The story centers on two star-crossed soul mates, heroine Joy Wychmere, and hero Cullen Malone, and is told through an old diary, that is discovered following Joy’s death by her grandchildren who have gathered at her home to help plan her memorial. The book actually begins and ends in the year 2040, but the main story that the diary reveals takes place in Paris at the dawn of the 21st. Century. 

Joy Wychmere, finding herself in a stagnating marriage, wins a contest, the prize of which is an all expense paid trip to Paris to spend an intimate evening with Irish actor Cullen Malone, whom Joy has always had an unexplained attraction to, and who himself is in an unstable relationship with the mother of his illegitimate daughter. Joy and her husband Dean, who secretly has his own agenda for going to Paris, arrive in the City of Light, and as Joy nervously leaves to meet Cullen, Dean secretly goes off to pursue his own interests, the result of which is not to his liking.

As Cullen and Joy meet, they experience an overwhelming case of déjà vu, but before they can react to what they are experiencing they are swiftly thrown into a circumstance beyond their control. One unforeseen circumstance follows another, and along the way the couple is thrown into a life and death struggle, the result of which leave Joy and Cullen fighting for survival.

Sounds like a real whirlwind. What genre is it?
It is basically a fictional romance that is dramatic in presentation, with added suspense and intrigue as the story unfolds.

Tell us a little more about Joy.
Joy Wychmere is a forty-five year old Canadian, petite, slight in build with thick, wavy shoulder-length red hair and crystal blue eyes. Joy was a musician in her youth who loves adventure, is extremely loyal to those she cares about and expressively compassionate to the one who holds her heart. She’s generous, kind and considerate to a fault; her only draw-back is the fact she becomes jealous very easily and often acts in unacceptable ways because of it.

And the actor?
Cullen Malone, or Cully to his friends…

– Cully, then –
… is a world-renown thirty-eight year old musician-actor from Ireland, slim build, shoulder-length black hair, wispy mustache and closely cropped goatee with a full soul-patch. His eyes are an exotic, deep emerald green. He is wild, extremely compassionate and wears his heart on his sleeve with a devil-may-care attitude. He is eccentric and not afraid to be different which often leads him down a path best left alone.

And you throw them together and watch the sparks fly.
I’ve always been a hopeless romantic who believes in soul mates, and love everlasting where anything is possible if the love supporting it is strong enough.

If you like a deep emotional experience that tugs at your heartstrings and stamps your soul with a lasting impression you’ll like my book.
 
But this isn’t just your regular girl-meets-boy story, is it? Tell us about some of the characters that add to the drama.
Dr. Arden Marceau is a young, self-important, power-hungry surgeon out to make a name for herself through any means possible. She encounters Joy and Cully after a car accident and through blind determination to have her way, goes ahead and administers an untested drug to the actor that ends up having dire repercussions.

How would you like the reader to feel as they read the last word of your book?
I would hope they experience a feeling of contentment. By this I mean peace, hopefully harmony in knowing that life situations, however horrific, can end in ways they hope it will.

We love that you set your story in Paris. It’s a gorgeous city, isn’t it?
I have always had an affinity to Paris even though I have never been there in this life, but through research for the book I feel as if I have, and I hope to one day visit there. It would be a dream come true, and something tells me I would have no problem finding my way about.

Tell us a bit about yourself
I always find it rather difficult to speak about myself to large degrees for I’m actually a shy person, though my years as a stage musician back in south-western Ontario very much helped me overcome that. I’m a vocalist, bass guitarist, as well as rhythm guitarist and I miss those years when I was active in the field. I love all forms of music, with the exception of rap and hip-hop — just can’t wrap my head around those two. I also love art, especially the French Impressionists, but I very much enjoy the work of Niagara on the Lake’s Trisha Romance. I love expressive writers but don’t have a favourite. If their work entails descriptive, in depth material then I’m immersed within the pages, but I don’t get a lot of time to read. I enjoy nature and its many offerings and am a practicing witch of the white craft. I love to spend quality time with my family and friends as well as my cat Tipper. 

Do you have a website where we can keep up with your work?
You may visit my official website at http://www.rusty-blackwood.com.

How can we follow you on Twitter and Facebook?
http://www.facebook.com/rustyblackwood
@rusty_blackwood

What’s next?
I’m currently working on a new fictional romance/drama entitled, ‘Willow’s Walk,’ which tells the story of what can happen when you push circumstances too far, as well as the person being pushed. I’m hoping to finish it over the winter and have it available for release in late spring, but I shall see how it goes.