Excerpts, character studies, and the messy, honest thinking behind the books.
March 26, 2024
***This is an excerpt from Embracing Calla by Tamara Mapstead. Chapter Six Calla: Wednesday, June 16th, 2021 It’s eight o’clock now, and no sign of Benedict yet. I was able to get some things done while I waited for him. I talked to Rose again, about nothing. She just wanted to chat about her boyfriend […]
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March 23, 2024
In the romance novel Embracing Calla, scapegoating is a prominent topic throughout the entire book. Luka’s a narcissist so to understand the "Gray Rock Method a discussion about the topic would be sociable. The Gray Rock Method in Escaping Narcissistic Dynamics: In the journey of personal growth and healing, understanding how to navigate toxic relationships—especially those […]
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March 22, 2024
A look into the romance novel Embracing Calla “If having a wife really matters to you, then why don’t you go home to her? Excuse me.” -Calla "I still can’t get over that asshole tonight, grabbing her like he did. He just confuses me in general. Forget about him. Jeez. It’s my dream, so […]
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March 21, 2024
Embracing Calla presents a compelling narrative that dives deep into the essence of perception and misunderstanding of human relationships. I’d like to share a tidbit about Luka, exploring the nuances that make him both compelling and complex. When something is so good it confuses the editor: In the first draft, I had it where you […]
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March 20, 2024
Besides the music, there are a couple of other things that sparked my interest when writing Embracing Calla. Emotions play the lead and every dialogue whispers secrets of the heart, writing a romance novel emerges as a profoundly enriching yet challenging journey. As someone who has ventured deep into the crevices of creating compelling characters and […]
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March 19, 2024
***This is an excerpt from Embracing Calla by Tamara Mapstead. Chapter Five Calla: Wednesday, June 16th, 2021 This entire room smells like Benedict, musky and salty like the sea. It’s so intoxicating and unbelievably sexy. I refrain from opening my eyes. I want to lay here and breathe in his scent. In all my years […]
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March 18, 2024
In Embracing Calla, readers are introduced to the intimidating character of Loukas "Luka" Lubrov. A person whose story is whatever he chooses it to be. His story for Calla is he was born in Russia on October 24, 1984, and his family now lives in Seattle. Luka’s about total control, complete power, and manipulation to […]
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March 16, 2024
In the romance novel Embracing Calla, scapegoating is a prominent topic throughout the entire book. Poppy is the trophy wife. So I thought a discussion about the topic would be sociable. To Begin: Creating a balanced and respectful blog post on a topic like "Trophy Wife: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" involves navigating complex […]
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March 15, 2024
A look into the romance novel Embracing Calla "Her eyes are blue, but small flecks of Calla’s green eyes peek around her irises. Same mouth, but no scar. Same cheeks, but overly made up. Same hair, but instead of a beautiful ginger, it’s a light, warm brown; in this light, it has a faint tint of […]
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