Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in the beautiful seaside town of Genoa, Italy, where I studied for a degree in Italian, Spanish and English Literature, specializing in psychology and sociology. After spending a few years in Switzerland, I moved permanently to London.
I work as manager of a wellness and beauty centre, and as beauty consultant for various prestigious brands of cosmetics. I also loves fashion and art, areas closely connected with the world of aesthetics.
I’ve always been a hungry reader and consumer of books of all kinds.
My true passion, however, is still writing:
“I think I held a pen before walking. Despite new technology, I’ve always been fond of the good old pen, scribbling notes on used travel tickets, handkerchiefs and even worn pages of old diaries. It’s the only way I’m able to capture and bring to life the ideas that are constantly running through my head.”
I began writing at school, producing essays, articles, term papers on the humanities. I then continued with more technical writings in the fields of aesthetics and cosmetology, also taking care of the school programme for beautician internships.
However, the idea of writing ‘a real novel’ has always been on my mind.
‘Ecliptic’ is my true debut. It’s a fantasy/Sci-Fi novel and is the first of a saga that bears its name.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The idea of ‘Ecliptic’ came to me by pure chance when my husband and I were talking about the constellations; it was a warm night, and we were walking down the seaside in Genoa, my native city in Italy. The view of the sky from the darkness of the docks of the ancient harbor was breathtaking.
My husband is incredibly fond of astronomy, and stargazing is one of his favorite hobbies. That night, out of nowhere, he asked: “Has anybody ever written a fantasy based on the zodiac constellations?”.
No, I was pretty sure that nobody had written something like that, as far as I’m aware. “Why don’t you write it?” he insisted.
Why not? My imagination had already started running at breakneck speed.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I usually write anywhere and in any condition. I could be in the noisiest bar or on top of a mountain, on a train full of people or a deserted beach, but during the writing process I can abstract myself completely from the reality that surrounds me.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always been a hungry reader. At school, I used to read classical authors, Greek and Latin (such as Plato, Seneca, Virgil, Cicero), and historical novels. Then I moved to travel reportages (Dominique Lapierre, Tiziano Terzani), crime books and thrillers.
I fell in love with the fantasy genre in adolescence, after a chance reading of the timeless ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Since then, I’ve devoured both classic fantasy (Marion Zimmer Bradley, Terry Brooks) and contemporary or urban (Cassandra Clare, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Carlos Ruiz Zafon, one of my favourite authors for his original style). Monsters, magic, supernatural powers and war between good and evil have become my bread and butter.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the second book of the ‘Ecliptic Saga’, ‘The Seal of constellations’, which will be released next summer.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think ‘word of mouth’ is the best way to marketing yourself. It’s a slow way, but it allows you to achieve firm-based results. I’m trying to contact people on social medias, blogs, websites and share my ideas.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
When I start writing a new project, I always try to separate the creative part from the logic one.
Generally, during the creative process, I read a lot, go to exhibitions, plays, concerts in order to solicit my imagination as much as possible, and I observe people too. You never know where the inspiration could come from.
The logical part is quite another thing. When I make the revision of the text, I put aside any kind of emotion, and I try to see the sentences as simple sequences of words, almost like mathematical formulas. Then I read and reread, and read again. Every time I’d discover new mistakes I didn’t notice the previous time.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you’re stuck in a particular point, go on writing. After some time (minutes, hours, day), you can go back, and you’ll see that everything is easier.
What are you reading now?
At the moment I’m reading new authors like me. There are a lot of hidden gems to discover.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to complete the ‘Ecliptic Saga’ with the third book, which will be released next year.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
‘The Lord of the rings’, ‘Harry Potter’ and Dante’s ‘Divina Commedia’
Author Websites and Profiles
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