Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a storyteller for over four decades. As a play-by-play sports broadcaster, I love telling stories about young people overcoming incredible hardships to find success. That led me to my first novel, The Walls of Lucca. I know, it has nothing to do with sports, but it does have to do with overcoming hardships to find success. The Walls of Lucca is about two families struggling to run a vineyard during Italy’s dark days of WWI and the rise of Mussolini.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was inspired to write The Walls of Lucca, and my latest book, its sequel, Above the Walls, when my wife and I were vacationing in Italy in 2006. One night I dreamed about a vineyard, a winemaker, a spiritual woman and a great walled city. I couldn’t believe it as we approached Lucca the next week. It was just what I had seen in my dream! I immediately started researching the area, its history and the wine it produces, and then I began to write.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I surround myself with books about my subjects. For The Walls of Lucca, I have stacks of books about Lucca, Italy, Mussolini and the Great War. Plus books about grapes and olives and producing wine and Italian food and vino!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Everyone! But my recent favorites are Diana Gabaldon, Kristin Hannah, Elena Ferrante, Nicholas Sparks, Mark Sullivan and Joel Goldman. All are amazing writers and major influences for me when it comes to crafting a good story.
What are you working on now?
I’m in the final stages of production for Above the Walls. It picks up my characters’ story in 1938, where Fascists and Partisans, loyalty and love, and World War II become the walls that need to be lifted before the Martellino wine can finally realize its potential.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve done a few free download periods for The Walls of Lucca through KDP/Amazon, and I used several sites (including Awesome Gang) to promote the offering. These free downloads, though they don’t create revenue, help me reach a larger audience.
It’s also important to create an author website (see mine at stevephysioc.com) and set up all the usual social media accounts to go along with it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read, read, read. Write, write, write. Read good authors who inspire you in your own storytelling.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Show, don’t tell.
What are you reading now?
Diana Gabaldon’s A Breath of Snow and Ashes (the sixth book in the Outlander series) and Illuminata by Marianne Williamson.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m writing my third novel, entitled Walks with the Wind. It’s about a Native American boy from southwest Colorado who is blessed with two gifts: He’s an excellent baseball player and intuitive wildlife tracker. While my protagonist’s goal is to make it to the major leagues, the owner of a private military company has different plans for him. Our villain wants to use the boy’s skills to track bad guys in the hills of war-torn Afghanistan. I’m currently 50,000 words into this 240,000 word two-book project.
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?
Illuminata by Marianne Williamson, A Course in Miracles, and a copy of How to Survive on a Desert Island with Only Two Books and Flip Flops.
Author Websites and Profiles
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