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Mayra Calvani's
Official Web Site
Learn everything about Mayra's books and upcoming releases.
Be sure to visit every month for her latest articles on writing, publishing and promotion, fascinating interviews with authors, editors, publicists, bookstore owners and librarians, as well as resources, short stories and excerpts of her works.
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Books
News! Mayra is pleased to announce a recent release.
parody/satire/women's fiction
Sunstruck
Zumaya Publications
Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-934841-18-1
eBook formats ISBN: 978-1-934841-19-8
Available from Amazon.com
Sunstruck has its own site at: www.sunstruckthenovel.blogspot.com.
Twenty-four year old Daniella is an architecture student living with her narcissistic artist boyfriend in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Abandoned by her father at an early age, Daniella always falls for the wrong type of man.
Her most enduring male relationship so far is with her 30-pound Turkish angora cat. Thankfully, Daniella's mother is always there to offer a shoulder.
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 crazed, eccentric characters, Daniella feels herself falling into an abyss. Then something horrendous happens, making Daniella wake from her stupor and take charge of her life.
"Salvador Dali meets Terry Gilliam in a surrealistic romp that skewers the society of dilettantes and artistic poseurs. Reading Sunstruck is like having one of those long, convoluted dreams that seem to be totally logical until they twist off into another dimension entirely. Monty Python's Flying Circus would be proud."
-- Blue Iris Journal
"Brilliant."
-- MyShelf.com
"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 actue macabre can be found between these covers, and then some."
-- Laurel Johnson, Midwest Book Review
non-fiction/reference
The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing
Twilight Times Books
Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-933353-22-7, $16.95
eBook, $5.95
Read an excerpt.
Available from
Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Indy Bookstores.
The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing is the Winner in the category of Writing in the ForeWord Magazine 2008 Book of the Year Award, a Finalist in the E-Book Non-Fiction category of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, a finalist in the "Business: Writing & Publishing" category of the National Best Books 2008 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News and an EPPIE finalist in the category of Non-Fiction - Self-Help.
This book was written not only with the aspiring reviewer in mind, but for the established reviewer who needs a bit of refreshing and also for anybody--be they author, publisher, reader, bookseller, librarian or publicist--who wants to become more informed about the value, purpose and effectiveness of reviews.
"As an experienced reviewer I learned that I do not know it all and will keep my copy of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing for reference. It is not a book I will loan out because it won’t be returned...If you want to break into book reviewing, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing is a must-have reference. Heed the author’s advice and you can write reviews that will get you and the books you review noticed."
--Reviewed by Sharon Broom, Armchair Interviews.
"The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing is a useful took for both amateur and professional book reviewers, as well as book review editors. There should be no doubt that the good tips, thoughtful perspective and resource information can be of considerable value to anyone wishing to practice this art."
--Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford, Allbooks Reviews.
"The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing should be considered mandatory reading for novice and aspiring book reviewers, as well as having a great deal of enduring value as a reference for even the more experienced reviewer. Additionally, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing will provide to be informed and informative reading about the book review process for authors, publishers, publicists, booksellers, librarians, and the general reading public."
--Reviewed by James Cox, The Midwest Book Review.
"I do recommend The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing as a must-have resource guide. Calvani and Edwards present a well-written gold-mine to potential reviewers as well as a source of information for experienced reviewers and authors."
--Reviewed by Irene Watson, Reader Views.
"The Slippery Art... is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in book reviews - writers, reviewers, publishers, publicists, librarians, booksellers and readers."
-- Reviewed by Francine Silverman, editor/publisher of The Book Promotion Newsletter.
horror/thriller
Dark Lullaby
Whiskey Creek Press
Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-59374-907-1, $12.95
eBook formats ISBN: 978-1-59374-908-8, $5.99
Purchase page: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/
Available from Amazon.com
and Fantastic Literature UK
Read an excerpt.
View the trailer at YouTube.
At a trendy Turkish tavern one Friday night, astrophysicist Gabriel Diaz meets a mysterious young woman. Captivated by her beauty as well as her views on good and evil, he spends the next several days with her. Soon, however, he begins to notice a strangeness in her--her skin's abnormally high temperature, her obsession with milk products, her child-like and bizarre behavior as she seems to take pleasure in toying with his conscience.
The young woman, Kamilah, invites him to Rize, Turkey, where she claims her family owns a cottage in the woods. In spite of his heavy workload and the disturbing visions and nightmares about his sister's baby that is due to be born soon, Gabriel agrees to go with her.
But nothing, not even the stunning splendour of the Black Sea, can disguise the horror of her nature. In a place where death dwells and illusion and reality seem as one, Gabriel must now come to terms with his own demons in order to save his sister's unborn child, and ultimately, his own soul…
"Mayra Calvani is a masterful storyteller… Dark Lullaby is complex and compelling…"
-- Habitual Reader
"Dark Lullaby is an atmospheric paranormal horror that grips you from page one and refuses to let go until you've raced, breathless, to the end. The prose is so smooth there are no speed bumps as you devour the entire novel in one or two sittings."
-- ePinions
"If you like chills, foreign settings, and moral dilemmas, this book is for you!"
-- Gloria Oliver's Blog
"Dark Lullaby is a page-turner. A horror story from the top shelf! You'll love it."
-- 5 stars from Euro-Reviews
"This is a terrific horror tale that hooks readers who in spite of knowing that Kamilah is malevolent from almost the first siren meeting with Gabriel wonder what her motive is and who she is. Fans will assume due to Gabriel's descent into paranoia and Elena's increasing manic panic attacks and anxiety-depression that borders on bipolar that this is a psychological thriller; but the Turkish locale and Kamilah make it so much more. Mayra Calvani will have fans hooked in a one sitting read as the author's appreciative attentive audience will want to know is it madness or something more paranormally chilling."
-- Harriet Klausner
paranormal
Embraced by the Shadows
Twilight Times Books
Purchase page: http://twilighttimesbooks.com/
Read an excerpt.
Alana is surprised when she is chosen to manage a new restaurant. She has neither the training nor the experience to justify her success. But La Cueva del Vampiro has the kind of ambience she adores, for Alana has always had a penchant for the dark side of life.
"...Embraced By The Shadows is a fresh addition to the dark fantasy genre, mixing modern-day Puerto Rican life with a dose of vampire lore. Author Mayra Calvani has created very true-to-life characters interacting fantastically in a sultry island setting. Embraced By The Shadows will appeal to fans of dark fantasy, and vampire aficionados in particular. A blood-chilling, spell-binding read. -- Habitual Reader .
"The story will carry the reader in an iron tight grip until the very last page." -- Scribes World Reviews
"You'll find yourself wanting to know what happens next as one unexpected event leads into the next. A tale that will delight any reader of horror. I look for the next book from this author who kept me reading. I won't be walking out in the dark alone any time soon. Highly recommend for anyone who likes a good, spooky read." -- Anne K. Edwards, author of "Death on Delivery"
"The suspense of not knowing but yet wanting to unravel the secret will keep you, the reader, turning page after pleasantly puzzling page of this dark romantic fantasy, Embraced by the Shadows." -- Sime~Gen, 5-starred review
"[Embraced by the Shadows] is a superbly written, deftly balanced story of love and death and twisted loyalties that will keep you enthralled from beginning to end. More importantly, it will make you think and perhaps take a closer look at the shadowed corners of your own psyche." -- The Blue Iris Journal
"Mysterious, intriguing and somewhat unsettling at times, this novel is a must for all vampire reading fans. A rich, twisting plot and a surprising ending awaits you."
-- The Midwest Book Review
"[Embraced by the Shadows] is a wonderful tale of a woman torn between a love she can not resist and a life she does not understand. Alana is a character to fall in love with... Mayra Calvani did an exemplary job in weaving this story of passion, love and betrayal. Once the reviewer started the prologue she was hooked and could not put this book down. This is a must read for fans of paranormal!" -- Love Romances
"A dark brooding novel, Calvani takes us on a journey into the darkest
corners of our hopes and desires, especially the desire of all humans to
somehow survive and how far would we go if we were given the chance
to live forever...This is a must read for all fans of vampire romance novels."
-- Murder & Mayhem Book Club
"...For any of you female readers that have always had the fantasy of your masculine vampire following you all through your life and not revealing himself until he thinks you are ready, this book is for you. This was an excellent read." -- ParaNormal
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