Friday, January 23, 2009

An Interview with Cornelia Amiri and A Contest!


Please welcome Cornelia Amiri to my blog today.

Alisha: Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood? Favorite memories?

Cornelia: To be honest I’m a survivor of childhood physical and sexual abuse so good memories are limited. But one day I when I was six, I had a little stand, like a lemonade stand, but instead of lemonade I sold books I made. Pieces of paper with some simple six year old writing and pictures I drew, stapled together. And I loved reading; it connected me with normal family life through fiction. Also, I loved playing with Barbie dolls. The Little House and the Prairie books were the first historical fiction I read and I’ve loved historical fiction ever since. Also my first introduction to Celtic mythology was the Disney movie, The Sword and the Stone, I watched at age five. I still remember it. I’ve loved Celtic mythology ever since.

Alisha: A Book Stand! How neat! Tell us about the hero and heroine in your latest release.

Cornelia: In Druid Quest, Sulwen and Rhys are both druids, he’s Queen Boudica’s arch druid and a shape shifter. Sulwen is a survivor of the massacre of Ynys Mon. Together they join Boudica's revolt against the Romans. He’s a shape shifter and there is a lot magic and rituals in the book, including a hint of dragons. Sulwen and Rhys’ opposing views of war and magic test their love.

Alisha: If you were granted three wishes by a genie, what would they be?

Cornelia: To travel to Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. Enough money to go no-holds-barred on marketing my books. To provide a nice house and car for my grown son.

Alisha: If you could go anywhere to tomorrow, where would you go?

Cornelia: Wales.

Alisha: If you could see anyone tomorrow (dead or alive), who would it be?

Cornelia: I would like to meet the warrior queen Boudica of course. That would be incredible

Alisha: If you could choose six people to spend one week on a desert island, who would it be and why?

Cornelia: I always liked the TV show Gilligan’s Island so Donald Trump for the millionaire, Ivana for his wife, even though they’re divorced because that would make it even crazier and funny, Lindsay Lohan for the red-headed movie star, even though she changes her hair color, and from survivor Gabon I’d use Bob Crowley the physics teacher as the professor, Sugar as a sweet Mary Ann type, she was one of my favorites on Gabon, and Kenny for a Gilligan type. That’s six. No Skipper.

Alisha: No Skipper? Okay, you can have 7 people..lol. What word or phrase tingles in all the right places for you?

Cornelia: Lassie, if you’re that interested go ahead and take a peak.

Alisha: Tee hee. If you had one day to spoil yourself, what would you do?

Cornelia: Eat Godiva chocolate, read a good book in a tub of bubble bath, get a massage, have two or three margaritas at my favorite Mexican restaurant, get my hair and nails done, and spend a couple of hours on e-bay buying all type of Celtic Stuff.

Alisha: That sounds glorious! Can I join you? If you could change one incident in your life, what would it be and how would you change it?

Cornelia: I would have begun writing at a professional level much sooner, I would have kept my confidence up and not put my writing aside for so many years like I did.

Alisha: You and me both. What’s the sexiest thing a man has ever done for you or said to you or both?

Cornelia: “You amaze me.” And done for me, spread a path of rose petals on the floor leading to a tub for two, full of bubbles and lined with burning white candles.

I have two new releases, Druid Quest and A Fine Cauldron of Fish.

Here’s a short blurb and excerpt Druid Quest

Blurb:
In first century AD Britannia, the future of the mist covered isle and its brave people rest in the hands of two druids whose views are as different as fire and ice. Yet they find love together. Arch Druid Rhys is a master of the sacred mysteries but a novice in the ways of the heart. Sulwen, a sacred druidess, discovers Rhys, the shape shifter, has evoked a basic, feral desire in her, only to find the goddess may soon exact the unfathomable price of taking him from her. Though their love is as potent as their magic, is it strong enough to survive their desperate quest?

Excerpt:
Sulwen’s essence rose from her like gray smoke from a snuffed candle. She gazed down on her still body, her white skin, and her long, blondish hair. She felt like a heavy cloud as she pushed against the wind and floated into the body of the bird.

Here’s a short blurb and excerpt for A Fine Cauldron of Fish
Blurb:
It’s summer on the Isle of Man an Andrew is looking for hot girls and good times. So when he meets the dreamy and seductive Margaid, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot. There are only a couple of minor problems: Margaid lives in a cave under the sea, is invisible, and thinks that only Andrew’s blood can save her from turning into a kelpie! But hey, whoever said love was perfect?
Excerpt:
Before Margaid could answer, the guy shook his head at Andrew. “It’s okay. You can keep my shirt. Although I don’t know how you're holding it when your arm’s about four inches away from it, but hey, I’m sure I simply had too much to drink. Keep it, that’s fine.”

“What? No, I don’t want your shirt. Margaid, well she thought I wanted it, but—”

“No, don’t let him go.” Margaid shook her red head. “You do want his shirt. And you need his pants, too.”
Before Andrew knew what was happening, she shoved the shirt into his arms. Then she turned back to the quaking man and grabbed hold of his waist.

“Oh, no, Margaid, don’t do it.” The moment Andrew yelled out, he knew she wasn’t going to listen. He watched in utter horror as she unsnapped the poor man’s jeans, yanked down his zipper, and slid his pants all the way to his ankles. Damn, I’m glad he’s wearing underwear. Black boxers with writing all over them. What does that say? Andrew read aloud, “B is for big.”




Visit my world at
Celtic Romance Queen

Celtic Romance Queen on My Space


CONTEST: LEAVE A COMMENT FOR CORNELIA TODAY AND YOU'LL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR A FREE PDF DOWNLOAD OF A DRUID QUEST!

17 comments:

Unknown said...

Just wanted to stop by and say great interview and I will take your advice and eat Godiva chocolate. I can't wait to read your books!

angie said...

val you got to read this one you will enjoy it

lindseye said...

Well one can never go wrong with chocolate. I love historical and paranormal books so this should be a good read.

Unknown said...

You answers to the island question where interesting.

Stephanie said...

Great Interview! I'll trade you some of my Dove for some Godiva and by your spa buddy for the day ;)

Lisa said...

I loved the interview. I love books that have Celtic mythology.

Janece Suarez said...

Cornelia,

Wonderful interview! Your latest book sounds so interesting! I love all things Celtic as well. Have you ever checked out this website? It's an online photo "tour" of Scotland. There are TONS of awesome pics! Wistful sigh! =)
http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/pitlochry/pictures_tours.htm

Debby said...

Great interview. I have the same travel plans as you Good luck!!
Debby

cornelia amiri said...

Thanks to all of you for dropping by today. Thank you lastnerve and Angie (always good to see you) thanks lindseye and BethRe, and Stephanie, your on about chocolate trading and being spa buddies, thank you Lisa, thanks for the website tip Nece and thanks Debby. I appreciate your kind words. Thanks so much for blogging with me today. And thank you so much Alisha for interviewing me for your fantastic blog. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Tameka said...

Loved the interview and best of luck on all your upcoming books.

Kirsten Campbell said...

A book stand? Amazing! Wish I'd thought of something like that when I was a kid.

A novel about the Druids of Mona, eh? Good to see! :)

Best of luck with it, Cornelia!

Skhye said...

Great excerpts, Cornelia! I'm with you on the Celtic mythology and destinations! Wonderful job with the interview, Alisha.

cornelia amiri said...

Thank you Tamika, I appreciate it so much. Thanks so much Kirsten. Yes the first chapter begins with the heroine, a druidess, escaping the masacre at Mona. Thank you so much Alisha.

LighthouseSandy said...

Love the interview and Druid Quest sounds terrific!

cornelia amiri said...

Thank you Sandra. I appreciate it.

Alisha said...

The winner of a download of Cornelia's Druid's Quest is Sandra! Congrats! Please email me at alishapaigewilson@yahoo.com and I will send your contact information to Cornelia.

Thank you so much for being my guest of honor today, Cornelia. I loved your excerpts. And a big thank you to everyone that popped in to say hello. I think we all deserve a spa day with Cornelia and a few dozen boxes of Godiva!

Happy Reading and Writing!
~Alisha

cornelia amiri said...

Congratulations Sandra. As soon as I get your e-mail I'll send the download of Druid Quest to you. Thanks to Alisha for interviewing me and letting me share my blurbs and excerpts on Druid Quest and A Fine Cauldron of Fish. Thank you everyone for you wonderful comments and interest in my writing. I really appreciate it.