Author Victoria Popescu Answers Qs about Life, Her Books and More

Today, Nadaness In Motion is hosting author Victoria Popescu. Check out the interview and my 4-star review of her book Twin Magnolia: A Soul Call

Q: First, tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in Romania, where I spent the first twenty-two years of my life. I traveled greatly for the following nineteen years and lived in the United States, New Caledonia and France.

I currently live in France with my husband and our two boys. I am passionate about living the life of your own true dreams or living by the truth within. I feel that it is the path to living life to its deepest and achieving complete happiness.

Q: What first inspired you to write Twin Magnolia: A Soul Call?

Some people experience a deep need to be with their twin souls- their other half. The longing for the other is so intense that they don't seem to find peace within themselves until they connect or reconnect again. They experience the greatest love one can ever encounter and it feels as if they came to life in an agreement to accomplish something together. This is what mostly inspired me; then, there was also my intention to share information on healing and touch a bit on the importance of healing the soul.

Q: As a reflexologist and healer, what exactly do you do? Are you a much younger version of Tarana from your novella?

I do the kind of healing Tarana does. I use my energy field, bringing energy in through my energy centers, or chakras, then send it out through my hands. During a reflexology session, I work primarily by applying pressure with my thumbs to specific points and areas on feet. These areas and reflex points correspond to different body parts, organs and systems. Working this way, we help create an inner balance that is essential for the body to function properly and effectively.

Q: How much time did you actually spend in Hawaii to be able to write your novella?

Only a few weeks, but I have a very detailed memory for places and people. I wrote Twin Magnolia- A Soul Call much later.

Q: Apart from the chakras mentioned in Twin Magnolia: A Soul Call, what are your favorite colors? Which lift your spirit and which bring it down?

To me, it's not a question of lifting the spirit or bringing it down but rather speaks more about helping to restore or recharge a particular energy center, or chakra, in order to feel good throughout the day. I love pretty much all colors. The ones that I mostly wear lately are blue, pink, amethyst and different shades of green.

Q: I haven’t read your first book Anita - A Journey Through Love but from the blurb I feel it is a bit similar to Twin Magnolia: A Soul Call. Are they similar?

They have some common points--love and healing, for instance--but the stories are differently oriented. While one character is overwhelmed with love, the other one is in need of experiencing love.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about Anita - A Journey Through Love?

Anita- A journey Through Love tells the story of 32-year-old Anita, who goes in search of herself while healing from an autoimmune disorder. On her journey she experiences unconditional love after falling in love with a man she can't be with--or so she thinks--and learns to love herself. She also learns to accept and let go of certain things as she realizes that these might never happen and she's wasting her life on a goal she may not be able to achieve. She finds greater meaning in life by finding her true path. She's convinced that there can't be more, until she discovers that certain lives are linked across time.

Q: Are you currently working on other books? If yes, what is it/are they?

I've been working on my third novel lately. Unfortunately, I have to leave it aside for a while, as my life is quite busy at the moment. I'd definitely touch again on soul matters, as that focus is partially inspired by a rather incredible experience I had ten years ago when I saw my body next to me, or perhaps I should say that I saw my body through the eyes of my soul.

Q: What is your favorite reading genre?

Women's fiction and inspirational, but I do enjoy reading other genres as well.

Q: If you could experiment with any genre, what would it be?

I am thinking of writing for Youth someday.

Q: What did you do before becoming a reflexologist?

I worked mainly as a fashion store manager and had a short experience working at a bank. While living in Boston I worked for Jessica McClintock in bridal and special occasion dresses. Her fabulous gowns inspired Claudia's dresses in Twin Magnolia- A Soul Call. I also worked for two French brands. That's how Paris became part of the story in Anita- A Journey through Love.

Q: Since the book deals with the soul, how come you didn’t mention chocolate? Isn’t it like food for the soul?

I'd say that a vivid need for chocolate is an indicator that there's a much greater need for something else; there’s some deep issue awaiting resolution. If we have chocolate, we calm that need and the soul will get quiet for a while, but we're still in need of chocolate eventually. If we don't have chocolate right away, the soul will get wild, and in its revolt will drag us to where the real problem is, so we can fix it--at least partially. Now, once the issue resolved, we can still have chocolate if we want to but it would feel more like a treat than a necessity.

Q: Healing with colors: if the chakras have the same colors for everyone, does that mean the same colors would have the same effect on different people? Would orange, for instance, have the same effect on a man and a woman? How do you determine which color suits who?

The same color should have the same effect on a man and a woman as long as they have a common need to rebalance the chakra associated with that particular color. Some people are more receptive than others; in this case the intensity of the effect is different. I usually suggest wearing a specific color or colors after identifying which chakras need more balance. The desire to wear a specific color often speaks about a need to rebalance a certain chakra or keep it balanced when interacting with other people, especially groups, as there is a higher energy exchange. If we allow our intuition to guide us and are not afraid of making the wrong choice, we end up wearing the color that we need the most every day.

Q: At what point did you decide to write Twin Magnolia? How did you connect the tree to the soul?

I first started to write, then the image of a twin magnolia tree kept coming to my mind. It gave me this idea of one unity that splits into two, going on individually but having the same base, pretty much like twin souls divided from one soul. Magnolia is believed to be one of the most ancient flowering plants, existing even before bees, so in its original form before pollination. There is also this idea of synchronicity as twin souls wait sometimes several lifetimes before they unify again.

Q: Why did you opt for writing in English rather than French (since I believe you speak the language well & have lived in France for sometime)? Do you think this type of novel would not appeal to a French audience?

I wrote it in english because that's the way it came; I didn't really try to understand why. I do speak French quite well and I believe my book can have a great success in France. It will definitely be available in French sometime in the future, just don't know when yet.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I'd like to say that we should never underestimate the power of the soul. It is strong enough to completely mess up our original plans for life and change our lives in ways we never expected. Yet, if we listen to our soul's needs and fully allow it to express itself as we go through life, without resisting changes, it is our perfect guide to achieving and maintaining the greatest happiness of all.

Check out Victoria Popescu's website and follow her on Twitter.