BooksChatter: ℚ The Lunam Ceremony: Lunam [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Nicole Loufas to talk about The Lunam Ceremony (9 May 2016, NicLou Publishing, 276 pages), a New Adult Urban Fantasy, book one of the Lunam series.

"A mystical twist on the royals - Lunam is packed with plenty of love, lust, and betrayal."

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

A very warm welcome to Nicole Loufas; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for The Lunam Ceremony?

"I am obsessed with British Royals. I wanted to create a world where families like the Tudors still exist. Where marriages are arranged and children are used to further a family’s power or to keep power or status. I wanted to create this world in modern times but I couldn’t do it without it coming off as cultish. The characters felt brainwashed or weak. The only way I felt I could make my reality work, was to turn them into wolves. I had to make them paranormal in order to make the story realistic. I think the world is more accepting of a girl that is born into a pack that relies on her to produce an heir to save species of wolves. Than a girl forced into an arranged marriage in order to conceive a child that will be used to retain her family’s power. I guess it’s all perception. In the end, it’s the same thing – a story about family."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"This book has less of me than any of the others. First of all, I’m not part wolf. So, there’s that. I think the characters possess qualities that I wish I had. My family isn’t as close or loyal as the families the book."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for The Lunam Ceremony - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"All of my covers are created by Murphy Rae of Indie Solutions. She is amazing! I gave her an overview of the book and she came up with this beautiful cover. The word Lunam is Latin for Moon, so the full moon, which coincides with the story, is perfect. I also love the colors!"

Why should we read The Lunam Ceremony and the Lunam series? What sets it apart from the rest?

"First of all, it’s not really a book about wolves. I mean, yes, they phase from human to wolf, but it’s really secondary to the story. It’s as much about wolves as Twilight is about vampires. What makes this story intriguing are the relationships and bonds that tie the characters together. Friends become family, family becomes your worst enemy. Babies are born, minds are lost, and hearts are broken. I hope I’ve written a story that will draw the reader in to the point that they never want to leave."

Can you tell us something quirky about The Lunam Ceremony, its story and characters?

"YES! The main characters - Dillan and Kalysia – they were the names of contestants on an MTV reality show. I loved the name Kalysia (although I changed the spelling). When I was thinking of a name for the male lead, it just seemed to fit. Some of the other characters are named after my nieces. I mention a BBQ sauce in the book, it’s my brothers, which is named after his dog. The main location of the story, the camp, is a real camp for kids. It’s still open and operating here in Northern California. All the cabin names are actual names of cabins at the camp."

Who would you recommend The Lunam Ceremony to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"Anyone that loves books about complicated families, wolves, beer, wine, paranormal stories set in reality, and country music – will enjoy this book. Anyone that loves to read, loves bad boys with good hearts, and jerks that are really just jerks, will love the story! There are some sexy scenes and strong language, but I’d say it’s more PG-13 than R rated."

If you could / wished to turn The Lunam Ceremony and the Lunam series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"This was a hard book to cast, just because there are so many characters. But the main ones would be:

Dillan – Liam Hemsworth (cause he’s adorable and he looks hot with scruff)
Kalysia – Phoebe Tonkin (she is bad ass and beautiful. I also love her eyes.)
Cassie – Alycia Debnam-Carey (she always looks like she’s lost or confused, it fits perfect with Cassie’s character.)
Layla – Megan Fox (She was always the face I saw in my head when I was writing her. She’s scary beautiful.)
Jase – Aaron Taylor Johnson (the guy that played Kick Ass, holy hell he is hot under all that hair and clothing)"

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I’ll read any genre. As long as the story pulls me in, that’s what matters. I read geeky sci-fi, dystopian romances, thrillers, memoirs. Lately, I’ve been reading New Adult romance. But I really like stories with controversy. I hate clean happily-ever-afters. I like a little dirt thrown in. I think that reflects in my writing. My characters are always flawed. Perfect is boring. This book is fantasy, my first book was contemporary YA, my next book is a dark contemporary piece. I’m all over the place."

What is your writing process?

"When an idea hits me, I try to write down as much as I can. I’ll go back later and read it to see if any magic happens. If I think I have something, the first thing I do is soundtrack it. Music plays a huge role in my process. That and gin. When I’m stuck on a scene or just in a funk, a gin and tonic helps me immensely."

LOL

What is in store next?

"The Lunam Ceremony is book one of the series, the second book will probably be out Spring 2017. My next book is a standalone that is ripping my heart out to write, it’s called Alee. In the fall, the follow up to my first book is coming out. It’s called The Illusion of Ecstasy."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I have an amazing dog. He is the smartest dog in America. And the laziest. His name is Achilles (my husband is Greek, he wanted to name him Zeus, but Brad Pitt didn’t play Zeus in any movies.). He’s an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier whose lineage can be traced back to the 1800’s England. He’s my best friend."