wrote a story on my own (meaning not as a result of school homework)…My first stroke of a pen was at 11 or 12…and my first published credits, a poem and short story in print magazines, happened when I was 21, still in college. So I guess that’s about 10 years.

Did you ever feel like calling it quits?
Never. But I’ve always been crazy persistent when it comes to my writing. But that doesn’t mean that it never gets difficult or that I never get the blues. I often do. Quite badly now and then. But I see these times as mood swings that every writer or creative person often gets. A dark cloud that passes. Ultimately, the force to create takes precedence over any blues.

What did you do when you got your first contract?
I screamed and jumped with happiness. Nowadays I always open a bottle of the bubbly and go out to celebrate with my family. J

Thank you so much for joining us today, Mayra. We really enjoyed the visit. Good luck and great sales with The Luthier's Appentice! 


About the Author:
Award-winning author Mayra Calvani has penned over ten books for children and adults in genres ranging from picture books to nonfiction to paranormal fantasy novels. She’s had over 300 articles, short stories, interviews and reviews published in magazines such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal and Bloomsbury Review, among others. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, she now resides in Brussels, Belgium.

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Tour giveaway:
$25 Amazon gift certificate 

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the great interview, Cary! I really appreciate your support!

    Mayra

    ReplyDelete