Vanilla Heart PublishingNona Sebastian
I enjoy writing novels about finding love in a complicated modern world. A love for reality TV and an interest in multiculturalism inspired me to write my debut novel, Living With the Ex. Romance, a mix of sizzling sensuality, dramatic scenes, along with a touch of East Coast humor with attitude are all employed in Living with the Ex .
I spent my childhood years into my teens writing and drawing comics for the joy of it. I have a B.A. degree in Geography and some graduate studies in Geographic Information Systems. I moved from New York to the San Francisco Bay Area at the age of 24. I decided to pursue my real dream career of being a writer when joining Silicon Valley’s Romance Writers of America. I enjoy traveling and learning about Eastern European culture. In addition to writing I also spend time drawing and painting and learning to play hard rock and metal songs by ear on my electric guitar.
By Nona Sebastian
Heartbreak and drama erupt in high tech Silicon Valley when voluptuous rocker Naomi Karam is devastated after her breakup with her lying ex-lover, Ivo Igric. Ivo, a sexy Bosnian alpha male, thought his fabricated story about going to Bosnia for a settlement on his dead uncle’s estate was a perfect breakup move. But it backfired, leaving Naomi a woman scorned— and out to get even.
Ivo and his sister Karina live in a townhouse and are looking for a roommate. Naomi visits Ivo’s sister Karina who is bartending at The Goulash Kitchen restaurant. Naomi jokingly suggests renting Karina’s vacant room and creating a reality TV show around the new roommate to bring in big bucks. Hollywood Reality TV producer Jack Weinstein, who is trying to launch a northern California extension, happens to overhear their conversation and takes on the project.
And, oh what a project it is!
Ivo and his sister Karina live in a townhouse and are looking for a roommate. Naomi visits Ivo’s sister Karina who is bartending at The Goulash Kitchen restaurant. Naomi jokingly suggests renting Karina’s vacant room and creating a reality TV show around the new roommate to bring in big bucks. Hollywood Reality TV producer Jack Weinstein, who is trying to launch a northern California extension, happens to overhear their conversation and takes on the project.
And, oh what a project it is!
Living with the Ex is sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic, and always enjoyable! A fast-paced novel you'll want to grab again and again. -Kenna Brannigan
Living with the Ex Pre-release Video Trailer
Excerpt
The song began with hard metal guitar strums followed by the chorus, “Dagger my heart!”, and then exploded with drums, bass, keyboards and guitar from the back seat. Naomi Karam did some air drumming while cruising along the boulevard amidst the palm trees that lined its median. Stickers of Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, and the Led Zeppelin angel lined neatly on the bottom of the back window of her 2003 sky blue Mercedes. A crystal ball with bat wings hanging on the rearview mirror swung back and forth, hitting a tiny Eddie Van Halen’s red and white stripped flying V-guitar. “You took all my love! And left me with lies!” The vocalist screeched while Naomi sang along.
She jammed the brake and the car came to a halt. A red light. Just in time for some air guitar. Naomi raised her left hand holding the imaginary instrument while rattling her fingers wildly on the right. She bobbed her head while singing the guitar lead and suddenly she froze. A young Asian couple in their silver BMW convertible at the intersection stared with their mouths wide open. Naomi shrugged with her palms faced up. A horn beeped behind her. The light was green. She zoomed forward while her fingers punched a couple of radio channel buttons until another 80’s metal song pierced the speakers. “You may have left the shelves but you still rock!” Naomi raised a fist while making a turn down a side street. She made a wide circle and turned into a municipal parking lot while the final solo guitar exploded at the end of the song. It was time for dinner. Happy hour at the good ol’ Goulash Kitchen.
A friend of hers with a special connection was working at this cozy cafe. As Naomi entered the café, she hoped Karina would be there. A row of all the Eastern European flags were plastered on the high wall above the bar and ringing mandolins played over the speaker. Two large bottles of wine sat on the bar near the register; one from a winery in the Central California Coast and one from a Croatian owned winery located in the nearby Napa Valley.
Naomi’s heels clicked as she made her way along the marble entry. She took a seat at one of the high round cocktail tables near the bar. Her taste buds were yearning for mussels. Expensive, but not for Happy Hour. She picked up the stand up menu. Her eyes fell and the corners of her mouth drooped down. Where were the appetizers?
A tall athletic bartender with a cheerful face and hair in a long auburn braid approached Naomi. She jerked her head up. Her friend Karina held a cocktail tray.
Naomi did her best to greet her ‘Good Afternoon’ in Bosnian. “Dobar Dan!”
“Hey girl, what’s up?”
Naomi winced at Karina’s English and street-style response. Why couldn’t Karina speak back in Bosnian?
“Oh, just hunting for some low fat and cheap food. Where are the appetizers? I thought they were on the Happy Hour menu.”
A slender man in a black trench coat, black knit cap over his dark tight curls at the bar turned to raise his empty wine glass towards Karina.
“Good, huh. Ready for more?” Karina asked him.
His brown eyes glowed through his designer frame eyeglasses and his bushy eyebrows twitched as Karina refilled his glass with merlot. “Yes, please. This is a nice restaurant. Didn’t know the South Bay Area was this trendy and diverse.”
“It’s getting there according to this Brooklyn native’s perspective. So where are you from?” Naomi asked the stranger.
“Oh, just visiting from L.A. I’m part of a reality TV production company that’s looking to expand up north.”
“Reality TV? Boy, as if there aren’t enough of those already.” Naomi remarked.
The L.A. guy grinned towards Naomi. “Well, we are a little different. Our company wants to stretch the limits of the traditional reality television show. We are looking for new ideas, new themes that have never been tried before in reality TV. Viewers have had enough of the typical reality scene involving the usual bachelor or random people living in a house, Gothic Bathrooms from Hell or Stranded Survivors.”
Naomi snorted a barking laugh. “Ha! Gothic Bathrooms from Hell! I love that one!”
“Yes, that was cutting edge.” He turned to Karina, his eyes still twinkling. “Did you say there weren’t happy hour appetizers?”
“There used to be, but business was losing money. The manager might do it again when times get better.”
Naomi rested her chin on her palm. “Well, that just sucks; but then again, it’s not like I need any more junk in the trunk.”
Karina and Mr. L.A. laughed.
“How’s your new job at the music store, Naomi?” Karina asked.
Naomi’s fingers raked her wavy long raven hair. She turned to display her new red T-shirt titled “Guitar’s and Then Some”. “Like my Tee? We just got them today.”
Karina smiled. “Nice, isn’t that cute?”
Mr. L.A. leaned over to glance. “Yes!”
...
Karina’s cheery blue eyes fell. “... Darko moved out so we are looking for a third roommate. No one has answered our ad in three weeks and the next mortgage payment is due very soon. We need someone to fill that vacant room fast! I would ask you . . . but . . . you know who’s there . . .”
Naomi flashed a smile and her eyes widened at the thought of her estranged and sexiest ex-boyfriend. “Yeah. Your brother.”
Karina’s wide smile reached the gums beyond her shiny white teeth. Just like her brother’s.
“I guess that wouldn’t work out.” Naomi was about to shake her head, but then she had an idea and decided to playfully throw it out there to get Karina’s reaction. “Just imagine if I did move in. Wouldn’t that be hilarious? All that drama could make for a good ass TV reality show.” She paused and turned to Mr. L.A. guy. “Hey! If you’re looking for a new reality show, I got one for you!”
The song began with hard metal guitar strums followed by the chorus, “Dagger my heart!”, and then exploded with drums, bass, keyboards and guitar from the back seat. Naomi Karam did some air drumming while cruising along the boulevard amidst the palm trees that lined its median. Stickers of Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, and the Led Zeppelin angel lined neatly on the bottom of the back window of her 2003 sky blue Mercedes. A crystal ball with bat wings hanging on the rearview mirror swung back and forth, hitting a tiny Eddie Van Halen’s red and white stripped flying V-guitar. “You took all my love! And left me with lies!” The vocalist screeched while Naomi sang along.
She jammed the brake and the car came to a halt. A red light. Just in time for some air guitar. Naomi raised her left hand holding the imaginary instrument while rattling her fingers wildly on the right. She bobbed her head while singing the guitar lead and suddenly she froze. A young Asian couple in their silver BMW convertible at the intersection stared with their mouths wide open. Naomi shrugged with her palms faced up. A horn beeped behind her. The light was green. She zoomed forward while her fingers punched a couple of radio channel buttons until another 80’s metal song pierced the speakers. “You may have left the shelves but you still rock!” Naomi raised a fist while making a turn down a side street. She made a wide circle and turned into a municipal parking lot while the final solo guitar exploded at the end of the song. It was time for dinner. Happy hour at the good ol’ Goulash Kitchen.
A friend of hers with a special connection was working at this cozy cafe. As Naomi entered the café, she hoped Karina would be there. A row of all the Eastern European flags were plastered on the high wall above the bar and ringing mandolins played over the speaker. Two large bottles of wine sat on the bar near the register; one from a winery in the Central California Coast and one from a Croatian owned winery located in the nearby Napa Valley.
Naomi’s heels clicked as she made her way along the marble entry. She took a seat at one of the high round cocktail tables near the bar. Her taste buds were yearning for mussels. Expensive, but not for Happy Hour. She picked up the stand up menu. Her eyes fell and the corners of her mouth drooped down. Where were the appetizers?
A tall athletic bartender with a cheerful face and hair in a long auburn braid approached Naomi. She jerked her head up. Her friend Karina held a cocktail tray.
Naomi did her best to greet her ‘Good Afternoon’ in Bosnian. “Dobar Dan!”
“Hey girl, what’s up?”
Naomi winced at Karina’s English and street-style response. Why couldn’t Karina speak back in Bosnian?
“Oh, just hunting for some low fat and cheap food. Where are the appetizers? I thought they were on the Happy Hour menu.”
A slender man in a black trench coat, black knit cap over his dark tight curls at the bar turned to raise his empty wine glass towards Karina.
“Good, huh. Ready for more?” Karina asked him.
His brown eyes glowed through his designer frame eyeglasses and his bushy eyebrows twitched as Karina refilled his glass with merlot. “Yes, please. This is a nice restaurant. Didn’t know the South Bay Area was this trendy and diverse.”
“It’s getting there according to this Brooklyn native’s perspective. So where are you from?” Naomi asked the stranger.
“Oh, just visiting from L.A. I’m part of a reality TV production company that’s looking to expand up north.”
“Reality TV? Boy, as if there aren’t enough of those already.” Naomi remarked.
The L.A. guy grinned towards Naomi. “Well, we are a little different. Our company wants to stretch the limits of the traditional reality television show. We are looking for new ideas, new themes that have never been tried before in reality TV. Viewers have had enough of the typical reality scene involving the usual bachelor or random people living in a house, Gothic Bathrooms from Hell or Stranded Survivors.”
Naomi snorted a barking laugh. “Ha! Gothic Bathrooms from Hell! I love that one!”
“Yes, that was cutting edge.” He turned to Karina, his eyes still twinkling. “Did you say there weren’t happy hour appetizers?”
“There used to be, but business was losing money. The manager might do it again when times get better.”
Naomi rested her chin on her palm. “Well, that just sucks; but then again, it’s not like I need any more junk in the trunk.”
Karina and Mr. L.A. laughed.
“How’s your new job at the music store, Naomi?” Karina asked.
Naomi’s fingers raked her wavy long raven hair. She turned to display her new red T-shirt titled “Guitar’s and Then Some”. “Like my Tee? We just got them today.”
Karina smiled. “Nice, isn’t that cute?”
Mr. L.A. leaned over to glance. “Yes!”
...
Karina’s cheery blue eyes fell. “... Darko moved out so we are looking for a third roommate. No one has answered our ad in three weeks and the next mortgage payment is due very soon. We need someone to fill that vacant room fast! I would ask you . . . but . . . you know who’s there . . .”
Naomi flashed a smile and her eyes widened at the thought of her estranged and sexiest ex-boyfriend. “Yeah. Your brother.”
Karina’s wide smile reached the gums beyond her shiny white teeth. Just like her brother’s.
“I guess that wouldn’t work out.” Naomi was about to shake her head, but then she had an idea and decided to playfully throw it out there to get Karina’s reaction. “Just imagine if I did move in. Wouldn’t that be hilarious? All that drama could make for a good ass TV reality show.” She paused and turned to Mr. L.A. guy. “Hey! If you’re looking for a new reality show, I got one for you!”
