Meet Dario Vitez by Zrinka Jelic

The Write Way Café peeks over author Zrinka Jelic's shoulder as she interviews Dario Vitez, her hero in Gypsy Stone. 

Dario Vitez is a single man in his mid-thirties, an owner of popular restaurant Mezzaluna in Zadar, Croatia. But things weren’t always this good for him. He grew up in poverty. That didn’t matter to his high school sweet heart, Irena. However, it mattered to her parents, so much so that they made sure to send her half the world away from him. Now she is back, but danger follows her.

What is your greatest regret? 
Not taking a firm stand against Irena’s parents and get them to change their mind about marring her off to the pervert with deep pockets and no heart.

What is your motto? 
It’s not over, till I say so.

What do you have in your pockets? 
Can’t tell you without pulling stuff out, usually, my wallet, car keys, and used to be a condom (because a man never knows when will opportunity knock) but since Irena’s back, I no longer need to keep a backup.

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
I tap my foot against the chair I’m sitting on when I’m thinking. Drives her insane, apparently.

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far? 
There’d be two, Irena’s return and finding out we have a teenage daughter.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 
Building up my business from nothing. I pretty much went in blind not knowing how well would it be received by public, and who knew, they loved it.

Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love? 
Of course, I waited fourteen years for Irena. Yes, I had some short lived relationships in the meantime, but I knew I must stay single for her.

Who is the most important person in your life, and why? 
Irena and our daughter Ella, and our son we haven’t named yet, they are my family I feared I never would have.

Who is the person you despise the most, and why? 
That would have to be Irena’s husband, Fred and all his cronies. But he’s dead now, so you can’t despise a dead man.

Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.
The things I’m good at are making love, cooking, and running a business.  Things I’m bad at, tidying my room, overprotecting my car, bantering with my brother.



For fourteen years, Dario Vitez, accumulated wealth and made a name for himself as the owner of Mezzaluna restaurant. Love is the only thing missing from his life ever since his childhood sweetheart, Irena Novak, was forced into a marriage of convenience and lives half a world away. Wondering about her for all these years, he puts his work on hold to find her.

Irena is not free from her marriage contract. Danger follows her in form of her husband, Fred Penne. Fred decided she knows too many of his secrets to live and doesn't care who else he hurts to get her.

Discovering the truth about the danger Irena is in, Dario will stop at nothing to protect her.

Suspenseful, romantic and awash in Gypsy magic and Slavic folklore, "Gypsy Stone" captures the enchantment of the Adriatic coast and the power of love, family and friendship.



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An Interview with Zrinka Jelic

The Write Way Café welcomes Zrinka Jelicm, author of Gypsy Stone, and other contemporary suspense romance novels. Her unique outlook on life is expressed in her writing in interesting and imaginative ways.

Tell us a little about your new romantic suspense Gypsy Stone. 
It set in Zadar, a Dalmatian town (coastal region of Croatia). The story is told entirely from the hero’s POV. After 14 years he still cannot get over parting with his high school sweet heart who married a man her parents insisted upon and moved to Canada. She’s back in town, but danger follows her in the form of her husband.  

If your romantic suspense was made into a movie, who would play your main characters, and why?
The hero’s name is Dario (if you’re watching The Game of Thrones you’d know there’s a character name Daario Naharis), and heroine’s name is Irena. She has unusual blonde hair (though in the book she dyed it brown to hide it) so I guess she kind of resembles Daenerys Targaryen. 

What or who has been instrumental in or to your writing journey?
It was a dream I had, one of those that are so sad you wake up chocking on tears. It was just so uncanny, I was under the influence of that dream for the rest of the week. 

If you could be a character in any book you’ve read (or written), which character would you be and why?
Oh gosh, too many. I’d love to be Mina in Bram Stocker’s Dracula. 

We’re adding books to our Café menu.  Would your book be a drink, an appetizer, an entrée or a dessert?  What would you call it? 
Definitely an entrée. It was such hard job to get it out of my head and onto the pages. I guess I’d call it the prime roast. 

What is your favorite social media?  Why?
Facebook, I get most of the stuff there and I’m most familiar navigating it. 

Do you have any compulsions you must do for no particular reason?
Not really. I wouldn’t call them compulsions exactly. I love my yoga classes and my workouts. Helps me clear my mind when I’m stuck. 

Tell us about the book in your closet.
Would this be a book I’m reading secretly? I would never be ashamed to be seen to read any book no matter how bad or “dirty” it is. If I’m enjoying it I’m reading it openly. Not in the closet. 

And now for the fun stuff!

If you were a punctuation mark, what would you be?
Probably a question mark. Many things make me scratch my head. 

If you aren’t a full-time writer, what is your day job?
Well, actually I’m a part time writer only. I still have my day job so I’m a Credit Analyst. 

What is your biggest shopping downfall?
Summer clearance sales. All those cute things I’ve been keeping my eye out for all summer long are finally on sale. 

Are you a glass half empty or glass half full personality?
Neither, glass is refillable. 

What is something you do that people would be surprised at?
Most are surprised to hear I write and publish books. I’m not sure why is that so hard to wrap one’s head around, but it seems it is. 

Are you a dog/cat/other person?
Both, but if I’m not allergic to cats, I’d chose them first. 

What is your favorite season and why?
Summers that are dry and hot. Can’t stand rainy and cool summers. The long days, warm nights, crickets chirping, fun wardrobe, freedom from coats and boots. 

If you had to write with a pen instead of a computer, what type of pen would be your preference?
My first book was written by pen, I think it was just an ordinary pen. Nothing fancy. Whatever I can grab. 

There are a lot of top ten lists.  What list would you be number one on?  
A list of abandoned hobbies. I tried so many and while I was good at each, none stuck as writing. 

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done in the name of love?
Drove for miles just to be with him. If I knew then what I know now, that wouldn’t happen. 

Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Used to try to remember everything I’d heard or read someplace to incorporate it into the book, but finally bought a notebook so I can write these things down. The problem now is that I don’t remember writing it. It was easier having it stored in my memory. 

For fourteen years, Dario Vitez accumulated wealth and made a name for himself as the owner of Mezzaluna restaurant. Love is the only thing missing from his life ever since his childhood sweetheart, Irena Novak, was forced into a marriage of convenience and lives half a world away. Wondering about her for all these years, he puts his work on hold to find her.

Irena is not free from her marriage contract. Danger follows her in the form of her husband, Fred Penne. Fred decided she knows too many of his secrets to live and doesn't care who else he hurts to get her. 

Discovering the truth about the danger Irena is in, Dario will stop at nothing to protect her.

Suspenseful, romantic, and awash in Gypsy magic and Slavic folklore, "Gypsy Stone" captures the enchantment of the Adriatic coast and the power of love, family and friendship.

Goodreads        Amazon US        Amazon Canada

About Zrinka: A member of Romance Writers of America and its chapter Kiss Of Death, as well as Savvy Authors, Zrinka Jelic writes contemporary fiction—which leans toward the paranormal—and always adds a pinch of history. Her characters come from all walks of life, and although she prefers red, romance comes in many colors. Given Jelic’s love for her native Croatia and the Adriatic Sea, her characters usually find themselves dealing with a fair amount of sunshine, but a little fall of rain is unavoidable in everyone’s life.   

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