CTR: Today we are pleased to have Violette Dubrinsky with us as we talk about all things romantic! We’re featuring the most romantic novels we can find and talking about romance in general, not just the kind on pages! After all, Valentine’s Day is almost here and it is “the day” for love and romance!

First, please tell us a bit about your book. A blurb, buy link, ISBN, and heat level are especially good to know!

Violet: Hello! Thank you for having me. My book is called Fallen: Tale of a Dark God, and you can get it over at Beautiful Trouble Publishing. https://beautifultroublepublishing.com/xcart/Fallen-Tale-of-a-Dark-God-EBOOK.html
It is a sensuous and erotic novella, so the heat level is very spicy.  Fallen also has a sequel that will be coming out this year…

Blurb (Fallen)

Hell hath no fury like a goddess scorned…

Scorned by Thanatos, one of the powerful Dark Gods, Aphrodite concocts a plan for revenge, the end result of which is Thanatos being stripped of his godhood and sent to live among humans.

And the pure shall redeem him…

Simone Randall is your average New York City journalist. She’s always looking for a good story, so when she’s invited to the most anticipated Halloween event of the year, she’s definitely going…even if she is a bit bummed at her lackluster life at the age of twenty-six. What she doesn’t expect is her fiery attraction to the sexy, dark haired, grey-eyed god at the event.

Thanatos does not believe in the “uniting mates” theme of the Ball, and he’s there for one reason only: to speak to the god of all gods about the reinstatement of his powers. His attraction to Simone comes as a surprise””be it welcome””as she is not his usual type.

Will Simone be his salvation or will his attraction to this human prove more dangerous than he anticipates?

CTR: How do you define romance and romantic? Do you think these concepts are different today than they were say 25 or 50 or even more years ago? Is our parents’ or grandparents’ version of romance now passé?

VIOLET: I think romance is different for everyone, but at the heart there’s love, caring, need, understanding””just anything that makes a person want to be around another…forever. (and that’s a really long time so…) I think romance is timeless and ageless. The definition of “romantic’ might have changed some because it’s no longer as traditional. I mean, weddings used to be a white dresses, black tuxes or suits, veils, and purity. Now, a wedding is whatever the bride and groom think is romantic. Peach gown, white suit, pure or not””whatever you make it, once it works, it works.

CTR: What is the most romantic gesture or moment you ever witnessed or were involved in? Please share as much as you feel you can””no private secrets required if it is embarrassing but you are welcome to dish at least to the PG-13 level !

Violet: The most romantic gesture I’ve witnessed was when I saw an alpha male, complete and total alpha who doesn’t cry, doesn’t indulge in “feminine’ things””including manscaping””cry at his wedding. (He said there were dust particles flying around in the air, and all of them managed to land in his eyes. We all agreed though we knew he was lying. What? Alphas got get away with at least some alpha dignity. Lol.)

CTR: Do you think “romance” is dying out, and by this I mean the traditional “hearts and flowers” kind of romance? Even the chivalric sorts of romantic connections featured in some ““particularly older””novels? It sometimes seems like young people now are more interested in “hooking up’ fast and easy via the social networks and high tech devices and that “romance” does not play a big role in the changing pattern of today’s relationships. Do you agree or not? If so, is this a good thing or maybe not so good?

Violet: I do think that “hearts and flowers’ romance is dying out, and quite honestly, it was bound to happen unless the media somehow managed to continue making Disney princess movies. Lol. Think about it. I’m twenty-three year. I grew up watching Disney, and because of it, I love the whole “mushy”/write-me-a-love song romance, but my nieces grew up watching Shrek, and Disney channel, very different from Disney princess movies. In addition to that, you’ve got teenage series like “Skins” where hooking up is condoned, romance forgone, and teens are going, “Is that how this works?” I think it’s both good and bad. I’m glad we’re a little less conservative in our thinking but at the same time, I get the feeling that these younger generations have no idea what “romance’ is because they constantly confuse it for “hooking up’ and that in my opinion, is very sad.

CTR: What is your favorite romantic book, movie and/or song and why?

Violet: Favorite romance book is Lion’s Bride by Iris Johansen, though honestly, every time I re-read it Lord Ware becomes more and more of a handful though I absolutely love his character. Favorite movie: I have two: Lord of the Rings (greatest trilogy ever made) and Avatar. Favorite song: I have so many but at the moment Blow Me Away by Breaking Benjamin. Something about their voices makes me happy.

CTR: Is Valentine’s Day one of your fave holidays? Do you have a happy memory to share or a funny story? Some of us have one about our school days, a gesture by a special someone we once dated, etc. How do you plan to celebrate this year with your SO, spouse or partner or are you on your own?

Violet: I love Valentine’s Day. It’s such a day of utter excess. Chocolates, roses, nice undies that you’ll never find at any other time. Lol. I remember when I was younger, like ten, when you wanted a valentine, you’d write a note and stick it in the person’s notebook. “Would you like to be my Valentine? Yes. No. Please check only one.” Lol. This year I plan to celebrate with my boyfriend. Last year’s Valentine was not ideal, so we’re having a do-over.

CTR: Do you consider yourself a sentimental (romantic) person? (i.e.) Do you save all sorts of little souvenirs and use them to bring happy times to mind? Do you have the corsage from you big prom pressed in an old book? Still remember “your song’ with your first serious love? Do you moon over chick flicks with sweet and happy endings? Do you think happily ever after is really possible? Or is it maybe better to be more cool-headed and practical instead? Does the kind of Victorian ruffle and flourishes attitude really fit in our modern world?

Violet: I’m a romantic at heart. Most people don’t know this so it isn’t obvious. However, I do love chick-flicks and happy endings. I think happily-ever-after is definitely possible. Even when there are bumps in the relationship, I think there are two choices: work it out or forgo that happily ever after, maybe trade it in for another one.

CTR: Thanks so much for sharing with us today and I hope our reader visitors will be inspired to visit your blog, web site, social networks and other connections to learn more about your and your books. Please give us some ways to contact you!

Violet: Thank you again for having me! My official website is www.violettedubrinsky.com. I also have a blog at www.violettedubrinsky.wordpress.com where I’m always posting teasers of upcoming works and updates of my life. I also love hearing feedback so I can be reached at violettedubrinsky@gmail.com as well.