Sisters of Element: Book One of the Luna Family Chronicles
By O. Salazar de Breaux
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction
Sisters of Element is the first book in a series about the Luna sisters, four Mexican American young women living in present day Percival Falls, Washington. Lina, Val, Zo, and Rory Luna have special abilities based on the elements: water, fire, air, and earth. Having lost their parents at an early age, the sisters have an unbreakable bond. When faced with a dark force that threatens their very existence, they don’t hesitate to fiercely protect each other — even if it means the ultimate sacrifice.
Lina has it all — her soulmate Gabriel, her dream job, and a close-knit relationship with her three younger sisters. But meeting her sister Val’s new boyfriend triggers a series of nightmares leaving Lina frightened that something terrible is about to happen to her sister. Little does she know, she and her family are in even more danger than they could have imagined.
Readers will go on a magical and mysterious journey with the Luna sisters. The characters will share their inner strength, their sacrifice, their resilience, and the power of sisterhood. At its heart, Sisters of Element is a story about unconditional love and how with it, you can overcome even the greatest obstacles.
What is the name of the book where we'll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?
The name of the book is “Sisters of Element: Book One of the Luna Family Chronicles”. The book focuses on my younger sisters and I, as well as our extended family – my sweetheart Gabriel and our adopted mom Joyce. My sisters and I are…well…we are different than other people. We’ve had special abilities since we were born. We aren’t sure how we got them, but we’ve learned to live with our abilities and hide them from the world because our parents warned us that people would try and hurt us or exploit us if they knew. I have the ability to control water and also heal. My sister Val has the power to control fire. She’s an incredible chef, and true to her power, she is a bit of a hot head. Zo can control air – and even fly. Oh, she is also so alluring and gorgeous that she can make practically any man fall in love with her. True story. She works as a hairstylist. Rory can control earth, which is a good thing seeing as how she is the hippie of the family. She is an art student, but really, she never needed to study art because she is naturally talented.
We go through so much in this story… some of it is painful, some of it is incredible. The thing about our family though, is that we will stick together no matter what.
Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?
My name is Angelina Luna – Lina for short. I’m the oldest of the Luna girls, and I’m the one telling the story. I work as the Youth and Music Program Director for a community center located in the heart of downtown Percival Falls. It is my dream job and I’m so grateful I get to do something I love every day, and work with one of the people I admire the most in the world, my Mama Joyce.
I live with my sweetheart Gabriel. He is an Engineering Professor, so aside from being the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on, he’s also brilliant. I still can’t believe sometimes how lucky I am to call him…mine…Side note, I am blushing a little bit because I know you’ll be reading about our love story in the book. My sister Zo told me to get over my bashfulness, though. She says people need to hear more stories like ours.
I would do anything for my younger sisters. Yeah, they are a little wild, but they are my blood and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. We lost our parents when we were young. After that, I knew I needed to protect them and be a good role model. I hope that is how they see me.
What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won't tell.
She did the Luna family proud! I think she told our story with a lot of heart and captured our spirit. She moved me to tears and she had me laughing out loud. She introduces us in a way that I think is relatable (even though we may have a bit of magic). She incorporated elements of our culture as well as local shout outs. She is a fellow Pacific Northwest Latina, so she GETS IT! The book feels like US and I’m grateful to her.
How do you feel about the story you're in?
I’m proud to be a part of it! Who else can say that their family is the subject of a book? The world gets to meet my family through my eyes in this story. You get to see the things I admire about them, as well as the things I know they struggle with but are too afraid to share. You get to feel my pain and my triumphs. There is also some stuff that I almost wish I hadn’t talked about in the book…because it is really painful. In the end though, I’m happy for how it turned out. Maybe others can connect with what we went through.
Do you like being a character in the book?
I’m an introvert by nature, so I’ll admit it is out of my comfort zone for sure. You guys get to find out a lot of personal stuff about me in this book! Honestly though, it feels like a big weight off my shoulders to be able to tell my truth after hiding who I am for my entire life. It was cathartic.
How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.
Gosh… I’m just so grateful for the chance to live my life with the people I love. I adore Gabriel and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I see us having children one day. I know he’ll be an amazing dad. I want my sisters and I to always be close to each other, even if we may live far apart. We also had a revelation in the book about our biological mother, so I hope we are able to come to terms with that and find peace. It’s weighed heavily on us for way too long.
What do you know about your author's plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?
The author is planning an entire series about us, and she told me we each will get the chance to tell our story from our own perspective. I can’t wait to see the world from my sisters’ perspectives. I think their stories will be provocative and powerful. They’ve all lived through so much.
Let's say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?
People have said that I look like Angelina Jolie… She’s one of the most beautiful women in the world, so I’m not sure I agree; but I do admire her courageous heart, her vulnerability as well as her power, and her generous spirit.
About the Author
O. Salazar de Breaux grew up in Olympia, Washington with five younger sisters. An entrepreneur and community leader with a long career in public service, Salazar de Breaux is also an incurable creative who’s inspired by her Mexican- American heritage. Her work incorporates her love of family, food, music, and culture.
She stayed in Olympia to study, earning a B.A. in English from The Evergreen State College, and still lives there with her husband – her sweetheart of more than 20 years – and their two sons, whom she considers her greatest achievements. Sisters of Element is her debut novel.
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