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:
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook
Tour giveaway:
$25 Amazon gift certificate
Thanks for the great interview, Cary! I really appreciate your support!
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