Author Interview - Calypso’s Heart by M.C. Solaris #PNR #authorinterview

What is your “day” job if you are not a full time author?

I’m a drug pusher. Okay, hold up! It’s not in the way you’re thinking. ;) The pharmaceutical industry has paid my bills (and supported my romance novel and Whole Foods addiction) since I was eighteen though. Hopefully one day soon, I’ll be throwing up my peace sign to the drug game and supporting myself financially doing what I love: writing stories about swoon-worthy book boyfriends and awesome heroines! :)

If you wrote a book about your life what would the title be?

You Betta Sha-Sha!

*said in a supportively sassy BFF voice*

Why, you ask? And you’re also probably wondering what the heck Sha-Sha is.

Well, Sha-Sha is not a what but a who. Sha-Sha is what my sister calls me when I’m fully immersed in my woo-woo-high-vibes-only vortex. Seeming as she coined the nickname, it seems only appropriate to quote her explanation (below). PS: I feel it’s pertinent for you to know that my birth name is Marina in order to understand the nickname.

“Sharina (or if she’s being particularly sassy, Sha-Sha or Sha-ri-ri)... has undergone a major existential transformation which included studying under a Shaman, hence the name. She went from being predictable and conventionally western to, ‘What in the sage burning, crystal healing, tarot card reading, moon circle leading, yoga practicing, reiki giving, female empowering, yoni steaming, wizardry are you up to now?’ … She’s got the moon in her eyes and probably Palo Santo in her hand.”

What is the hardest thing about being an author?

Simple. So many stories, so little time! You would not believe the number of stories that are in my head and waiting patiently (okay, somewhat patiently… some of these characters are a little pushy and want their story to be pushed to the top of the queue lol ;) ) to be written down!

What is the best thing about being an author?

Being a storyteller!! This reminds me of a cherished quote by Gabrielle Roth (below) because I feel like as a storyteller (writer) I’m helping people be enchanted by stories.

“In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions: "When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop being comforted by the sweet territory of silence?”― Gabrielle Roth

Have you ever been star struck by meeting one of your favorite authors? If so who was it? 

I’m still working on my author bucket list and hopefully one day soon will be fangirling in person right in front of Nora Roberts (the first romance book I’ve ever read), JR Ward, Nalini Singh, and Dannika Dark.

What book changed your life?

What book hasn’t changed my life? ;) Okay, I know, I know... you want titles. First, Ignite Your Inner Goddess by Marina Schroeder. Hold the freakin’ phone… aren’t you Marina? 

Yes, that is me. And wait, hear me out on why I mention this one first. A lot of Ignite Your Inner Goddess (IYIG) is my journaled notes and diary entries of my very personal women’s health journey. I had (had being the key word here) been plagued with period issues. 

(Umm… am I allowed to mention periods here on this blog? Well, I guess I just did! lol). 

IYIG is the first book I ever wrote and it was a total mind, body, and spirit transformational experience. I believe it gave me courage and strength (and possibly opened up the writing channels ;) ) for me to “speak my truth” and write and publish Calypso’s Heart.

And here are some other books that 100% changed my life:

Three Sisters Trilogy by Nora Roberts

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward

Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh

Seven Series by Dannika Dark

Fix Your Period by Nicole Jardim

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler

I know those last two are women’s health books… And I know I’m missing some impactful books and I’m sorry to those that fall into that category. I promise they aren’t any less meaningful in my heart! :)

What were some of your favorite books growing up?

Harry Potter (duh!), Lord of the Rings (again, duh!), Nancy Drew (another duh!), Chronicles of Narnia (obvi!), Xanth series, and so so so many more! Including this one series that I read in middle school that was about a mermaid… One day I will remember/rediscover what this book was and re-read it as I channel my inner middle schooler once more.

What books are currently in your to be read pile?

Holy moly… the list is sooooo long! But some authors that pop into my mind are:

A Court Of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Lux Series Jennifer L. Armentrout

Phoenix Pack Series by Suzanne Wright

Elemental Mysteries Series by Elizabeth Hunter

Highlander Series by Karen Marie Moning

These aren’t in any particular order and this is definitely not an exhaustive list (barely scratches the surface!)

Which do you prefer: ebooks, print, or audio books?

Depends on my mood but I’m definitely a sucker for audio books because I can listen while on my beloved beach walks or put it on the car speakers whenever I venture out of my Hobbit hole (AKA my home) and drive in Southern California traffic.

If you could live inside the world of a book or series which world would it be and why?

The species world that Calypso’s Heart takes place in. I know… I’m biased. ;) And why? Hello! Sexy shifters, hot vampires, intriguing immortals, supernatural powers, sacred places, gorgeous lands, delicious species foods and wines, advanced technology, magical creatures... Need I say more?!

Calypso’s Heart
An Orion’s Order Novel
Book One
M.C. Solaris

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: M.C. Solaris LLC
Date of Publication: Print Book 5/15/20
Date of Publication: eBook 7/20/20
ISBN: 978-1-952655-00-5 Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-952655-01-2 E-book
ISBN: 978-1-952655-02-9 Hardcover
Number of pages: 665
Word Count: 180,000
Cover Artist: Mayhem Cover Creations

Tagline: Sexy Shifters. Hot Vampires. Intriguing Immortals.

Book Description:

If you enjoy Psy-Changeling and Black Dagger Brotherhood, this new series is right up your alley!

Sexy shifters. Hot vampires. Intriguing immortals. Strong heroine. Sizzling romance. Page-turning plot full of emotion and excitement. Modern and fresh take on fated mates.

Caly

Do you dream of ridiculously hot men? Okay, maybe you do. (And yes, I'm well aware I should lay off the romance books before bed.) But do you actually ever meet those men you dream about in real life? I didn't think so. That's probably a good thing though because I have... And these men from my dreams have done nothing but pull the rug of reality out from under me... which was how I fell and ended up in a world that I thought only existed in romance books.

My name is Caly (AKA Callie) and I'm just an ordinary single woman living the LA dream... paycheck to paycheck. Except whose dream is it? I'm not really sure... but it's not my dream. Especially because I have really weird dreams... like really weird. Then again, everyone has weird dreams, right?

Blake

I am an alpha wolf shifter and leader of Orion's Order, a pack of... well, not wolves. We're an unconventional pack of highly skilled specian hunters that do one thing: hunt the evil in our world. And we were hired by SILE (Species Investigative Law Enforcement) to hunt a bloodthirsty criminal who is infamously untraceable. That was until an irresistible female brought an unexpected twist to our hunt and set things in motion... a motion that has left my pack and our world forever changed.

Welcome to The Order and a secret world of magic and mystery, where a pack of unlikely friends find love and fight against an ancient evil force.

Devour this addictive series at your own risk…

+ Happily Ever After

+ Steamy Paranormal Shifter Romance

+ Multiple POV

+ Mature Content

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CALYPSO’S HEART is an adult paranormal wolf shifter romance. If you like swoon-worthy males, heroines with feminine strength, an engaging plot, satisfying relationships, steamy love stories, happy ever afters, and getting sucked into a supernatural story, then you’ll want to immerse yourself in the world of species! 

You’ll feel right at home if you’re a JR Ward, Nalini Singh, and Dannika Dark fan.

Amazon      BN

"It has the elements you need - love, pain, heartache, action, revenge, some light comedy, etc. I thought the sex scenes were SPOT ON! Like damn those were great. I really felt immersed in it at times and I felt transported into the story." ★★★★★

“The descriptions and imagery are on point. It’s easy to picture the characters and scenes. I like the multiple POV shifts to better understand and immerse myself in the character’s mind. The sex scenes are steamy and kept me turning the pages." ★★★★★

“...if you are looking for a book that punches you in your face, right out the gate, with unrealistic action, tasteless sex scenes, and emotional turmoil, this won't be it. Go watch Shameless instead. But if you are looking for something that unfolds at a pace that gives you time to decipher the characters, setting, and complexities of the story that is to come, then this is for you...” ★★★★★

“...at one point in the book, a group of characters are all introduced in a short amount of time. While this might not be standard protocol for fictional stories, it's realistic. Trust that it was done with purposeful intent. Without giving away too much about the story, you get to learn about a pack of males in their environment, doing what males do...” ★★★★★

Excerpt 3 Flirty — Caly/Blake Playful Playlists

“I know it’s totally stupid but I had playlists for everything. Music is therapeutic to me. And when I wasn’t in the mood for music, I would curl up on the couch with Felix, a hot drink and—” She abruptly cut herself off.

Oh my god! she thought, almost letting it slip that she was a romance novel junkie. Em-fucking-barrassing!

“And?” he prompted genuinely curious about Caly’s life before the horror.

“Nothing," she said, trying to play it off all cool.

“Oh, come on. You can’t just leave me hanging like that,” he teased a little, trying to lighten the mood.

Caly laughed. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Well, I’ll share something about me if you share.”

“Fine.” Her cheeks heated. “And I would read romance novels.” She held her breath waiting for his reaction.

Blake’s brows furrowed slightly in confusion. “I’m going to go off on a limb here and say romance novels are about falling in love. So, what’s embarrassing about that?”

“You’re right. Not embarrassing at all. Your turn," Caly said, eager to change the subject.

He sniffed the air and gave her a look that said “Spill.”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Okay. Fine.” Her words came out on an exhale. “I like the romance novels with…” She hesitated. “...Hot steamy sex scenes. Happy now?”

“Oh, do you now?” he drawled.

“Okay, your turn. Tell me something embarrassing about you.”

“I said I would share something about myself. I didn’t say something embarrassing.” He gave her a wolfish grin.

“You sly wolf.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Okay, fine. So share something about yourself with me, wolf.” Her mouth turned up at the corners at their playful game.

“Well, how about I share how I am suddenly thinking about wanting to show up all those hot steamy romance novels you’ve read.”

Way to go with the gentlemale plan, he thought, wanting to kick himself. He was so caught up in the playful banter with his female tucked close against his body that he forgot all about how he was going to keep his distance.

“Oh, come on," she said with a laugh. “That doesn’t count. Share something else about yourself.” Caly looked up slightly only to see he had his wolfy grin. So, she quickly added, “Something that is comparable.”

He chuckled. “Well, I had long hair once. When I was younger. It did not suit me. At all. Which also reminds me, I look weird without facial hair.”

Caly laughed at the unexpected confession. She was suddenly trying to picture what Blake would look like with long hair and clean-shaven. “I wanna see a picture. Please tell me you have one.”

“Now that would be the embarrassing part.” His smile widened. “Maybe one day I’ll show you.”

About the Author:

M.C. Solaris’s life took an unexpected turn during the super blood moon eclipse on January 20, 2019. She woke up and began writing bios for her imaginary friends that she met that day. As soon as the pen hit the paper (or fingertips to the iPhone), she couldn’t stop. It was kind of like one of those fire hydrants, spewing copious amounts of water all over the place. The characters and their stories just flowed out of her. She is honored to be the scribe, getting to share her friends’ stories. You can read all about her gifted friends in the Orion’s Order series (Book 1 is Calypso’s Heart).

On a personal note, M.C. Solaris is actually the pseudonym of Marina Schroeder, women’s health enthusiast and lover of all things paranormal romance (PNR) and happily ever after (HEA). When she is not curled up on the sofa with her partner’s oversized hoodie, a PNR novel, peppermint tea, and one of her three cats, you will find her either at the ocean with her toes in the sand or in a forest hugging a tree. Well truthfully? There is one more place you might find her: trolling the aisles of Whole Foods for a satisfying combination of salty and sweet while hiding in her partner’s hoodie… like any proper PNR-writing introvert.

Want to get the latest scoop, sneak peeks, and short shares all about her imaginary friends? Go to www.mcsolaris.com  and sign up for the newsletter.

Welcome to The Order!

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