Visit with Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

www.carmenferreiroesteban.com

Today we're visiting with Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban, author of TWO MOON PRINCESS. The book was released in hardcover by Tanglewood Press in November 2007, and is scheduled to be released in paperback in (with a gorgeous new cover, I might add!) in June 2010.



TWO MOON PRINCESS follows Andrea, a strong-willed princess, from her Spanish medieval world to modern day California. When Andrea, accidentally, returns to her world with the Californian boy he fancies, she starts a chain of events that brings war to her kingdom. Her well-intended but somehow foolish attempts to stop the war and keep her love interest alive, will have unexpected consequences that will challenge her beliefs and change her forever.

According to Sarah Bean writing for TeenReadsToo: TWO MOON PRINCESS is a wonderful book that kept me up turning its pages and reading well into the night. (...) The author’s parallel worlds were richly described and all the characters grew throughout the story. Andrea is a great strong character - she recognizes her duty to her kingdom, but also has a bit of a rebellious streak in her. She’s not a damsel in distress at all, but at the same time she’s not afraid to show her soft side.

This story was full of adventure and the romance was an unexpected surprise. This is a great pick for readers who enjoy fantasy but also great for readers who like romance in their stories. I’m excited to see the author is working on a sequel, which I hope to read soon.

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TwoMoonPrincess.html

For The page flipper: (TWO MOON PRINCESS has) a completely original plot, it included practically every genre - fantasy, romance, action, adventure, and contemporary. . . Consistently thrilling and packed with exciting plot twists, it was extremely hard to put down.

http://thepageflipper.blogspot.com/

Headstrong, clever, and sometimes a little foolish, the compulsive reader writes, Princess Andrea is a character I fell in love with immediately. Fast paced, enchanting, and humorous, TWO MOON PRINCESS is definitely a book that you will not want to miss. (. . .), this one headstrong princess's journey will make you wish that Andrea's story would never end as she learns that she can be a lady and still follow her heart.

http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/

Andrea is a likable protagonist: strong-willed, adventurous, and independent, yet sensitive, too, Sheila Ruth from Wands and Worlds writes. This is a strong title that will appeal to teens who like fantasy with adventure, romance, and strong female protagonists.

http://www.wandsandworlds.com/blog1/2007/11/book-review-two-moon-princess.html

From Myshelf.com: . . . girls in junior high and above will identify with a young woman’s attempt to enter those activities traditionally reserved for men. The reading holds the reader’s attention and is fast-paced.

http://www.myshelf.com/kids/fiction/07/twomoonprincess.htm

**I had the chance to ask Carmen a few questions about her life and writing - I hope you enjoy her answers as much as I did!

1) If you could bring any character from one of your books to life, who would it be and why?

Julian. He is perfect for me. I made him up after all.

2) Your own six-word memoir.

Never grew up. Writes for teens.

3) Twitter your newest or upcoming release in 140 characters or less.

Upcoming release: THE KING IN THE STONE:

Sent back in time to Spain, 718 A.D., and caught in opposite sides of the ongoing strife between Moors and Visigoths, will Andrea and Julian’s love survive?

4) What was your favorite book growing up as a teen?

REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier. Blurb: The ultimate doormat (the character doesn’t even have a name) marries a wife murderer. Lives happy ever after.
I found it so romantic! What was I thinking?

5) When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I never wanted to grow up. I haven’t yet. Don’t tell my children.

6) Your favorite subject in high school – and your least favorite.

I loved Biology, hated History.

The way they taught History, back then in Spain where I grew up, basically a list of names and dates of kings and battles didn’t do it for me. It was a history about men. You'd think after reading those dreadful texts that women didn’t exist in Spain, in its more than two thousands years of recorded history. Pretty boring, indeed.

It was scholars like Richard Fletcher (MOORISH SPAIN, THE QUEST FOR EL CID) and historical fiction novelists, like Rosemary Sutcliff (THE EAGLE OF THE NINTH, SWORD AT SUNSET, SONG FOR A DARK QUEEN, THE LANTERN BEARERS), Josephine Tey (THE DAUGHTER OF TIME) and Bernard Cornwell (THE SAXON TALES and SHARPE'S STORIES) among many others that made me fall in love with History.

Now I use the fascinating and colorful history of Medieval Spain as inspiration for my books.

I still love Biology though. First loves die hard.

7) The one book everyone in the world should read.

TWO MOON PRINCESS. If everybody read it, I would be rich and could write my own stories at leisure without worrying about mortgage or health care. Paradise found.

8) The book you wish you had written.

Are you kidding? HARRY POTTER or TWILIGHT. See above.

9) Your five favorite reads from 2009 (books you read during the year; they do not have to have been published during 2009).

In no particular order:

BLACKBRINGER by Laini Taylor
WILDWOOD DANCING by Juliet Marillier
GRACELING by Kristin Cashore
SWORD SONG by Bernard Cornwell
THE SOLDIERS OF HALLA: PENDRAGON #10 by D.J. MacHale

10) The 2010 release you’re most looking forward to reading.

A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS by Megan Whalen Turner.

11) Using the letters J L W (my initials!), create the title of your next bestseller. (For example, Jumping Love Walrus.)

Julian in Love and War

I didn’t cheat. I used the letters J, L, W. The instructions didn’t say ‘only’.
And it could actually work for my next book (a sequel to TWO MOON PRINCESS), although I like better THE KING IN THE STONE.

Jen, do you realize your initials also stand for Just Love Writing? - I know, isn't it awesome!! :)

12) What is your astrological sign? How closely does it match your personality?

I’m a Virgo (August 27)

From the chart above:
One of the most magical characteristics of the Virgo is no matter how many times life or romance turns sour on them, they still manage to maintain faith in others, refusing to become cynical. There is ingenuity around this sign, a kind-heartedness, which unfortunately is sometimes played upon by others for their advantage. Virgos can often become victims of relationship power-games, where they are mistreated.

Answering your question, I would say pretty close.

13) You’re going off your diet for one day and only eating food from restaurants. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? (Include the restaurant each meal comes from.)

Diet. What diet?

Breakfast: café latte with churros. Any bar in Madrid, Spain.
Lunch: miso soup. Salmon eggs, salmon and eel sushi. Green tea ice cream at Ooka, Doylestown, PA.
Dinner: paella (rice, fish, shell fish, saffron) in Valencia, Spain.

14) What is your ultimate vacation destination?

The Galapagos Islands. Hands down.

15) The world has suffered from a one-day only loss of power. You have no cell phone, computer, lights, or anything else that requires a computer, cell battery, or electricity. What do you spend the day doing?

Dreaming as usual.

16) If you weren’t an author, what job would you be doing?

Unfortunately writing doesn’t pay my bills. Yet. So, I’m also a freelance translator. I grew up in Spain, and have a Ph.D. in Biology, so I translate mainly in the medical/pharmaceutical fields.

I would love to do literary translations though, especially YA books. So if any editor looking for a translator is reading this blog, please contact me. I’m the best.

17) You get the chance to star in an upcoming film release. What movie would you star in for your acting debut? (If you can’t choose an upcoming film, you can choose a past release.)

The Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. I would get to act crazy and scream “Off with his head”. Meeting Johnny Depp would be cool too.

18) A movie is being made of ONE of your books. Which book is it, and who will star as the main characters?

I used to watch Buffy, the Vampire Slayer when I was writing TWO MOON PRINCESS. I always imagined Julian as Angel. So David Boreanaz would do quite well for Julian.

Although I loved Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy, Andrea is from Spain so India Joy Eisley (Ashley in The Secret Life of the American Teenager) fits the idea I have of Andrea better.

19) You’re writing a book where you can change one major historical event. Which event do you change? (For example, Abraham Lincoln wasn’t assassinated, or Japan never bombed Pearl Harbor.)

The Big Bang.
Just kidding.
Maybe.

20) Remember those “classics” that you were made to read in high school English class? What was your favorite, and which title should students never have to be subjected to reading?

I went to school in Spain. In my literature class (it was not called English for obvious reasons) we were supposed to read texts from the XIth century on. So you can imagine how much we enjoyed reading for school.

That said, my favorite book (play, actually) was probably “Fuenteovejuna” by Lope de Vega.

The plot goes like this: the King's men sent to investigate the death of his commander accused of rape meets the same answer from all the villagers when they ask “Who killed the commander”. The answer: “Fuenteovejuna, my lord”. Fuenteovejuna in case you haven't guessed is the name of the village. In 1619 when the play was written, it was pretty daring to defy the king. I liked that.

My least favorite, the one I don’t wish in any student, is “El Lazarillo de Torres”. A boy sold by his mother as servant (lazarillo) to a blind man learns to cheat and lie to survive.

A little too gritty for my taste, back then.

21) Someone tells you that you’ll never publish another book that you write. Do you still keep writing?

“I write, therefore I am,” said Descartes. Or was it “I think”?

Anyway, yes, I'll write. Writing keeps me sane. Most of the time.

22) A group of teens ask you the best way to become a published writer. How do you answer the question?

First you must write your very best novel.

Allow yourself to fall in love with your characters and let them tell you their story. And most of all, have fun. If you don’t enjoy writing your story, no one will enjoy reading it.

When you have finished writing it, join a critique group and listen to the critiques with an open mind. Then revise, submit to critique, and revise again until it feels right.

The third step is to find editors or agents that have published, or are looking for your particular kind of book and send a query to them.

Take your time writing your query letter. You have spent one, two, three years writing your book, why hurry now? The query letter must be perfect. You only have that one shot at that particular person, so you must get her/him at “hello”.
When rejections start coming, send your manuscript again to another group of editors/agents you have already researched.

Above all, believe in yourself and never give up.

**Thanks so much to Carmen for visiting with us today! Be sure to visit her website listed above; you can also find her at her Blog, on Facebook, on MySpace, or email her directly at carmen19582002@yahoo.com.

She has graciously offered to send one lucky poster today a copy of TWO MOON PRINCESS (hardcover, which is out now, or a paperback copy, which releases in June), so be sure to leave any comments or questions you have for her in the comments section. She'll be stopping by later today to see what we're talking about!