BooksChatter: ℚ♫ The Coming of Arabella: The Mediterranean Trilogy [2]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Joanne Guidoccio to talk about The Coming of Arabella (2 September 2015, Soul Mate Publishing, 190pages) a Paranormal Romance book two of The Mediterranean Trilogy.

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Teaser | The Series | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

Hello Joanne, welcome and thank you for joining us today.

Here at BooksChatter we love music, so Joanne Guidoccio has shared with us some of her favourites - enjoy!

"Which includes the Theme songs of Between Land and Sea written and performed by my musically talented brothers "

What was the inspiration for The Coming of Arabella?

"Originally, I had planned to write one novel about the mermaids of the Mediterranean Kingdom, but when I finished Between Land and Sea (Book 1), I realized that I needed to write two more books.

At the end of Book 1, Isabella/Barbara Davies is in a relationship, but there are secrets and unresolved issues with her family of origin. In The Coming of Arabella, these secrets implode when her life is disrupted by the arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Isabella/Barbara is about 30 percent of me. We are boomer women who decided to reinvent ourselves at the age of 53. That was my retirement age. As for Barbara, she faced an uncertain future as an overweight, middle-aged ex-mermaid when she was dumped on the fog-drenched shores of southwest England. I launched a second act as a writer while Barbara continues to reinvent herself as career counselor, author, corporate trainer..."

Why should we read this trilogy and what sets it apart from the rest?

"The three novels in the Mediterranean trilogy offer hope and inspiration to anyone who has been dumped, deceived or demoted. Also, most of the characters are boomers, proving that. reinvention is possible at any age and in any circumstance."

Can you tell us something quirky about The Mediterranean Trilogy, its story and characters?

"Halfway through writing Between Land and Sea, I started dreaming about Isabella and the other characters. Interestingly enough, the characters behaved very differently in my dreams. This inspired me to introduce a sub-plot involving Kendra Adams. Originally, I had intended to limit her involvement to a few chapters, but the psychic ex-mermaid had other ideas and started disrupting my dreams. In The Coming of Arabella, Kendra assumes a major role as she helps Isabella/Barbara reinvent herself in the desert paradise of Sedona."

If you could / wished to turn The Coming of Arabella and the The Mediterranean Trilogy series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Director –Sofia Coppola
Isabella/Barbara Davies – Lorraine Bracco
Graham Scott – Colin Firth
Arabella – Angelina Jolie
Stewart Tobin – Hugh Jackman
Kendra Adams – Meryl Streep"

What do you like to write? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"Right now, I’m alternating between paranormal romance and cozy mysteries. On the back burner, I have a collection of angel short stories and a memoir of my cancer experience. While it may sound like dabbling, there is one theme that connects all of my work – reinvention. And the protagonists are boomer women. In short, I write boomer lit"

What is your writing process?

"Once I have the spark of an idea, I let it percolate. While driving or performing routine tasks, I imagine the characters and come up with a title. Before starting to write, I plan the first three chapters and the ending. As for the rest of the storyline, I let it flow as I write."

What is in store next?