Welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews Susan. Thank you for taking time away from your writing to answer a few questions for us.

Thank you for having me! I really appreciate it and I'm honored and excited to be here!

I read your bio on your webpage and I have to ask: Do you believe that you’ve become interesting yet? *grin*

Ha ha, that's funny. No one's ever asked me that -- maybe because they all know I'm boring! But, sadly, no, I don't think I've gotten interesting. Hopefully I've written a couple of interesting books though!

Can you tell a little about Trattoria and 24/7?

Sure! They're similar in that they're both chick-lit tales, and quite romantic. But that's where the similarities end. They're very different in tone, construction, and the stories.

24/7 is more dangerous, I guess you could say. It's chick-lit, but not in the traditional sense. It's got much more action and sexiness and rawness than most books in the genre. Plus, it focuses on two characters, and what happens not only when they meet and the sparks fly, but when things might fall apart. It's set in Vegas, so it's got some very interesting backgrounds, and that affords many opportunities for unique adventures and situations. Basically, the story is about a female card counter who falls for a casino dealer.
But when his past troubles surface and threaten them, it creates a very precarious situation for everyone involved.

Trattoria is a much lighter book. It's got a large cast and it's also set in Vegas. But instead of the strip, "touristy" view, it's more of a local's perspective. It's about a family of siblings who own and work at a restaurant. The older brother and sister hire the new waiter to date their younger sister. That sets off a chain of fireworks for everyone involved.

What kind of research went into these novels?

I didn't have to do any hard research really. I know Vegas pretty well, I'm very familiar with playing blackjack in Vegas, and I held plenty of restaurant jobs in my younger years. So all of those things were already in place.

How long does it usually take you to complete a novel?

Oh boy. I have a bit of a driven personality. And once I come up with an idea, I like to just keep working on it until it hits completion. Trattoria is shorter than 24/7, and that took me a little over a month to write. 24/7 took about twice that. However, when I say "completion", I mean that I've written everything down. But I can keep going back in and tweaking at random for a long time. In fact, if the books weren't already at the printers, I'd probably still be likely to pull up the files and make some changes to them even now.

Do you have mood music that helps with the writing muse?

No, I really don't. I like it to be quiet when I write so I can concentrate. Sometimes I'll have the TV on in the background, but I keep it low and don't really even hear it.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?

I love to swim. So I like to go to the gym, or in the summer just outside, and do some brisk laps. Then, once I'm tired, I can paddle around for a long time just relaxing.

What did you do to celebrate the sale of your first novel?

Can you believe this -- I didn't do anything. I was at work when I got the notification, and I was REALLY excited. But I was also swamped and couldn't leave that day. All my friends were occupied that night, so we never did anything. I called some friends, and e-mailed some, and they all congratulated me. Most were surprised, just cause no one knew I had even written anything. My family, they were a little under whelmed. Now, I'm *hoping* that when I get the first print copy in my hands I can go out to dinner or something to celebrate though. That'd be nice.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hmm. I'd like to imagine myself lying on a sunny beach with a pina coloda in hand! But I have a feeling that's a long shot, other than a quick vacation.

You have quite an impressive list of short stories scattered about. Are these easier to write? Or do you enjoy writing full length novels also?

Short stories don't take quite the time commitment that a novel does, so for that factor, they're easier. And they are a lot of fun. But I do enjoy the twists and turns of a full length novel overall.

You are a baseball fan…who is your favorite team?

Mets!

You are very candid and... boisterous in your dialogue, does your family comment on your writing?

I don't think they've read anything yet. But we're pretty candid and boisterous in general, so they won't be shocked by the language.

Can you give us a sneak peak of what to expect next from the magical pen of Susan DiPlacido?

I would love to -- but I honestly don't know! I don't plan ahead. When I get an idea that I think is good, I write it up. But I don't have anything in mind right now.

Whom would we find on your bookshelf?

Oh, I like to read. Chuck Palahniuk, Charles Bukowski, Candace Bushnell, Helen Fielding. I love Jack Kerouac, Elmore Leonard, Eric Garcia, and Christopher Moore. Dostoyevsky. The best book I've read lately was a short story collection by Matt St. Amand. It was emotional and honest and vivid -- just magical writing.

Is there a genre that you haven’t written yet that you would like to write?

Maybe pure pulp!

Do you characters “come to you” or do you write complete bios on them before you begin writing?

I don't write out complete bios, but I have a pretty good idea in mind before I start writing. Sometimes as I'm going along I'll notice a trend though, and I'll find a way to work in a little variation or shift in the original personality.

What is your favorite movie?

Ooh, I love movies too! They're very different, but both Goodfellas and It's a Wonderful Life can always get to me.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Stick with it! Don't give up. Rejection is part of the game, and everyone, everyone gets rejected. But you can't stop or give up or lose faith in yourself. Stick with it and keep trying and keep writing.

Is there anything that you would like to add Susan?

I'd really like to thank you -- this has been a lot of fun and really different, Joletta. And I'd like to thank anyone and everyone in advance who reads my stuff. Thanks for taking the time, and I hope you have fun while you're reading it!

Once again, thanks for taking time to answer our questions Susan.

Oh no, thank you! This was great!

Readers, check out Susan’s wacky website at www.susandiplacido.com.



Interviewed by:
Joletta