Most cannot say they wrote and published an entire novel during the 2020 quarantine, yet Lara Ann Dominick, local fitness enthusiast and mom, did just that. Her inaugural work of fiction, Oil and Water, is available for Kindle now, and she invites the entire community to the public release party at Bullfrog Creek Brewing Co.
It takes place on Saturday, June 27 from 5-9 p.m. followed by another meet and greet at the Valrico Sunday Market on June 28 from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. where Dominick will be signing print copies.
Oil and Water is nontraditional vampire fantasy. Instead of portraying some of the emotionally abusive and controlling relationships other novels in this genre glorify, her novel is an adult coming-of-age story that explores the conflict women have both with men and other women.
Always a fan of supernatural fiction, Dominick combined her background in theater with the emotions she felt during the quarantine to create realistic characters living in an imaginary world.
“There are certain feelings that unite us as people—loneliness, helplessness and hope,” Dominick explained. “As I was writing, I acted out improv scenes in my head to allow the characters to explore and evolve.”
The result is a riveting story of both Elsie, a human thrust into the world of vampires, and Opal, a hardened vampire succubus, who become connected in a common goal to thwart an ancient evil, an evil which will make them both analyze their strengths and confront their weaknesses.
Contemporary author K. J. Simmill gave a glowing five-star review: “Lara Ann Dominick’s Oil and Water is a great addition to the paranormal romance genre… Gripping, entertaining and moving, this paranormal romance has more than one surprise in store.”
Oil and Water is a novel that explores themes sorely missing from the genre, and because of its adult themes, language and situations, it is a fantastic read for adults who enjoy fantasy and the paranormal. Dominick is currently working on the sequel and recording her audiobook.
When asked how she manages to juggle all of this, she said, “I think it’s time to go to bed when my characters are not acting like themselves.”
If you cannot pick up your copy in person, you can download your copy on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/OilWater-Lara-Ann-Dominickebook/dp/B0892RMD1R. For information, visit www.oilandwaterbook.com.
Bullfrog Creek Brewing Co. is located at 3642 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. and the Valrico Sunday Market takes place at 3407 Lithia Pinecrest Rd.
