I’d like to express my gratitude to the Authors’ Lounge for showcasing my book and granting me the chance to divulge my journey as a writer. 

“Finding Myself” delves into the intertwined perspectives of Olivia Manu, a Romanian student in Barcelona, and Polo García, a globally renowned Spanish actor. Olivia, grappling with teenage traumas and her father’s stringent rules, encounters Polo unexpectedly, prompting her to break free from her father’s constraints and embrace a more impulsive, sometimes childish, approach to life. Meanwhile, Polo, consumed by years on movie sets, takes a break from acting to reconnect with his true self, discovering unexpected facets of his identity. However, this narrative is far from over, with two more volumes planned for release soon.

The book’s inception stemmed from a crazy dream during an afternoon nap, recalling my passion for storytelling from my youth that I had long forgotten. Sketching the characters and plot in my mind, I embarked on the challenging task of translating these visions into words. Juggling a full-time job and final year university commitments, I persevered, completing the book within four and a half months.

“Finding Myself” is intended for a teen audience, specifically aged 16 —perhaps even 18— or older, given some scenes unsuitable for younger readers. It definitely has the potential to appeal to lovers of teen romance open to exploring themes within the LGBT+ spectrum.

Beyond the storytelling, my sincere hope is that this book inspires individuals to live authentically, to challenge societal norms, and uncover their own identities, just as Polo and Olivia do. It’s indeed a challenging feat in a world brimming with expectations, yet discovering the bravery to embrace our true selves is undeniably worth it.

Initially conceived as a standalone story, the narrative has evolved into a trilogy. Presently, I’m working on the second volume. As I delved deeper into Olivia and Polo’s journeys, the narrative has expanded within my mind, fitting more aptly into three distinct volumes.

My aspiration is for each book in this trilogy to eventually be adapted into a movie. I strongly believe that the story holds significant potential for both television and cinema screens.

In addition to being the author of this book, my daily role revolves around being a Software Engineer, a world quite distinct from the artistic realm of book writing. However, my passion since childhood has always been writing. I wasn’t like most children, finding joy in watching cartoons on TV. Instead, I was captivated by the “scenarios” I constructed in my mind. As a child, I spent solitary moments, reveling in the plot ideas that danced through my mind. When I was eight years old, I realized I had been doing this for a long time and decided to put these imaginings onto paper. I began writing scripts for short episodes of a series, sharing one script per week with my grandmother when I visited her over the weekends.

At the age of 15, I started crafting fanfiction, which I published on Wattpad until I was 17. But as I pondered my future and career prospects, I convinced myself that writing couldn’t be a viable career path. I shifted my focus to preparing for enrollment in a Computer Science University. Throughout my university years, I dedicated myself fervently to pursuing a career in computer science, setting aside all my passions.

However, as my university days drew to a close, I began to recollect who I truly was and rediscovered my genuine passion for writing. This time, I found the courage to publish my work for real, a decision for which I am immensely grateful.

For more insights into my work and me, feel free to explore the links below.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corinapurcareanu

Website: https://corinapurcareanu.com/

Amazon Author page: amazon.com/author/corinap