Interview with Anne Marie Citro
The Avid Reader
Dear Nancy,
I would like to thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart for
taking part in my book tour. It is because of the hard work bloggers
put out there that allow independent authors like me to get the word
out about our books so again thank you.
Hello Anne Marie,
You are most welcome! Thank you for taking time out of your busy
schedule to chat with us today!
For those
interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book, where
should they start?
There
are two themes in Addictive Alessandro. One is about addiction of
drugs and alcohol, the other is about mediums. It seems a bizarre
combination, but it works because in both cases the characters have
to believe in things they don’t understand, and they have to put
their faith in the unknown. I did a lot of research and spoke both
to mediums and recovering addicts. If you’re interested, spread
your wings, open your mind and research, as well as talk to people
on both subjects, it might just blow your mind.
How did you become
involved with the subject or theme of your book?
I
was not a believer in mediums and wanted nothing to do with the
supernatural until I found out a very good friend of mine was a
medium. I was shocked to learn a woman I had known for years was a
medium not by choice or by profession and very rarely told a soul. I
asked her to leave me completely out of that part of her life. She
always respected my choices until one day she announced she had a
message from someone who passed. I didn’t want to know but they
wouldn’t give up. I finally relented to give her some peace and I
got a message no one in this world could have known but the person
that passed. I still don’t know if I believe 100 %, but I can’t
deny what happened either and it inspired me to write this book.
What were your
goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you
achieved them?
Ultimately this book is about finding redemption and what happens
when there can never be forgiveness from those you need it from most.
Alessandro was asked to do a favor for his dad but declined. His
older brother stepped in to take his place and ended up being killed
with their dad in a mass shooting. Alessandro has to live with the
consequences of his decisions. Every time we make a choice, we change
fate one way or another. The outcome is perception so I will let you
decide if I achieved it.
Anything you would like to say to
your readers and fans?
One
day my world imploded, and I was so traumatized I gave up on God and
my religion. I have struggled for years trying to replace what I
lost. During the process of my research and writing this book I
learned I could have spirituality without organized religion, and I
could define the parameters of it. That was an incredible gift.
What did you enjoy most about
writing this book?
I enjoyed taking
a subject I know will not be well received and running with it. It’s
like dancing when no one is watching. I like that my character Ava
who is the medium knows most people don’t believe and will scoff
at her. Ava will tell you she doesn’t care if you believe or not,
she is what she is and doesn’t need your acceptance. I wish I was
kick ass like Ava.
Can you tell us a little bit about
your next books or what you have planned for the future?
Funny you should
ask; I’m writing the final epilogue for my next series Sins of
My Father. The series is about four friends that get detained
and tortured as suspected IRA recruits during The Troubles in
Ireland in the 80’s. Three emigrate while one gets put on a no-fly
list. Flash forward to the present to their children lives when the
men’s past comes back to haunt their present. It was the first
time I have written a story about not just the main characters but
also their family members.
How long have you been writing?
I have been
writing for five years and living with characters in my head for
decades.
Can you tell us a
little bit about the characters in Addictive Alessandro?
Alessandro
is the funny loveable brother everyone wants to be around until he
disappears after he discovers he is the reason his oldest brother is
killed in a mass shooting. Not being able to live with the guilt he
turns to drugs and alcohol.
Ava is closed off woman who keeps to herself because of a gift that
she believes is a curse. She doesn’t have a lot of friends and
isn’t looking for any new ones until she finds herself in a
position to help Alessandro’s family find him and get him back
where he belongs. It will mean opening herself up to be judged and
criticized. This is a story when black and white are mixed and don’t
become grey.
If you could spend the day with one
of the characters from Addictive Alessandro who would it be? Please
tell us why you chose this particular character, where you would go
and what you would do.
I would spend my
day with Alessandro’s mamá, Valentina. She had five sons; I have
four. She is full-fledged Italian, I’m half Italian and half
Irish. We both raised our sons to the best of our ability, which
sometimes involved the flick of the hand, or a flying shoe, maybe
even a dozen shoes and always an abundance of love.
We’d laugh knowing we always had to have one foot on the crazy
train and make them think we were nuts otherwise they’d realize we
had no power and run amuck. Valentina and I may be vertically
challenged in comparison to our sons, but we kick butt like nobody’s
business.
Valentina and I would fly to an undisclosed location for a weekend of
drinking and fun where nobody knew we were someone’s wife,
daughter, mamá or boss. We’d let our hair down, dance like no one
was watching, forget who we were, have a blast then be at the airport
six hours early because we miss our damn families.
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Thank you for hosting!
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