A Mermaid's Curse Author Interview

          Interview with Daniele Lanzarotta

 What inspired you to write your first book?

Other YA authors and their stories inspired me to write my first book.  I was reading a lot of YA novels at the time and I wanted to create my own world and my own characters, and that is how Imprinted Souls got started.

Will you be writing any more YA books, if so what will they be about and how many? Will it be a series?

Absolutely.  I love writing YA. J  Right now I’m working on the last Academy of the Fallen novel, Forsaken.  I also have two other YA novels planned: Unseen (The main character’s choices between two guys is also a choice between life or death) and Branded (A witch series… more to be revealed soon. J)

Do you have a specific writing style?

I found that my writing style is different depending on what series I’m working on, so no. *Laughs*

Do you like being an author?

I LOVE IT!

How did you come up with the titles for your YA books?

I wish I had a better answer but they honestly just came to me.

Is there a message in your novel (Mermaid’s Curse) that you want readers to grasp?

Follow your dreams and keep moving forward no matter what life throws at you. 

Are there places in this book that are real? (towns, schools, etc)

All fiction! J  The Imprinted Souls Series were the only novels where I actually used real places.

What books have most influenced your life most?

There were many books and characters that influenced me, but if I had to choose only one, I would say ‘The Edge of Never.’  It’s one of those books that really make you look at things differently.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Richelle Mead.  I love her books!  I also love that she writes YA and adult novels.

What book are you reading now?

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning.

What are your current projects?

I have quite a few. *Laughs* Forsaken (the final Academy of the Fallen novel), Fated (Mermaid’s Curse 2), Venom (The Reawakening Series – Imprinted Souls spin-off).  These are the ones I plan to release this year.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I tend to giveaway too much, so here is the official synopsis for Insatiable – A Mermaid’s Curse.

Arianna always felt like she didn't belong in the world where she was born. Ever since she was little, she used to hide behind the rocks in the sea, and watch the human family who spent their summers on that island. Over the years, there was nothing she wished more than to be like them, especially so she could get close to Blake, the human boy who she saw turn into a troubled teenager and then, an unhappy man. Once her dad grew tired of her dreams and hopes for a reality that is not her own, Arianna is thrown into an arranged marriage, and her only way out of it is to make a deal with the power-hungry man who will give her everything that she has ever dreamed of. Dreams that turn into nightmares as she watches Blake's world fall apart, because of her and Blake's inability to control their desires for one another.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Letting go of certain characters.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

Not too much.  I wish I had to travel more.  I love going to new places.

Who designed the covers?

Michelle Monique Photography took the picture used on the Mermaid’s Curse cover.  I love her work. Meredith Hancock is the graphic designer who made all the changes.  She is awesome.  She also did all of my other book covers.

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing your books to life?

Time and patience…. I have none. *Laughs* Once a book is done, I want readers to be able to read it right away.