Inane Interview with Chrystalla Thoma

About the Author:
Greek Cypriot with a penchant for dark myths and good food. She has proven her tendency to settle down anywhere but at home by having lived and studied in France, England, Germany and Costa Rica, before returning to Cyprus two years ago.

She likes to write about fantastical creatures, crazy adventures, and family bonds. She lives in Cyprus with her husband and her vast herds of books.

Rex Rising, the first book in her YA science fiction series, Elei's Chronicles, is already available. She is currently working on the next installment. (My review of Rex Rising can be found HERE)

My Tower of Books: What would I find in your refrigerator right now? (Please do not look in mine)

Chrystalla: *cautiously opens fridge, knife in hand* I have black olives from Kalamata, Greece, (the best olives in the world!), dark bread, white wine, lots of greens for salad and goat cheese. I also see a pen I must have dropped while rummaging inside while simultaneously taking notes about a story, and Saruman weaving evil spells. No, really! (remind me to stop taking those pills...)

MToB: Let's say you're on vacation. Where are you and what does your ideal day there look like?

Chrystalla: Okay, let me close my eyes and visualize this... I am definitely by the sea, which I adore, on a Greek island, with all those white houses and terraces stretching over the blue (not going to the edge, though, because I’m afraid of heights, so sue me). I am sitting at a table sipping my coffee and jotting notes in my notebook about a story. That also gives me a perfectly good excuse to stare at any hunk passing by, for “research purposes”. Yeah. :)

MToB: What is your favorite item of clothing? You know . . . the one that you wear the second it's clean.

Chrystalla: I have a black blouse with tassels on the hem and a logo in gray that says “Always on the Road”. I just love it.

MToB: If there was a movie about your life, who would you choose to play you?

Chrystalla: Eva Green. I mean, I look nothing like her, she’s gorgeous! But she is so mysterious, she looks like she stepped out of a fairytale. I loved her in Kingdom of Heaven and the Golden Compass. Definitely her.


MToB: Let's talk shoes. Flats or heels?

Chrystalla: Flat, definitely. Converse All Star are my favorite ones. I’m a sportive kinda gal.

MToB: It's obvious that your book, Rex Rising, is the product of a creative mind. Do you have any other creative outlets besides writing?

Chrystalla: Cooking! I love creating my own recipes and experimenting on my long-suffering, wonderful husband and hapless guests. When I find the time, I love to draw and paint and do pottery.

Thanks so much to Chrystalla for being such a good sport with all this! It was great working with you :-)

You can connect with Chrystalla via her Blog or Twitter.

Review: Rex Rising by Chrystalla Thoma

Synopsis:
In a world where parasites create new human races, Elei leads a peaceful life — until a mysterious attack on his boss sends him fleeing with a bullet in his side. Pursued for a secret he does not possess and with the fleet at his heels, he has but one thought: to stay alive. His pursuers aren’t inclined to sit down and talk, although that’s not the end of Elei’s troubles. The two powerful parasites inhabiting his body, at a balance until now, choose this moment to bring him down, leaving Elei with no choice but to trust in people he hardly knows. It won’t be long before he realizes he must find out this deadly secret – a secret that might change the fate of his world and everything he has ever known – or die trying.

Review:
First off, I want to address the cover of this book. I pretty much love it. It's got a cool looking guy and makes you wonder why he looks that way. Plus, it is one hundred percent perfect for the story and the character it's portraying.

Now, the story in Rex Rising is like nothing else I've read. The idea is that if a person is infected with a parasite it changes how their body functions, and it also changes how they look. Elei grew up on the streets and lived through two of the toughest parasites infecting his body. The two fought and eventually came to a sort of stasis within him. He has lived with them for so long that he wonders if the person he has become is really who he is . . . or if he's only a product of the parasites within.

Elei is caught up in a fight between the ruling (not to mention all female) Gultur and the ones fighting to break free from their increasingly hostile methods of rule. The first we see of him, he is shot, bleeding out and running for his life. He has something the Gultur want, but he has no idea what it is. The pace doesn't slow throughout the entire story as he finds help in unexpected places, but also finds out that not everyone is what they appear.

A cool and unique idea. I can't wait to see where the story takes Elei, and all the rest, in the next book!

Publication Date: August 11, 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Sci Fi, Dystopian
Source: Thanks to author Chrystalla Thoma for my review copy!