I was honored when P. Anastasia asked me to read and review an ARC of her new book Dark Diary. I am a sucker for vampires! One of my favorite supernatural beings. I love them in any shape or form, whether it be bloodsucking, or friendly with glowing skin. Read on for my review and an Interview with the author. Enjoy!
Releases on September 26, 2016
332 pages
Hardcover | Paperback | Ebook | Audiobook
Synopsis-
Worlds collide when a young woman with a dark past encounters a young man with an even darker one.
More human than vampire, Dark Diary is a quaint, sophisticated romance detailing the accounts of two lovers who have paid the ultimate price…
A forbidden romance in the vein of classics like Wuthering Heights, frosted with the seductive allure of the original Dark Shadows, Dark Diary documents a pair torn apart by time. The story is told by a 400 year-old immortal, and a 21 year-old modern-day artist.
He’s trapped in a never-ending circle of guilt over the loss of a friend and lover: the daughter of an English Baron in 17th century Ireland.
She’s haunted nightly by visions of her own untimely death.
Together, they find solace by sharing secrets beneath the light of the moon.
My Review-
A dark, paranormal romance that entranced me from the very first page. I absolutely loved the way this book was written. It starts out in present time and then goes back to 1616, and then back to present time again. The story is told in alternate points of view with the two main characters Kathera and Matthaya. With all of this going on it could be easy to get confused. This is not the case with this book. Each chapter will let you know who is speaking and what time they are in. At no point in time did I ever feel lost or confused. It was very quick read and the chapters flowed effortlessly. The writing was elegant. It was written beautifully. It was very easy to get lost within the story with these characters.
This novel had a new interesting take on vampires from any other vampire book I have ever read. It was refeshing to read something a little different from the norm. It made reading about vampires new and refreshing. It wasn’t all blood-sucking, and taking lives. It was more than that. It was a love story of two very different people who fit so well together.
The romance between Katherine and Matthaya in 1606 was swoon-worthy! Their love for each other was so passionate, raw, and I electrifying. I absolutely loved these two together. They were true soulmates. I was completely invested in these characters and their story. I felt like I was experiencing their emotions as I read. These characters had to deal with some not so pleasant people and situations in their lives. I was routing for them the whole way and hoping that everything would work out for them in the end.
The ending came a little too quickly for me. I didn’t want this story to end. I feel like these characters have so much more story to tell. I am hoping that the story will not end here. If it does, at least I enjoyed their story while it lasted. Perfect story to read for this time of year. 🙂
Interview with P. Anastasia-
Tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from? Age? Family?
I’m a professional voice talent, author, graphic designer, and online marketer. I wear a LOT of hats – often at the same time! Coming from a family with military ties, I’ve lived in over a dozen U.S. states, as well as Spain. I also studied abroad in Japan while in college, so I consider myself to be a well-traveled person. Kentucky is my home now, and I have lived here longer than any other place in my life. I’m joined by my husband and two rescue cats.
What book that you have read has most influenced your life?
Before I was published, I did graphic design work for about 15 years; I’ve always been a very visually stimulated person. I like going to museums. Land marks. Being in nature – that sort of thing. I’ve read some books that moved me, but cinema has affected my life substantially more than any novels I can recall.
I really enjoyed Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. Gaiman’s melancholy, bittersweet storytelling mastery is something I hope to achieve someday. His wisdom and inspirational blog posts have guided me through some of the tougher parts of the publishing process in recent years.
Where did you get your idea for Dark Diary?
Dark Diary goes back at least 17 years of my life. Since I was very little, I’ve been a fan of vampire lore and legend. I was a huge fan of the TV series, Forever Knight, and haven’t stopped loving vampire myths ever since.
One of the main characters in Dark Diary, Matthaya, has always been my artistic muse – a guiding force in my journey to find myself as I grew and searched for my artistic path. Matthaya was a sort of manifestation of what it was I wanted to accomplish as a creator. He was one of my very first characters and is dear to my heart because of how much we have grown together. His troubled past and intriguing demeanor compelled me learn how he had become such a man, and so, his novel was born.
Who or what inspired you to write?
My father has always been a great storyteller and he would read to me every night before bed. It was something I really looked forward to, and I believe his love of prose and reading is what cultivated my passion for written word.
What do you hope to accomplish as a published author?
I believe the biggest goal of any author is to touch a reader’s heart. The stories I write have shaped me, made me who I am today, and have changed my life in some way. I do not write to cater to the norm, or to attempt to grab at a bolt of lightning that strikes on the latest trend or genre. I care deeply about each and every one of my characters. It is my hope that readers find some small slice of the love I have weaved into every page, and that my books have the power to inspire others to carry on against all odds.
What do you consider to be your biggest challenge as a writer?
You can’t impress everyone! There will always be critics and people who want nothing more than to tear you down. Writing is a labor of love, and I take my craft seriously. I don’t cut corners, and I write what comes from the heart, so I take the good criticism with the bad and move on because I wouldn’t be here without it.
Paraphrasing author John Green: Once you let a story out into the world and someone reads it, it becomes something very different from what it was to you. It takes on a new life and new meaning is created in the reader’s mind.
The biggest challenge is getting your books into the hands of readers who will appreciate them. With 200,000+ books published yearly, it’s incredibly easy to be swept away with the tide. I’m always looking for new ways to connect with my readers and keep them engaged, and I absolutely love hearing from my fans.
When you are not writing what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Free time? What’s that? 😛
Netflix. Lots of Netflix and Youtube. I love to sit back and watch a good movie, or get carried away into a great, emotional TV series like Bates Motel or Outlander. I also enjoy black and white classics, Disney, and Bollywood movies. When I’m not in front of a television, you may find me sketching or listening to music.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Originally, I wanted to be an archeologist! This was, of course, alongside being an author. I traded the archeologist dream in for a certificate in Japanese language and culture instead (as it was more practical), but I am still writing.
Is there anything you would like your readers to know about your upcoming novel?
Dark Diary has been with me for so many years that it has literally guided me through some very tough times in my life. It’s the reason I am an author today and I truly believe that no matter how many more novels I write (and there WILL be MANY more) Dark Diary will always be my most cherished accomplishment.
There’s a lot of personal growth, emotion, and drama in that novel—it evolved with me and reflects the type of storytelling I want to be known for. I love a good romance, but all stories have a darker side to be told.
About the Author
With character origins tracing back to the late nineties, Dark Diary was the creative leap that sent Philomena Anastasia plummeting into the literary rabbit hole for good. One of her prized accomplishments, the novel resonates with darkness and passion—the embodiment of her unique storytelling style.
Author of the science fiction tetralogy, Fluorescence, P. Anastasia is no stranger to writing. Drawn to the craft in childhood, she began attempting to produce her first book at age 11.
While working toward her college degree, she wrote news and editorial columns for two campus newspapers. After graduating with a degree in Communications and spending a year studying abroad in Kofu, Japan, she followed her heart to her publishing aspirations.
P. Anastasia resides in the beautiful, green state of Kentucky with her husband and her ever-inspiring fur-babies. On the side, she enjoys serving as a professional voice talent for radio, television, and audio books.
