Cul-de-Sac
On
the Edge Series
Book
One
M.E.
Yildirim
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: September
25th 2015
ASIN: B01490125I
Number of pages: 310
Word Count: 131533
Cover Artist: Gözdem Perrichet
Book Description:
Sometimes
feelings turn out to be the most lethal of adversaries.
He is known as Xan–an
unapologetic king of an underground fighting arena who doesn't step out of the
ring until a fight is over and won. Nothing matters to him as much as adding
another victory to the tally. But who is Alexander Thorpe, the man behind the
fierce stance, and what is he really fighting for? Brutal childhood and the
rough reality of living on the streets create the perfect background for a
relentless and merciless warrior, but is that really all there is to the man
himself? Even winning can lose its appeal if a man doesn't know what is he
really fighting for... or with whom?
“Perfect” is the word often used
when it comes to Catalina Bennett, “privileged” is another. An entitled
upbringing, private schools and extracurricular activities make for a flawless
résumé, but they don't paint the whole picture of a person. As a photographer,
she chooses to stand behind the camera, which is a perfect way of getting to
know the world... without letting the world know her. Fostered by her
grandmother after the loss of both parents at the tender age of ten, she is
expected to bring nothing but honor to her family's name. Be nothing else than
prim and proper, with no space left for her wants or needs.
But
nothing can be denied forever.
Two completely different worlds
of two individuals collide during an accidental event. But does coincidence
really exist or do things happen for a reason? Life is made of seemingly
unrelated moments, fragmented memories and betrayals influencing the reality,
no matter the class a person is from.
Sooner
or later, suppressed emotions and desires demand their due…
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/7cpc-dGHeYI
Available at Amazon
Excerpt:
“Got your
attention finally though, did it not?” Kelton Donovan scoffed.
“A tap on my
shoulder would do the same.” Xan scowled at the man who was his tormentor
always, friend mostly unless he decided otherwise which happened on a few occasions.
Kelton was a
thirty-seven-year-old ex-Marine carrying his own baggage. Xan met him when the
baggage was getting the better of him and his only reality was the bottom of
every bottle he could find.
One night he
found himself in a dark alley on the receiving end of a knife when a few
teenagers decided he was the best entertainment that stumbled into their way.
It didn’t look
pretty, Xan remembered but then the sight of blood wasn’t a novelty in his own
life.
Far from it.
For reasons he
still fully couldn’t comprehend, he sidled up to the man, probably saving his
life. Not that Kel was grateful, spewing profanities right and left that even
Xan–who was no stranger to the life on the streets–had never heard before.
About
the Author:
M.E. Yildirim is a Public
Relations specialist from Poland who is confident Satan himself created math
and that the world needs more bookworms to balance the evil out. Her mother is
the one who had inculcated in her respect and love for written stories and
taught her not to judge a book by its cover. She lives with head full of voices
which won't be silenced until she lets them out to live and spin their tales on
paper. That's right-their tales, since they seem to have a mind and will of
their own.
Walking through life to the beat
of her own drum, she has worked in a PR Agency, small companies, a big
consortium and even in the Military. But none of it could ever compare to the
adventures of creating and building up her characters and stories. M.E.
believes that books are for smoothing out everyone's feathers and reminding
people all the things they've already forgotten. She is happily married,
oftentimes engaging her husband in her writing, with or without his consent.
Tenacious as much as the characters she creates, she loves challenges, letting
her own creations to take advantage of that fact.
Interview
Where are you from?
Tell us your latest news?
I'm excited about the release of “CUL-DE-SAC” not
only because it is book 1 in a new series, but also because it's categorized as
Contemporary Romance and I've been writing Paranormal so far. It has opened up
a whole new venue of possibilities, an exciting journey I couldn't wait to
undertake.
When and why did you begin writing?
I always loved writing, creating stories but it was
just one of my interests and I never took it seriously... until I did a few
years ago. Never thought I could have the kind of patience or persistence to
pursue the subject and bring it to the end and it still tends to surprise me
each time when I am starting and finishing writing a book. I was focused on
Paranormal Romance for the last two, three years, and although I feel the
biggest affiliation with this genre, after all it's what I love to read myself
as well, I think it is safe to say that everything that contains the word
'romance' is a fair game to me. I am an incorrigible yet a firm believer in
Happily Ever After... after all the obstacles had been overcome, of
course. A happy ending is like a reward arriving on the heels of a victory, a
pat on the shoulder for a job well done. I think that HEA is all that truly
matters in the end.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Writing has always been a part of my life in one
form or another, it wasn't a conscious thought, it just... was. But I think
that it dawned on me after my first novel was published in my country. I had
the chance not only to observe, but also participate in the whole process, in
what happens after writing and it was an eye opener. Our expectations are
usually ahead of the reality we encounter and nothing can replace a personal experience.
What inspired you to write your first book?
It would be hard to pinpoint exactly one
thing or a reason. My love affair with a Paranormal started with vampires, but
so far i haven't given them a single story yet, although it is somewhere on the
back burner. Werewolves and shapeshifters have always held my fascination for
being primal and earthy. They've felt much more real to me than the more
sophisticated vampires at the time. Bits and pieces were assailing my mind more
and more insistently until I had to give a voice to the character that was so
arrogantly demanding my time and attention. And then all hell broke loose! :)
One day you think you don't have enough to say to last for a single book, the
very next it turns out there is plenty more.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I always try to give the same amount
attention to my main characters, both female and male. I think that telling a
story from two perspectives enriches it, gives the readers a chance to catch a
breath and make them realize that nothing is one-dimensional in life, that
there are interesting angles they didn't yet consider. I believe that every
writer has their own style which translates mostly in details, catch phrases,
specific brand of humor. It's what makes us reach for our favorite authors
again and again.
How did you come up with the title?
I loved the meaning behind the cul-de-sac I wanted
the title to be ambiguous and I love the meaning behind it:
cul-de-sac
noun
A street or passage closed at one end.
A route or course leading nowhere.
It just felt right.
Is there a message in your novel that you want
readers to grasp?
There is always a message, the whole point of the
story to where it all comes to in the end. What would be the purpose of writing
without it after all? My main point is always to show and emphasize, time and
time again, that second chances do happen. They usually come in a different
shape and form than we could expect and while we are completely, utterly undone
and unprepared for it. Yet, this is life and we make of it what we can.
“CUL-DE-SAC” is first and foremost about not judging a book by its cover,
realizing that there is always much more to people that meets the eye. However,
every reader finds something else in stories. As Carlos Ruiz Zafón said; “Books
are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.”
How much of the book is realistic?
I would say it's realistic from the
beginning till the very end, it's very important for me to write stories that
are believable, no matter which genre they are categorized under. In my case
writing in general is based on life and experience, whether it belongs solely
to me or was witnessed by me at one point or another. As a reader and writer I
always need to find some qualities in characters that I can refer and relate
to. They need to be as real as possible with all their merits and flaws
mercilessly stripped bare before readers, maybe not to judge, but to understand
why they do what they do.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events
in your own life?
I can give my characters some of merits
I admire in people I know, burden them with flaws I don't appreciate in those
who had passed through my life. It's always more believable to write about
something you know or understand, about things that matter and touched you
personally. Xan, the main male character of “CUL-DE-SAC” is partially based on
a person close to me, or more accurately-the harsh and bleak reality of his
life is. However, the whole point of writing fiction is creating events and
characters mostly from imagination alone. I wouldn't find it sporting to simply
tell someone else's real life story. Besides, it is not my place to do it.
What books have most influenced your life most?
All those I had chosen by myself and the librarians
were trying to tell me I was too young for! :) Romance, Drama, Thriller and
Horror stories, and let's leave it at that.
If you had to choose, which writer would you
consider a mentor?
Nora Roberts, her books have accompanied me since I
was a teenager, I loved her novels, still do. She has always been a great
example that there is nothing wrong with writing more than one genre and that
mixing things to spice them up can result in success.
What book are you reading now?
“Archangel's
Enigma” by Nalini Singh.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your
interest?
Definitely not a “new” author but I have finally
reached for the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning and read all published ones
at once while holding my breath. When I start to enjoy an author I usually
reach for all the books they had ever written, so it takes some time for me to
get to the next one.
What are your current projects?
I am playing with the ideas for the next books in
the series “On The Edge” initiated by “CUL-DE-SAC”. I am also considering a new
Paranormal Romance series. Somehow, whenever I plan to write a stand alone
novel, I always end up with a series because the characters are growing on me
and I let them lead me.
What would you like my readers to know?
I would encourage them to reach for my books, of
course! :) I honestly think it is hard
to say no to men, who had been scarred by life, but still strive for
good, instead of giving in, even if nobody believes in them. Maybe even more so
because of that. To men, who have an air of danger about them and try to hold
the whole world at bay by acting the villains, but at the end of the day, they
remain nothing more and nothing less than simply men with merits and flaws
written in the fabric of their very being.
Tour
giveaway
5 Kindle Gift Copies copies Cul-de-sac
Thank you for hosting me! :)
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