BooksChatter: ℚ♫ A Separate Heaven [1-3]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Alex Disanti to talk about her series, A Separate Heaven, a Romantic Drama, with three books already published. Book four will be published later this year, with another three volumes to follow.

"A romantic thriller that blends the best of Danielle Steele, Judith Krantz and John Grisham. Two hot leads, first-class locations, great dialogue, clever plot twists and a memorable supporting cast make this cinematic book a movie just waiting to happen. Five stars!" --Pam Diaz, author of Pamiel: Diary of an Angel in Transformation to the Infinite Light

"A Separate Heaven is packed with eroticism, suspense, action, cliffhangers and two of the sexiest new characters in romance fiction today. A deliciously well-written, luscious book." --Loretta Pitilli, author of Creating Our Pilgrimage

"The author uses her characters masterfully to develop this epic saga. Spanning two continents and two very powerful families, her tale is so fast-paced and filled with surprises it will take your breath away." --Marie B. Leonarde, author of A Woman's Worth: My Life, My Struggle

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

A very warm welcome to Alex Disanti; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter.

Here at BooksChatter we love music; do you have a music playlist that you used in A Separate Heaven, or which inspired you whilst you were writing it?

"Yes, the Instrumental version of O Mio Babbino Caro performed by Richard Clayderman."

How much of yourself is reflected in the A Separate Heaven series , and how?

"While my character Paige Hamilton is fictional and not based on anyone there are things about her that do indeed reflect my tastes and my habits. For example, her favorite colors (black and white), her love of ballet, and the fact that she is a stargazer, are “me”.

I had a lot of fun incorporating my likes and dislikes in the story. There is a scene in the second book where Paige and Dominic are decorating a Christmas tree. If anything in the books depicts the real me, it is Paige in this moment:"

Christmas Holidays of 1982 through February 1, 1983

They spent the remainder of the week decorating the house for the holidays. Dominic was grateful he had decided against disassembling the huge tree he had ordered for Paige last year. Just decorating it again was a monumental task, taking an entire afternoon and requiring several beers. He had thought the lights would be the toughest item. That was before he understood how important it was to his wife that the ornaments be placed on the tree symmetrically. Not only that, but red could not be placed on either side of, directly above, or directly below another red. This same rule applied to the gold filigreed balls, angels, and bows.
The situation both amused and amazed him. Amused him, because when he suggested he take some measurements and give her a baseline from which to work, showing her exactly how many of each ornament would be required to cover a given area, she thanked him sweetly but assured him it wasn't necessary. Amazed him with her patience as she methodically hung and viewed each ornament. Then, if necessary, she removed and rehung it until it was satisfactory.

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for A Separate Heaven - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"I used to live on a lake, and I loved seeing the spectacular sunrises and sunsets over the water. To me, they were breathtaking and inspiring.

For the first book, I knew that was what I wanted for the cover. Little did I know that the quest for these photos would lead me to artist/photographer David Humphries who lives in Yorkshire, England. One of my daughters found two of his photos online. We knew only his name. It took a while to locate David and contact him but he was gracious and allowed me the use of his work.

The best was yet to come though. So much of A Separate Heaven takes place on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. I later learned these photos were taken off the coast of Italy when David and his wife were guests on a friend’s yacht...and, drum roll!...the name of the boat was Heavenly Daze.

David furnishes the artwork for all seven covers for the series. The second book holds some difficult periods for Dominic and Paige, hence the dark clouds over the water on the cover.

In book three, as in real life, despite the bleakness and sadness and the pain of betrayal, there is always the dawn of a new day and that is what the cover depicts.

Book four however begins a new chapter in their lives (no pun intended there), so I chose an awesome picture of doors. This book will be released in March."

Why should we read A Separate Heaven and what sets it apart from the rest?

"A Separate Heaven is drama and romance with an edge, a very sharp edge at times. I think my character development draws the reader in immediately and that the unpredictable outcome in some scenes lends intrigue and holds the reader’s interest."

Can you tell us something quirky about A Separate Heaven, its story and characters?

"The real life counterpart to the character Garrett Grayson is easily recognizable. He is another character that was a lot of fun to write about. Garrett is a famous actor/director who owns a ranch in Montana where Dominic and Paige vacation. Garrett becomes a close friend."

Who would you recommend A Separate Heaven to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would recommend A Separate Heaven to readers eighteen years of age and beyond who enjoy romance and drama with a blend occasional eroticism."

If you could / wished to turn the A Separate Heaven series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"It would be (ideally!) a television series directed by Adrian Lyne.

It would be filmed on location in New York, Montana, and Italy.

Chris Noth for Dominic Gianelli.
Kevin Kline for Paige’s father, Paul Hamilton.
Paige is a tough one for me…Clara Lago has the eyes, the long dark hair. To me, someone resembling Phoebe Cates in her early twenties would be perfect because that’s how I picture Paige.
Jennifer Aniston for Julia.
Al Pacino, for Corsini.
Meryl Streep (especially her appearance in The Devil Wears Prada) would make a great Martha Hamilton (Paige’s mother).

This is, after all, a dream cast!"

It is indeed, and would a dream cast would be! Adrian Lyne - I loved Jacob's Ladder.

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

"I enjoy writing fiction whether it is family-oriented or romance. When I read, I love a good novel with lots of drama, sometimes a mystery, but two of my favorite books are memoirs written by authors Karen Blixen and Marguerite Duras. I have read them multiple times. Fascinating women and what adventurous lives they led!"

Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa, and Marguerite Duras, author of The War: A Memoir

What is in store next?

"A Separate Heaven will have a total of seven books in the series. The fourth book will be released in March, and book five in late summer of this year.

Book one introduces the families, the Hamiltons and the Gianellis and you will find that first impressions aren’t always correct. In book two, unexplainable occurrences, a trial, revelations about long kept secrets in the Hamilton family, and an ending with a hint of the roller coaster ride from beginning to end in book three.

After the series is published in its entirety, a collection of short stories titled Season of the Soul is in the works. And, yes, as with most writers my mind is consistently cranking out new scenarios for another novel! "

Thank you again for chatting to us. We wish you all the best with the upcoming releases later this year.