Thursday 14 June 2012

Forging Female Characters with Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey!

Hi all!
It's a real pleasure for me to welcome Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey today! They have a couple of amazing books out now that have been getting some stellar reviews.  They are here to talk about developing female characters and I can't wait to see what they have to say! Take it away, Chris and Cecilia!


Forging Female Characters

When Cecilia and I sit down to plot, develop characters, develop plot and GMCs, our focus is not only on the story but on creating strong, well rounded characters that readers can relate to and also put themselves in their shoes.

With that in mind, we have almost subconsciously created female characters who reflect the women of today. They are not meak, they are not weak. They are strong, opinionated women who can hold their come hell or high water..

I believe that comes from having strong women who have been crucial and models in our upbringing. Both our mothers had to raise children on their own—my mother, a Brazilian, became a widow at 35 and Cecilia’s father was in the Air Force which left her mom, a Spaniard, on her own to raise three children during his tours of Vietnam and service abroad.. They both have strong sense of ethics, honesty, and determination. They both gave us the love and attention we needed through our lives and forged who we are today.

They both went through rough patches and they overcame them through sheer strength of character and will power. They were our role models for life and are reflected in our female characters. Like all of us, they are fallible. They make mistakes. But they also know when to make the right decisions and when to fight for what they want.

We write women who, although roughed up by life one way or another, they find the courage to move on with their lives, to make changes that set them on the right path. Our message to our readers is simple, they are in control of their lives even when they think they aren’t.

We hope that readers will take the same lesson from Cassandra, Jessica, and the many others we pepper throughout our work—take something away from the story that will push them forward in their lives, give them inspiration to grab life by the horns. And we hope they enjoy the twists and turns we throw in their path, knowing they will find ways to turn things around in their favor. We certainly enjoy making them who they are.

Sláinte!

Chris

BIO

Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey write romantic suspense under the independent label Éire Publishing. They have published several short stories and their first novel, COUNTERMEASURE, a sexy romantic suspense thriller with enough twists and turns to leave you gasping for breath, was published in January, 2012. The second novel in the series, TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE, has a scheduled release on July 30. They have also released a spin-off series of short stories, COUNTERMEASURE: BYTES OF LIFE. The shorts are high-heat mini stories revolving around the lives of the main characters, Trevor and Cassandra.


Suspicious and determined never to fall into the love trap, security specialist Cassandra James takes on a chase to recover files stolen right out from under her nose. In an effort to prove to her father—also her boss—that she is a capable woman, she follows the digital trail—a trail that leads her directly into the arms of Trevor Bauer, an NSA analyst who appears to have more secrets than she has scars...

Haunted by the mystery surrounding his parents' disappearance, Trevor Bauer's dreams for his own life have been put on hold. But being confronted by Cassandra James derails every one of his best laid plans to avoid a relationship until he can find the closure he desperately seeks. When he accepts her request for help in recovering the files she's hunting, they embark on an adventure that takes them across the ocean and into a world of intrigue and violence. As things between them begin to heat up, Trevor realizes that, if he is ever to win Cassandra's heart and the future he craves, he has no choice but to reveal all his secrets.


It’s been almost a year since Trevor and Cassandra’s brush with a psychotic killer in COUNTERMEASURE, and they are knee-deep in new cases. When George stumbles across a new piece of information on Trevor’s parents’ case, they end up following a digital trail to Saint Petersburg.

While infiltrating a Russia Mafia’s stronghold to destroy a piece of software that could change the face of the World Financial Market, they find themselves in hotter water than they bargained for—a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse steeped in a world of betrayal, hidden identities, and secret agendas….

Back in Ireland, Cassandra’s best friend Jessica is determined to find the key to unlock the heart of Stephan, the man she loves—but little does she know that her greatest obstacle will be Stephan himself….

15 comments:

  1. Thanks for joining me today Chris and Cecilia!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for having us, Rosanna!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think it is wonderful how you create your characters and where you get inspired. It is nice to meet you both. Congrats on the books.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rosanna! Thank you for hosting us! Enjoyed yours as well. Cheers! Cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you, Savannah! Going crazy with the last minute release details. Nice seeing you here.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Savannah, best wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great post guys! I love strong female characters and Cassie was just that. Strong and capable but willing to let herself be taken care of once and a while.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you could join us for Chris and Cecilia's piece Leagh! Thanks!

      Delete
  9. Great read! It's great to know how you take into consideration your own Mother's and others in your lives in how you develop a character!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Mohawk Mama! I love that handle! :) Thanks for reading about Chris and Cecilia! Their books are terrific!

      Delete
    2. Sorry for the delayed response. The preparations for To Russia's release is kicking our butts but we are able to breathe a little easier now. I believe all authors draw from their own experience to some degree or another. In our case, our characters have a lot of us and those around us in them. Good characteristics come from those we admire. Thank you for your comment!

      Delete
  10. Great read! Strong all aorund 3-D characters. Great interview! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for joining us Maria! Glad you could be here! :)

      Delete
    2. Hi Maria! Thank you for the description. The 3D feel originates from our role play experience. We live and breathe our characters and that resonates in the books.
      Thank you for dropping by.

      Delete