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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Foresight (Ilona the Hun #1) by Erika M. Szabo

Description:

Ilona has been in love with her unsuspecting best friend, when a dashing stranger explodes into her life. The sudden magnetic feeling frightens her. Will he break her heart, or will he bring true happiness? 

A sinister dark man appears, Ilona connects his presence with the series of mysterious deaths around her. She is an emergency room doctor, born into an ancient tribe which still exists hidden amongst us with its fiercely enforced rules. She doesn’t know much about her heritage besides legends and rituals that she continues out of respect for her parents. 

She begins to remember the forgotten instructions concealed as rhymes her mother was teaching her since she was a small child and discovers that she can rearrange the human body to its healthy state. This ability is exciting as well as frightening. She is conflicted between having confidence in her intelligence and inherited abilities while having no confidence as a woman. 

Her insecurity created barriers which keep others out, and I also keep her caged in. She has been evacuated from her easy and steady life, and is forced to face the unknown.

In book one, Ilona is a lonely doctor discovering her rich tribal heritage and birthright to become a Healer. She discovers increasing magical abilities within her in the strange world of the Huns, which are beyond her wildest dreams. She can use her gifts for absolute good or absolute evil; the choice is up to her. Ilona’s birthright as a Healer runs alongside her desires as a woman. She’s secretly and hopelessly in love with her best friend, but he’s oblivious to her feelings. Fate brings Zoltan into her life. Will he break her heart, or bring her true happiness? Ilona hopes for a red tulip, the symbol of devoted love. Who will offer it to her? She discovers some secrets the Hun society is concealing related to fiercely enforced ancient rules. Ilona is determined to control and guide her own life. Resourceful and daring, she crosses the line and breaks sacred rules but must face the consequences. She has to fight for her life and the lives of her men as they both disappear from the face of the earth. Zoltan saves her life by jeopardizing his own, which prompts Ilona to look for pieces of the ancient puzzle that will not only change her future but the future existence of the Huns, as well.

About the author:
Growing up with a father who was a closet reader, some macho image that allowed him to only read in secret. After I caught him reading my book, The Lady of the Camellias, he shared his love of books with me and introduced me to many great books. 

Before I started writing this series, I had played with the idea of writing a fantasy story peppered with historical facts. The history of the Huns always fascinated me—they were my ancestors—although I decided that it was a stupid idea after I started reading about how to write a fiction book. I had no idea how to create a good story line or form characters and make up a plot, and I wasn’t a literary genius. But, the idea didn’t leave me alone, and I kept adding events and dialogues in my head to Ilona’s story. 

Not knowing how to do something properly had never prevented me from accepting a good challenge before, so I sat down at the computer and began writing. I've never been good at following rules or formulas; therefore, I discarded the instructions and made up my own rules. 

I began writing Ilona's story as a diary, for my own enjoyment, jotting down the ideas that swirled in my head was far better than being haunted by them. For months I kept writing and soon realized that I never had so much fun doing anything in my life before.


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