JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Theresa Braun, author of Groom and Doom: A Greek Love Story
(Amazon)
Groom and Doom: A Greek Love Story gives a realistic portrayal of a day that ends up less like the fairytale so many girls dream of and more like a roller coaster ride without the brakes. Angela must listen to her heart when a tarot card reading before the wedding in Crete casts a ray of doubt on her happily-ever-after. She resolves to let her relationship and her destiny take flight.
And the family drama ensues. Soon after the bride and groom arrive in Greece, they are tormented mentally and emotionally by the groom’s father, Georgius. Tensions rise and Angela’s body reacts to the stress, all while she begins to realize she has absolutely no control over anything related to the ceremony.
She and Stavros finally escape to Venice for their romantic honeymoon where she is haunted by ridiculous sightings of Georgius, her mind warped by the wedding’s trauma. Angela prays the honeymoon will still be magical enough to keep them together.
Love is war, one that is complicated by a host of human flaws. The newlyweds duck for cover from an obstinate father-in-law lighting the fuse, as they struggle to avoid their relationship’s complete annihilation.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Groom and Doom: A Greek Love Story?
Theresa Braun: Groom and Doom was inspired by my wedding in Greece. The experience was so unbelievable, I knew that truth was stranger than fiction and I had to write the story.
Things are fictionalized and exaggerated, but there are definitely some real truths in it. The whole process of writing it and making parts of it even more ridiculous was very cathartic for me.
JP: What sets Groom and Doom: A Greek Love Story apart from other books in the same genre?
TB: I tried to put some of my quirky personality into Groom and Doom, which I hope makes it unique. There is also a blending of some unconventional beliefs and observations mixed into the main character’s point of view.
The locations of Greece and Venice also give a little bit of flavor to the story. There is even a bit of ghost lore towards the end, for those interested in the paranormal.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Groom and Doom: A Greek Love Story getting out to the public?
TB: I’m a go-getter, especially when it comes to something I’m passionate about. I’ve always wanted to write novels. Now that I have completed Groom and Doom, I’m trying to spread the word.
I really hope that my readers get some insight that might even help them in their own lives. If readers are merely entertained, that’s okay too; but I’d like to think someone out there might be inspired to look at things in life on a deeper level.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Groom and Doom: A Greek Love Story?
TB: It’s difficult to say. The real events that inspired me happened about ten years ago. My notes sat there until I could work through some of the emotions. Then, I just started to write like mad, every chance I got. And that was pretty difficult with a full-time teaching job. I’d estimate the writing process was somewhere between two to three years.
JP: What’s next for Theresa Braun?
TB: I’m anxious to continue working on my next book, which is going to be part of a series. The first installment is set in Renaissance England and will deal with female empowerment issues, which will include sex and violence.
I have another book on the back burner that I’ve started writing about the corruption surrounding a Catholic school; but the timing isn’t write to complete that yet. Of course, I’ll need to keep working at my day job, which is a high school English teacher and adjunct professor.
http://facebook.com/GroomAndDoom
http://twitter.com/tbraun_author
http://www.goodreads.com/tbraun_author
[include file=current-advertisers.html]