Author Cindy Tomamichel's debut romance, Druid’s Portal came on in May and won a Reader’s Choice Cover Contest in June. Her second book, Druid’s Portal. Second Journey should be out next year.
A portal closed for 2,000 years.
An ancient religion twisted by modern greed.
A love that crosses the centuries.
An ancient druid pendant shows archaeologist Janet visions of Roman soldier Trajan. The visions are of danger, death, and love—but are they a promise or a curse?
Her fiancé Daman abandons her before the wedding, her beloved museum is ransacked, and a robed man vanishes before her eyes. Haunted by visions of a time she knows long gone, Janet teeters on the edge of a breakdown.
In the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall and 2,000 years back in time, Janet’s past and present collide. Daman has vowed to drive the invaders from the shores of Britain and march his barbarian hordes to Rome. Trajan swears vengeance against the man who threatens both his loves—Janet and the Empire.
Time is running out—for everyone.
Cindy, Please tell us a little about yourself.
I live in rural Australia, having recently left the suburbs. Much nicer to drive past cow paddocks than to sit in traffic. I have worked as an underground mine geologist in the remote desert areas of Australia, and later at the EPA involved in cleaning up sites contaminated with past industrial activities.
Travel is always on the agenda. I have explored some of the islands in the south pacific, traveled the deep south of the USA in a campervan, and gone to Peru.
I love firsts, so tell me about the moment when a publisher told you they wanted to publish your book.
Now that was a surreal moment. I had just hopped (or staggered) off a ten-hour flight to Hong Kong, on route to what was to be a fantastic holiday in the USA. So there I was, in an airport so large they needed internal train systems to reach the terminals, and hoping we were on the right train, I propped my weary self on a pole and checked my emails. I will admit to a lot of bouncing as I told my family, and probably a few hundred others who must have overheard my squeaks of excitement. It did make the next ten-hour flight much more bearable.
What is the most exciting moment, so far, in your writing career?
Apart from the initial contract email, the arrival of the cover art was the next high point. The book had gone from years of writing, and months of tedious editing to a marvelous cover with my name on it. Exciting, and also a bit scary! When you get your cover, the book feels real and wonderful. Melody A Pond's cover is great.
What is your favorite pastime, other than writing?
I like to mix it up. So gardening is one – I plan a garden to attract birds and insects so I am remodeling the current one to include more native Australian plants. Baking – I like to collect old cookbooks and try out cakes and biscuits. My dog also loves to walk, so this is a part of each day as he updates his social media posts!
How do you motivate yourself when inspiration takes a vacation?
Unless I am clearly procrastinating, then I don’t like to force writing too much. I do a lot of my writing during NaNoWriMo (Write a novel in a month) so I find this provides me with enough pressure to get a novel done. I would recommend every writer try it, the pure focus on creativity is wonderful, although the pressure is not perhaps for everyone.
Me too! I've written six novels during NaNo. I've almost finished revising Kate's Hero and then I will begin revising Lord Byron's Daughter or Night Witch.
Any advice for new writers just starting out?
I think anyone who dreams of writing is probably already a voracious reader. But read across genres, and read all sorts of things to see which sits well with your own imagination. I have heard it said that a writer needs to write one million words before they can call themselves a writer – and I certainly think that practice is the key. Only in this way can you develop your own voice and see what works best for you. Joining a writers group is also a great way to make friends and find others with the same mindset.
Druid’s portal is a time travel romance set in Roman Britain in the shadows of Hadrian’s Wall. In this time, modern day archaeologist Janet lands in the middle of a clash between two barbarian cultures. She will have help in the muscular form of Trajan, a Roman soldier. But her present day demons have followed her into the past – Janet and Trajan must stop her violent ex-fiancé as he plans to destroy the Roman Empire and change the course of history.
Join archaeologist Janet and Roman soldier Trajan on an adventure with plenty of barbarian fighting, ancient goddesses, and druids. It's not your typical romance, but it will set your heart racing!
Excerpt:
In her dreams, she could sometimes drift across his face like mist, and she knew it well. A man she had conjured, one as familiar as if she had known him always. Strong featured and dark-haired, his bound body radiated muscular strength. She had seen his fight—he had not been easy to capture, and it made her heart ache to see him helpless, his grey eyes watching his captors prepare him for sacrifice. Even with no hope of rescue, he had emanated defiance, an indomitable will to survive.
He was a dream, a vision. But even if he was real, what could she do to save him?
What’s your current WIP?
My current work is getting the next Druid’s Portal finished. The Second Journey follows the time traveling guardian of the Arwen pendant on the dangerous path of forbidden love and alternate history.
And finally, where can we find you?
Contact Cindy on
Thank you for being here, Cindy. I look forward to reading Druid's Portal. I added it to my Goodreads "Want to Read' list.
If you would like to add my new book, Maybe This Time to your reading list, here is the link
Happy Reading.
