Mayra Calvani's Blog - Posts Tagged "satire"
Sunstruck now on Kindle and Nook!
Author’s Name: Mayra Calvani
Publisher: Zumaya Publications
Genre: satire
Formats: Paperback and Ebook (Kindle, Nook and many others)
Get it on Nook:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Suns...
Get it on Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Sunstruck-ebook...
Synopsis:
Meet… Daniella, a naive and deeply sensitive architecture student who feels surrounded by creatures from the Mesozoic Era. Zorro, a deranged criminal running rampant on the streets, terrorizing women who wear miniskirts. Tony, Daniella’s boyfriend, smug and selfish and demonically handsome, who seems oblivious to everything about him except his own obsession with fame and LSD. Ismael, Daniella’s ex-husband, as cruel and innocent as a child, an art critic whose fantasies of revenge will force him to do something that will shock the entire island. Irene Carlier, Ismael’s new wife, better known as Lady Dracula, a ghastly woman who collects torture devices and whose penthouse apartment hides an utterly dreadful secret. In steamy San Juan, Puerto Rico, these and other crazed, eccentric characters swirl together in an intriguing, warped, darkly humorous world where not even cats are safe from chemically induced madness.
More about the book: http://sunstruckthenovel.blogspot.com
Latest review of my satire, Sunstruck!
I love to read, and Sunstruck was great! I read its entirety in one sitting, because I couldn’t put it down.
What I really liked about the book is the complexity of the conflicts. It leaves enough room for the audience to wonder what happens next, but I was satisfied with the information it provided at the end.
This was probably the most interesting piece of fiction I’ve ever read. I think I really liked it, because the main character, Daniella, reminded me a lot of myself.
Here is my interpretation of Sunstruck: (I promise I won’t spoil it!)
Daniella is a girl who has been through a few rough patches in life, and she always seems to date the ‘losers’. (AKA people who have a dream that really aren’t making it.) She tries to make the best of it, but she knows in her heart that there should be more to her life. The only two things consistent in her life is her cat, Commando and her mother, Marcela.
At 24, Daniella has been through a divorce, and is living with a guy she really doesn’t like named Tony. Tony cares more about trying to become famous, and his drugs.
There are some odd characters presented in this story, which made it really interesting. Everything that Daniella sees is not really what it is. To me, there was a lot of symbolism in this book, mostly dealing with two-sided everything. People who seem real, really aren’t. Commando’s eyes were two different colors, characters were caught in making two decisions, etc.
I really liked how the story subtly described everybody’s way to try to find themselves:
* Tony: tried to make the life of a famous painter, with his weird-o art.
* Daniella: always knew there was more to her life than she was living.
* Ismael: went from a nobody to a somebody really quickly, and was greedy and wanted more.
* Lady Dracula: wants everlasting youth, and will go through drastic measures to ensure it is hers.
* Marcela: lonely, tries to find her way in this world. Feminist in disguise.
* Mari Carmen: knows what she wants, but can’t exactly make up her own mind.
* Zorro: The X character who puts life and threat into San Juan.
* Commando: an imported cat who provided Daniella with stability and faith.
There are so many secrets to uncover. You will have to read the book to find out!
If I was to describe Sunstruck in 3 words:
1. Twisted (only book I haven’t been able to guess the ending!)
2. Intriguing (I couldn’t put it down!)
3. Personal (It truly hit home with me, and portrayed feelings that I consider my own!)
I would highly recommend reading Sunstruck. It will make you laugh, cry, and relate to the conflicts. I truly love the story, and already have 3 of my closest friends interested in reading it. (They are waiting in line!)
--Melissa Jackson, Living the Thrifty Life
http://imlivingthethriftylife.blogspo...
Sunstruck
My novel, SUNSTRUCK, republished by Twilight Times Books
I'm thrilled to share some exciting news: my parody/satire, SUNSTRUCK, has just been released by Twilight Times Books.
If you'd like to read something different this summer, I invite you to give it a try!
Here's a little about the book:
Daniella is an architecture student living with her narcissistic artist boyfriend in San Juan. Abandoned by her father at an early age, Daniella always falls for the ‘wrong’ type of man. Her most enduring male relationship so far has been with her cat.
Several strange mysteries are threaded through Daniella’s everyday life: her ex-husband, Ismael, has just opened an outlandish hotel for animal lovers that has her distraught; Ismael’s wife, a rich woman Daniella fondly refers to as ‘Lady Dracula’, has some gruesome ways to keep her skin looking young; Daniella’s mother is founding a revolutionary, feminist society called The Praying Mantises; the island’s national forest is being depleted of hallucinogenic mushrooms; meanwhile, young girls are disappearing and there’s a nut loose dressed as Zorro slashing the rear ends of women who wear miniskirts.
Oppressed by all these eccentric characters, Daniella feels herself falling into an abyss. Then something terrible happens, making Daniella wake from her stupor and take charge of her life.
Read an excerpt: http://twilighttimesbooks.com/Sunstru...
Review snippets:
“Dark and quirky humor coupled with quixotic characters adds to the surprising mix found in Sunstruck… I've never read a book remotely like it. Everything from the humorously weird to the acutely macabre can be found between these covers, and then some.” –Laurel Johnson, Midwest Book Review.
“Highly entertaining!”—Romance Junkies.
"Calvani has taken human nature and put it under a microscope--a warped and slightly cracked microscope. Proving once again that she is a master storyteller in multiple genres, "Sunstruck" by Mayra Calvani is both witty and brilliant." -- The Book Connection
"Mayra Calvani is a master of wit. The descriptions contain just the right telling detail, as when she describes Daniella's red hair as the color you'd get if you mixed brandy, carrots, and raspberries in a blender. Calvani makes the absurd seem reasonable. I found myself nodding at death from hiccups, coffee enemas, and drugged cats. The writing is exquisite, and the narrative strangely compelling. Do yourself a favor and snap this one up."—Margaret Fieland, reviewer
"Sunstruck is like a nutty Whodunit with a little twist. Who really is in the Zorro costume? With all the crazy characters I caught myself pointing fingers again and again. A great read that will make you forget where you are, while you giggle yourself to complete oblivion from all the silliness." --Autumn Blues Reviews
"This book was so crazy it was fantastic. Talk about a nutty twisty book this is it and all in good fun." --Babs Book Bistro
"...[A] funny satire that reaches into the realms of paranormal and horror as well as mystery and women's issues." -- Anne K. Edwards, mystery author
"Salvador Dali meets Terry Gilliam...Monty Python's Flying Circus would be proud." -- The Blue Iris Journal
You can purchase SUNSTRUCK here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LYYOWM
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sunst...
Happy summer reading!
A fun, quirky summer read to take with you to the beach!
Hi all,It’s been a while since my last post…
I’d like to announce the release of my parody/satire novel, SUNSTRUCK, just published by Twilight Times Books! I really like the cover. Just looking at it makes me want to run to the beach–almost impossible in the middle of Brussels. It is a light, fun cover for a light, quirky summer read.
To celebrate the book’s release and for a limited time, the book will have the reduced price of $2.99 (instead of $5.95). You can find it at:
Amazon
| Barnes&Noble[image error] | OmniLitI’m offering a special gift for those of you who purchase a copy: just send me proof of purchase at mayra.calvani@gmail.com and I’ll give you a coupon to get my supernatural thriller, DARK LULLABY, free from Smashwords! You can learn more about the book here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94529
As part of the book’s release, I’m having a One-Day Blitz at Enchanted Book Tours andBewitching Book Tours. There will also be a virtual blog tour starting tomorrow and running until September 15th.
You can read reviews about the book on Amazon and also read a chapter HERE.
Cheers and happy summer reading!
Mayra
The Writing Life with Authors Leif and Jason Grundstrom-Whitney
Leif Grundstrom-Whitney is the proud co-author of the epical satire The Hidden Chalice of the Cloud People; the wicked and witty character known as Facinorous contained therein is a product of his multifarious mind. He has been published in several obscure poetry journals (hold your applause). To say that he is an edacious reader would be an understatement worthy of Hemingway. If he had a spirit animal, it would probably be a raven who knows how to play a Hammond B-3 organ.
Jason Grundstrom-Whitney has been a Social Worker and Substance Abuse Counselor in the State of Maine for many years. In this time, he has introduced meditation (tai-chi, qigong, yoga, and meditation) groups to teens when told he would fail. This was one of the most successful and long lasting groups. He developed a Civil Rights/Peer Helper course that won state and national awards (for High School) and has worked as a civil rights activist. He has also worked as a long term care social worker and now works as a Hospice Medical Social Worker. Jason is a poet, writer, and musician playing bass, harmonica and various wind instruments. Lover of all styles of music he has played classical, jazz, rock, funk, country, blues, and rap. He is very excited to play bass with his brother’s band and his son’s. He is very proud to have co-authored The Hidden Chalice of the Cloud People with his son Leif.
What’s
inside the mind of a Young Adult Fiction author?
The
idea that the impossible can become a reality is exciting! The notion that we
can empower with the words we use and the stories we write. I think that Suzuki
Roshi perhaps said it best when he said, "Zen Mind Beginner Mind."
This means that everything is a beginning. If we look at life as we did as
children, everything is new and fresh and filled with possibility. I think a
major goal of our writing is to bring this awareness and sense of possibility
to Young Adults (and everyone else). We also have a very zany understanding of
humor which drives the satire.
What
is so great about being an author?
The
idea of the ideal that your mind from stillness is creating spurs us.
Everything comes from this stillness. When you think about it, you start with a
blank piece of paper; what unfolds is coming from this deep well of silence and
latent creativity. Whatever you create is from you and your relation to this
moment which is filled with the experiential past and the pregnant possibility
of the future. To be a writer is to have this sense and to be "the touch
point of calligraphy" as they say in the East.
When
do you hate it?
We
hate when we don't have the time or other commitments take us away from our
craft. Writing is very sacred; it is an exercise of the soul that needs its
hygiene of daily care; without it, it is hard to not feel lost, adrift in the
day-to-day normative nature of life.
What
is a regular writing day like for you?
We enjoy writing in the early
morning and afternoon. A typical day is to sit at the living room table with a
beautiful pastoral view across from each other and working out the details of a
blueprint, story line, revision, or edit. It is a joy working together.
Do
you think authors have big egos? Do you?
You
have to believe in yourself. In many ways the writer's life is a life that is
simple, humble, ego-less. In order to develop a story line or perhaps a new
sense of cogitation within a passage, a writer must listen deeply within to
cull from the experiential and learned knowledge of the past and strive from
this to create a work that is new and exciting. To us if your ego is too big,
perhaps you will not see the subtle nuances that go into creating a new piece
of literature. In our case you also have to consider you have two people
working, so there has to be a sense of common purpose and collaboration.
How
do you handle negative reviews?
With
the same sort of vicious ferocity that a raccoon demonstrates when cornered. We
respond with a savagery unmatched in the realm of human affairs! However,
having said that, it should be mentioned that we take any criticism that is
honest, authentic (i.e. based on a thorough understanding of the material), and
constructive into serious consideration. At least one-third of this answer is
serious. You choose which third.
How
do you handle positive reviews?
Positive
reviews are handled in an understated manner befitting the innate class,
dignity, and nobility of our characters. This usually involves rowdy bacchanals
that threaten to tear the framework of the sky asunder. So, you know; events
where temperance is the guiding principle.
What
is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?
The
usual response is either one of abject horror or utter indifference. Seriously though, one of us has
worked as a musician for many years and the response generally for any of the
arts is, "Well, that's nice; what do you do for work?" I blame
a culture that is not supportive of their artists for this. Consequently we
have seen such a drop in the level of creativity in all art. When culture tells
you that art is an avocation, then subliminally and overtly you constantly
question, "Am I good enough? Can I really do this?" So we have a
culture of artists who work in the arts as an avocation, not a culture
that fully supports the arts where artists can professionally work at their
craft.
What
do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a
break?
Write no matter what you feel! On
some days it may not be the best of what you do, of what you are capable of
writing, but write anyway. The process of writing is important. Think about
someone who would like to be an Olympic athlete. The athlete takes steps each
day to reach his or her goal. Day by day, week by week, the athlete gets better
at his/her event. Some days the athlete might not want to run or lift or
practice, but it must be done to reach the goal. Writing is the same; we must
practice daily!
Any
writing quirks?
Veering rather haphazardly into the realm of deeply personal questions, eh?
That depends on how you define a writing quirk. One of the defining peculiarities
of our writing method is its nonlinearity. Sections of the narrative and whole
sequences of action or dialogue are written in an unusual natural
progression-defying fashion; either starting from the end and moving back to
the beginning or starting from the middle and working to the end and then back
to the beginning or some other variation on this style.
What
would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it
as a hobby?
One of us would likely shout to the
offensive detractor: “You better check yourself before you wreck yourself!” In
all seriousness, is anyone able to determine what his or her hobbies are?
Van Gogh painted for years and only sold paintings to his brother; are we to
seriously consider that he did painting as a hobby? There is so much cultural
misunderstanding about art and artists!
Some
authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate?
Sometimes
when you look back at a piece of work, you may cringe as it is not at your
current level. We might have thought at the time we wrote a brilliant poem;
then two months later we want to burn it. This has to do with a more objective
view you now have of the work which is facilitated by time’s gradual dulling of
the passions utilized and sublimated during the creation process. Does it mean
we should burn it or throw it in the waste bin? Absolutely not! The work we
have always stimulates something from within you as it is you. Later you may
wish to refine or revise or edit, but don't throw away!
Do
you think success as an author must be linked to money?
We all need food, shelter, clothes
and the necessities to live; so in one regard, yes, we have to make money in
order to thrive. It would be a blessing to be able to sustain our existence on
the income derived solely from an artistic dream job. This doesn’t necessarily
mean that success as an author has to be linked to money though. Writing is its
own reward. If the world stood against us and we were greatly constrained by
the horrors of impecuniosity, we would still write to satisfy the gnarring need
for creative expression.
What
had writing taught you?
Writing
has taught us about the universe of creativity within. We are really remarkable
as human beings, able to take experience and knowledge and use symbols (writing
in this case) to relate this depth of inwardness. We have learned that the
universe of creativity from within is endless. We have learned that we can tap
this well and ride the current.
Leave
us with some words of wisdom.
We
leave you with some simple words of advice (this is geared towards all the
aspiring authors amongst your undoubtedly charming audience): Take your art
seriously; refine your abilities, hone your skills and develop a habit of
writing on a quotidian basis; not necessarily a piece of art that inspires the
pneuma and rattles the firmament but something that is at least adequate or
decent. Practicing your craft plays a crucial role in maintaining the
well-being and the liveliness of your mental character as well as improving
your writing abilities. Let the sensitive fabric of your psyche become
pachydermatous and persevere through all the vicissitudes that adversity can
muster.
////////////////////////////////////
Title:
The Hidden Chalice of the Cloud People
Genre:
Young Adult Fiction
Author:
Leif and Jason Grundstrom-Whitney
Publisher: Amazon Kindle Direct
Publishing
About
the Book: The Hidden Chalice of the Cloud People is a young adult fantasy
comedy novel written by a father and son writing duo for an intelligent general
audience. It is the first book in an upcoming tetralogy. It is a darkly
humorous, fast-paced, action-packed celebratory unification of the world’s rich
cultural lore through the lens of an inventive fantasy concept that stands both
as an occasionally subversive satire that satirizes the YA genre and an
anachronistic experiment on the fusion of storyline narratives (differing
stylistically and compositionally).
When Tommy Dana is abducted into a fantastical realm called Lethia, where the
worthy stories of humanity are granted a physical reality, the social
media-averse thirteen year old must plunge through a multi-varied
meta-fictional adventure in order to save his, and the entire human world’s, imagination
from falling into the thieving clutches of the witty supernatural villain
Facinorous.
An Interview with Barry Wilker, Author of 'The Lapone Sisters'
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Barry Wilker spent forty-three years working as an interior designer for a myriad of clients across the United States. Retirement has provided him time to assemble all the fragments of his wild imagination into this, his first novel. He lived for a number of years in the Los Angeles area and currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Here's here today to talk about his novel, The Lapone Sisters.
Find out more at www.TheLaponeSisters.com.
INTERVIEW:
Mayra Calvani: Please tell us about The Lapone Sisters and what compelled you to write it.
Author: I hatched the idea of The Lapone Sisters over a period of almost forty years. Being an interior designer for forty-three years was at times a tedious and sometimes a stressful profession. During downtimes in my business, ideas for the story sprang like seedlings that over time grew and multiplied into pieces I knew someday would be a fully realized story. During those free times, I wrote thoughts about these imaginary sisters on pieces of paper and put them into a folder or squirreled them away in the back of my mind. I am really not sure how or why this novel finally came to fruition. Possibly because of Covid and retirement I suddenly had the time to concentrate on the entirety of the story. I pulled out my folder and separated the scraps of ideas into piles in my home office. As I already mentioned, bits and pieces of the story had incubated for more years. I had stacks of unrelated ideas sitting on my desk. For nine months I began to sew together a story and imagine events that propelled my characters into the story they became. It was a fun, tedious, and stressful time.
M.C.: What is your book about?
Author: The Lapone Sisters is a smart and seamless coming-of-age novel centered on the lives of three sisters–and a thoughtful and thought-provoking tale that unfolds against a backdrop of a simpler time and place. The Lapone Sisters introduces the reader to three dazzling and decidedly different sisters: Schmellda, Sorina and Esmerelda. They are wildly disparate, wholly entertaining, and mesmerizingly comical individuals. The three sisters are swept up into a whirlwind of adventure when each begins to chart a course toward discovering purpose, meaning and direction for their lives.
In the summer of 1976, the three sisters launch a journey like no other when each begins the task of uncovering her individual course in the world. Schmellda, the eldest daughter, is a frumpy, self-appointed mother hen cautiously setting out on her own for the first time in her life. Middle sister Sorina is a stunning-and-stuttering beauty tentatively venturing out in search of her dreams. Esmerelda is the youngest and boldest of the three who is outspoken, sharp-tongued and an unfiltered fireball ready to catapult from the nest.
Born to loving parents who provided a safe and nurturing environment, Schmellda, Sorina and Esmerelda could not be more different. When the sisters are swept up in an unimaginable spiral of events that change their lives forever, they discover more about themselves and each other than they had ever dreamed.
The girls compete and commiserate. They take road trips and chances. They get makeovers and they make waves. They grow and bloom and blossom. Even though they change, they remain true to their core selves. Most of all, they follow their hearts. They even fall in love. Over the months of a fateful and blissful summer, the sisters cross paths, cross wits and come across a menagerie of misfits, loners, losers and dreamers making for an adventure like no other. For these three sisters, life will never be the same.
The Lapone Sisters is a beautifully rendered tale that celebrates taking chances, embracing individuality, innocence, and the unmistakeable power of love. Resplendent with charm, peppered with wry humor, sometimes seasoned with satire, and replete with a richly drawn cast of characters, their story is destined to stay with readers long after the last page is turned
M.C.: What themes do you explore in your novel?
Author: Individuality. Innocence. The power of love, acceptance, and coming of age. Stuttering and the power of language. The capability of change. The importance of knowing we are all part of and have contributions to make to a community much bigger than just ourselves.
M.C.: Why do you write?
Author: I write now because I have the time. Being retired, I feel able to do anything. I don’t write for income. I write because I want to write. I wrote this novel because I wanted to show life in an absurdly creative way. I wanted to create a lightness on the surface that opens the reader’s mind to what I consider the truly important themes I mentioned above.
M.C.: When do you feel the most creative?
Author: Since I am not creating beautiful homes for a living any longer and constantly thinking about them 24/7, my imagination is still at full speed. I feel creative all the time.
M.C.: How picky are you with language?
Author: I am very conscientious about language. I consider my writing to how I performed as an interior designer. I was meticulous with my jobs. It was my goal to execute a beautiful and liveable environment for my clients using the best materials and craftsmen available. Words are now my floor plans, fabrics, art and furniture. I want language to be perfect.
M.C.: When you write, do you sometimes feel as though you were being manipulated from afar?
Author: No. Not in the least.
M.C.: What is your worst time as a writer?
Author: When I am a loss for an idea. When I am at a loss for the correct word. When I wake up in the middle of the night and realize that I missed something in a time line. When I am somewhere and I have a great idea and have no way to write it down.
M.C.: Your best?
Author: The opposite of all of the above . . . the times when thoughts, ideas and the rest flow seamlessly.
M.C.: Is there anything that would stop you from writing?
Author: I suppose if my debut novel does not work out for Joe Public. I would not stop writing. I would stop publishing.
M.C.: What’s the happiest moment you’ve lived as an author?
Author: When the three editors and I came to the “Aha!” moment that set my manuscript free to go to print.
M.C.: Is writing an obsession to you?
Author: It certainly was an obsession while I was writing The Lapone Sisters. Long ago in school I loved to write poetry. At the moment, writing isn’t quite the obsession it was. I’ve told my primary story. Now I have other loves. I paint, sculpt, read. I am 69 and retired. Now is mostly play time.
M.C.: Are the stories you create connected with you in some way?
Author: The only part of The Lapone Sisters that connects me to my novel is I was once a stutterer. I still am at times. I really wanted to raise awareness of how stuttering as an adolescent affects a person.
M.C.: Ray Bradbury once said, “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” Thoughts?
Author: I don’t agree. I wrote this novel as a contrast to the chaos, hate and negativity in today’s society. I wanted to write a happy and meaningful book that was filled with positive and humorous distractions.
M.C.: Do you have a website or blog where readers can find out more about you and your work?
Author: www.TheLaponeSisters.com. But really, after anyone reads this blog they know more about me than what is on my website. I would like to thank you for reading this and hope that you will read my novel The Lapone Sisters. I also want to emphasize to readers that I have two footnotes in my novel on pages 199 and 300 that reference songs I sincerely hope they will listen to before turning the page. And again, thank you!
Barry’s book, The Lapone Sisters, is available from your favorite online retailer.
