New review by "One Person's Journey through a World of Books"

Sheila de Chantal, coffee lover (like me) and prolific book blogger added a lovely review of Curse of the Tahiéra on her blog One Person's Journey through a World of Books!

"I like a good fantasy adventure. Following Rom and Yldich through the pages of this book looking for an ancient curse was a wild adventure that I slowly picked up on the rhythm of the book. Sometimes language can throw me off and words such as erstwae and Daydach proved to be stumbling blocks for me and in the beginning of the book I had a hard time with these words. Thank goodness author Wendy Gillissen put the definitions (any many more words like them) in the back of the book for reference!

As our two characters travel North together there are a series of dreams that deeply trouble Rom and cause quite a plot for this read. I found it interesting how Wendy wove a deeper meaning into these dreams and how a troubled past can truly effect your present if not dealt with. For what I would call a YA read, this book was a bit deeper than I had anticipated."

Visit Sheila's Blog

In case you're wondering: Curse of the Tahiéra is not officially classified as YA, though I imagine readers from ages 12 and up should enjoy the book depending on their taste.
Wendy Gillissen

Past life dreams... did you ever have any?

Dreams are a big part of Curse of the Tahiéra. Dreams telling of the past, dreams foreshadowing the future...

Past life dreams are often vivid and linger long after you wake up. You experience yourself being someone else, possibly even of different gender, in another time and place - but the feelings and thoughts are real and immediate.

Did you ever have a past life dream?

In the course of my life I've had several, including a dream of a life as a medieval crusader, a young man in Cornwall who was killed by pirates (my own fault mind you, by trying to cheat them!), a pirate, a female druid... and many more!

Which cover for the sequel?

I have two choices for the cover of The Search for Tzanáta, the sequel to Curse of the Tahiéra.
As you can see, the one on the right features the lovely artwork of Michèlle Ross, a black-and-white pencil drawing of Ayra, a new character, playing a moonlight harp for the Woodland Elven King. The one on the left features my favourite tree on Kefalonia, the island where my novels were conceived. They are equally beautiful in their own way, so I am having a hard time choosing.

Which cover should I choose? Comments are more than welcome!

Voice of the Angels Review of Curse of the Tahiéra!

"If you're a Tolkien fan, or maybe you prefer Robert Jordon or Terry Goodkind, then this book is for you. A spiritual adventure joins wayward travelers on a journey searching for the means to unravel an ancient curse.

The author's experience with psychology, past life therapy and dream work is poignantly portrayed in Rom's journey through the Underworld, which is reminiscent of a shaman's journey in the act of soul recovery.

This story, refreshingly original, blends dreams, deep spiritual understanding, the workings of karma, love, and compassion into a tale of healing and bonding.
This is a mystical novel that will take you on a journey through your own imagination and dreams and reveals stories behind stories and dreams within dreams at every turn.

Called a "Dreamwalk" by author Hans Brockhuis, of the Nada Chronicles if you're ready for a refreshing fantasy with themes that have not been overdone, nor overworked, then take a spiritual romp with the Curse of The Tahiera and Wendy Gillissen.

Wendy received her inspiration for Curse of the Tahiéra after a visit to the Greek island of Cephalonia, which only served to deepen her love of the world of "castles, elves and ghosts," from her childhood years visiting England, Scotland, and Wales.
A Celtic harpist in her spare time between her past life therapy clients, workshops, and writing, Wendy has completed work on the second book in the series, The Search for Tzanáta, which should be published shortly. Available on Amazon.com."

Laurie J. Brenner,
Voice of the Angels.com Magazine – Winter Issue, 2009

Perpetual Prose interview

I was interviewed about my debut novel Curse of the Tahiéra by Michel Weir of Perpetual Prose yesterday. By e-mail of course - it would be a little difficult meeting face to face, what with me living on the other side of the world.
Perpetual Prose is a community for writers, book lovers and editors. I discovered it through Twitter, where I found a link to an excellent interview with Roxanne Smolen, fellow writer.

I like e-mail interviews: they give me time to think about the answers, and let me answer at my own pace instead of blurting out what comes into my head - though I do try to blurt first, then edit. Because sometimes the spontaneous answers are the best! I also like it when an interviewer takes the time to do a little research on the author and her book(s) so the questions are not run of the mill but personal.

I will post a link when the interview is published on Perpetual Prose!

Guest Post and Giveaway at The book Faery's!

I wrote a guest post for The Book Faery Book Reviews on what made me write in the first place;) She also hosts a giveawy for Curse of the Tahiéra, so here is another chance to get your hands on a free copy!

Find the guest post and giveaway here!

Review of Secret of the Dragon's eye by Derek Hart

When I discovered Secret of the Dragon's Eye 1. is set in World War II Britain and 2. features one of my favourite mythical beasts, a dragon, my curiosity was raised and I couldn't wait to read the novel.
Mr. Hart has done his research well: in the first half of the book, life in wartime Britain is described with a lot of convincing detail and a little (British?) humour thrown in for good measure.
I couldn't wait to meet the dragon, and I wasn't disappointed: Sir Thaddeus Osbert is anything a dragon should be: he has charisma, wisdom, heart, and buckets full of dragon charm. He also has a weak spot (for sugar) which, like his fondness for humans has gotten him into trouble in the past.
It doesn't take long for Thaddeus' young friend Gavin to experience the horror and futility of war and revenge first-hand, and Gavin and his friends learn important lessons about love, courage and friendship as they are caught up in the battle for the legendary sword Excalibur, coveted by both the British wartime government and the Nazis. And just as they think all battles are done, Sir Thaddeus' past catches up with him.
A charming and exciting children's / YA historical fantasy adventure that will also appeal to adults who are young of heart!