Women Rule the World: Interview with Cristina Istrati, award-winning author
Last year I started on my blog (www.cityfemme.com) a series of interviews focused on women entrepreneur, called Women Rule the World. The reason was altruistic and selfish at the same time — on one hand, I wanted to help promote small business ran by women and offer other women inspiration, show them what they can do whatever they set their minds to.
On the other hand, being home with a newborn (now a toddler) I felt out of place, I missed talking to adults, learning things, being up to date with that’s new in the world — so it was a chance for me to get to know and to learn from a lot of amazing ladies from Romania (and not only).
One of the interviews that impressed me, and I wanted to share with you today (although it’s written a some while ago, but we just managed to translate it into English) is with Cristina Istrati, copywriter and award-winning author.
Cristina has written two romance novels so far. The first one is Seductive Ambiguity and the second one is Noble Temptation — both of these two novels containing two burning loves stories but surrounded by mystery, too.
We wanted to discover the woman behind the novels, to get to know her better and see what`s she working on behind the scenes.
Hello, Cristina. Can you start off by telling us a few things about yourself?
Yes, sure, gladly. My name is Cristina Istrati, and I was born in a small town called Tecuci, in Romania. At the present moment, my activity is linked to copywriting and novel writing, having two online businesses in these two industries.
What was your professional journey before writing?
When I was a student, I worked for about a month at a company that organized events in Bucharest. This was something that happened in June/July 2007. It was within this period of time when I realized that being an employee is not for me, that I’m not tailored for it and that I have to do something on my own.
Afterwards, in august (same year) I had a dream during the night, a dream in which I saw myself writing books, and this is how it all started for me. In 2016 I’ve created my copywriting business and so writing is what I’ve been doing ever since.
What is the creative process for you? How do you find your inspiration and how much time do you need to go from idea to the final product, which is the novel?
Inspiration comes to me firstly in the form of an idea, idea of a story or a novel. It is much like a seed that becomes a tree later.
After this the work in itself starts, meaning, developing this idea to its final phase, that phase that`s also announcing the ending of the story / novel.
Where does my inspiration come from? From the only place possible, the place from which inspiration in all ways comes: God.
Can you tell us something about the novels you’ve published so far?
Yes, surely. I started writing my first novel, Seductive Ambiguity, in august 2007 and 6 months later, in January 2008, I finished it.
I published it in March 2009 and the heart of it is the love story between Lucas Brown, a thriving American business man and Divine Anderson, a young woman who is passionate about movies and acting but who`s also working as a receptionist at a luxury hotel in Los Angeles.
Lucas also loves the movie industry and having the desire to direct his own production, he`s organizing a casting in order to find the girl who will interpret the main female character in his movie.
And this is how they meet and for both of them it is love at first sight.
The only problem now is that Divine resembles strikingly a lot with Lucas`s late wife, Evelyn, and this is where the conflict begins for him:
Does he love Divine for who she is or does he love her because through her he lives the happy days he once had with his wife?
This is an answer that Lucas must find himself.
The second novel is in the historical romance genre. It is called Noble Temptation and I wrote it between 2008 and 2011.
Here, the story is different as the time and space are different, as well: Austria in the 19th century.
Elisabeth Waidhofen is a beautiful young woman from the village of Vösendorf, Austria. Her free spirit and sharp mind can’t handle anymore the limitations of the rural environment so she ventures to the capital of the country, Vienna.
The Ball of the Tea is a festival held every year at Schönbrunn Palace. As a leading tea manufacturer, Count Andreas von Hochwaltmont is there, proudly presenting his new tea flavors. When attending it, Elisabeth has no idea that she is about to be thrown into the sweet realm of love. She fears to give in, but Andreas`s green eyes and charm won`t leave her at peace so easily. On the other hand, Andreas is himself intrigued by this fascinating young woman. He is well aware of the “respectful” ladies from the Viennese aristocracy but what is it with Elisabeth that he can’t take his eyes off her? It started as a play for him. Another woman? Yes, why not? After all, she is beautiful and so damn elegant! For this, Andreas is ready to play the game! However, soon he will discover that Elisabeth is more than that. Her warm and noble soul makes him fall in love with her, but there is an obstacle between them. What is this obstacle? What secret is keeping Horst Volker, the mayor of Vösendorf, a secret that involves Elisabeth’s father? And Karl von Becker, Andreas`s worst enemy, what dirty charade will he play on his sister, Christine…?
What was the most beautiful reaction you’ve received from a reader?
The most beautiful reaction was when a reader, who is also a friend of mine, told me that while reading my novel (Seductive Ambiguity) she created a new context for the romantic side of her life and this context attracted to her the man of her dreams. When she told me this it became clear to me the power that the written word has because in the moment when we escape into a story we lose the notion of this time — space reality and we put aside the resistance that is specific to us as humans. And this way, being one with the story that we are reading, we become a realm of magic in which infinite possibilities are available to us.
Have you dealt with impostor syndrome until now? How did you manage that particular fear and anxiety?
Yes, I’ve experienced many times the impostor syndrome and I find it incredible that I’m still experiencing every now and then.
I’d love to look this syndrome in its eyes and tell it:
Hey, give me a break. I already wrote two novels, I wrote over 80 children stories and I’m working now on my third novel, and you come bothering me? For real?! Hahaha! This is what I would do and yes, it`s funny now as I speak about it, but when you`re in that moment it`s not that much fun anymore.
How did I manage it? I think it`s rather something one learns to live with because I don’t believe this fear will ever truly disappear. This is just how we function as humans. We will always doubt ourselves and our abilities no matter the success level we attain. It is much more useful and helpful, in my view, to accept that it is part of us and make peace with it for if we fight it then the only thing that we`re doing is to make things harder for ourselves. I love the example that the eastern wisdom is giving us:
Be the observer of your thoughts.
And when you see this fear showing up you can tell it that you love it, that you thank it for showing up, but its presence is not needed anymore. This way, you are changing the energy and your inner genius has space now to express itself.
A new book is coming next? What other plans do you and can you share them with us?
Yes, of course. I’m working on my third novel, which is placed back in 1910, in the village where I was born, called Matca.
In those days the village was smaller than it is now and the core of the novel is represented by the love story that is born between the priest of the village, on his name, Alexandru Calugaru and a woman living in the same village, on her name, Marioara Avramescu.
They will have to face and overcome many obstacles, the prejudices specific to that time and of the rural environment.
But most of all, for them two the biggest obstacle to overcome will be their own prejudices, limiting beliefs and inner walls as this is where the key is. Another breakthrough that each one of them has to make consists of a choice that will be required from them, in the end.
For Alexandru, the choice to make is this:
Will he give up on his vocation as a priest to be with the woman he loves or will he give up on her and continue his work?
And for Marioara it is the same. Will she risk everything to be with Alexandru — the man she truly loves — or will she let go of him and continue her life alongside her family?
Tell us a bit about your free time — do you still have any left? What are your hobbies, how do you like to relax yourself?
Yes, I still have time for myself, thank God. As a hobby, I love photography, I love to spend time in nature, to read and ride my bike; I love to draw and listen to classical music. And I simply love to travel! This is a priority for me as it nourishes my mind and soul.
What advice would you give to the CityFemme readers linked to reading and writing?
If it`s about reading, read anything you can get your hand on.
This is how you will make the difference between good and bad literature. And about writing, if you feel a calling for it then write. Write with all your heart and soul. May the fire of creation burn always inside you as it is in itself your connection with the divine.
And for those who don’t want to write novels, at least keep a diary and write in it. This world is throwing so much dust on our souls, and if not for the sake of being an author and publish books then at least write in that diary to keep your mind and soul clean.
Thank you, Cristina, for your beautiful answers! We are eagerly waiting your next novel!
