It’s A Book Thing Presents: An Interview with Natalina Reis, author of House of Blood and Whispers

Author’s Bio: Natalina Reis is an international bestseller who wrote her first romance at the age of thirteen. Since then, she has published many romances that defy the boundaries of her genre. She enjoys writing all kinds of rebels and outcasts into her stories and she always roots for the underdog.

Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Chinese historical fantasy dramas are her (not so) guilty pleasure and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone.

When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.

Note: The best writing advice she has ever been given is simple: just write. Nothing will happen if you don’t write, so sit your butt down somewhere and write.

Deliah Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book?

Natalina Reis: I wrote this book, House of Blood and Whispers, after I purchased a pre-made cover from my favorite cover artist Adriatica Creations. It’s funny but the picture just called me, begging me to give it a story. Who am I to disobey?

DL: What elements do you think make a good story?

NR: I love good character development. I used to love TV shows like NCIS (the original) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer but hate other forensic or paranormal shows and I always wondered why. What’s it about these particular shows that make me love them so much while others in the same genre leave me meh? It’s the characters and their relationship with each other, the humor inserted here and there, the inner struggles that those characters had to deal with, the mystery, and yes, a touch of romance always catches my attention.

I feel the same about books. I love a book with characters that have believable and healthy relationships within a plot that takes them in a journey they won’t ever forget, be it an emotional or actual one. In a romance I want to see the love reflected in everyday acts, not just when they are in bed: a here-you-can-have-the-last-bite-of-my-cake, a have-my-coat-even-though-I’ll-freeze, a I’ll-sit-in-silence-with-you-until-you-feel-better type of thing.

DL: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

NR: As a kid I read all the classics of crime literature and I fell in love with Agatha Christie. Her style of writing, deceptively simple and easy to read really made an impression on me. In school we were reading all these flowery, complicated proses that are hailed as the classics and even though I loved many of them, it was the simpler, more accessible writing that really attracted me as a reader and then as a writer.

Later, writers like Sophie Kinsella of romantic comedy fame, Jane Austen, and Kate Morton, all inspired me and taught me valuable lessons about how good writing can take all kinds of different forms. As you can tell by my choices I am influenced by a lot of different genres, the reason why my books tend to be a mash-up of romance, mystery, adventure, and social commentary.

DL: If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and why?

NR: I’m torn between flying so I could go visit my mom and sister in Europe whenever I felt like and time manipulation. I NEED more time to do all the things I need and want to do.

DL: What are three books you’ll never part with?

NR: Tough question. There are so many, but I’ll try to pick three. Harry Potter series (okay I know that is more than one book but let’s say it’s a boxset, lol), The Hunger Games, and Sense and Sensibility. Phew, that was painful.

DL: What’s your favorite line from a book?

NR: “You love me. True or false?” “True” (The Hunger Games)

DL: What are three fun facts about yourself?

NR: 1. I’m a language geek who speaks five languages in varied states of fluency and is learning (or trying to) Mandarin. 2. I used to teach medieval dancing as a medieval reenactor in Scotland and then Washington State. 3. I have crossed the Congo River in an overloaded, overcrowded ferry twice.

DL: Would you like to share an excerpt from House of Blood and Whispers?

NR: Sure – here you go:

The weird daze that kept me prisoner had blurred the contours of my thoughts. No matter how many times I shook my head to dispel the fuzziness that had taken residence in my brain, I couldn’t clear it. It was as if something had anchored me to that spot. My legs and arms felt as heavy as my head. I couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong but couldn’t muster the energy to fight it.

“We got her,” I heard an unfamiliar male voice say. “Jeonha, come see.”

My unfocused eyes couldn’t quite make out who was beside me, but two dark legs appeared in front of me. “This is her?” a low voice asked. The figure crouched beside me and studied my face. “She’s in bad shape.”

The voice told me it was a male, but all I could discern from his body and face was darkness. All of him was dark, from the boots he wore to the hair on his head.

“Go get the carriage,” the man said, standing up. “Quick.”

My voice seemed to have vanished, and I couldn’t move as the stranger scooped me into his arms. Fear should be filling me, but whatever was holding me in place didn’t allow me to panic. Instead, just like the man who was carrying me, everything around and inside me turned dark.

And I let the darkness take me away.

DL: What new projects are you currently working on?

NR: I am working on an origin story/prequel to House of Blood and Whispers and also a new MM paranormal series that features mystery, humor and romance of course.

DL: Where can readers learn more about you and purchase your book(s)?

NR: Readers can get more information here: