Library of Clean Reads Review: The Art of Revenge
Are there any ideas or topics that you wish you had the courage to write about?
If I told you that, I’d be writing about it.
Which philosophy or philosopher most aligns with your own beliefs?
I wouldn’t narrow myself to admiring only one philosopher’s teaching. I think Epicurus had it right to emphasize a lifetime of learning and the importance of relationships. Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato correctly identified the importance of living a virtuous life. While I believe in God, I enjoy some of Nietzsche’s cynical perspective on humans.
Is there any standard publishing or writing advice that you disagree with? Or any standard advice that you feel is too often neglected?
Writing is an art. You can acquire tools to improve your work, but talent can’t be taught. Before you pursue a career in writing, ponder this.
Is your process for writing philosophical fiction different from the way you approach other works?
People want to read a good story with a character that they can identify with and root for. “Messages” in your work must be subtle. Nobody wants a writer preaching to them.
How do you come up with ideas for your short stories?
Finding ideas for stories is like an Easter egg hunt. Look. The prize can be anywhere but perhaps not immediately in view.
Are there any ideas right now that are ripe for fictionalizing?
One of the topics I often write about asks the question, if you had the means to change your life, would you take it? The choice will present an ethical or moral dilemma.
If you could obtain certain knowledge of one specific thing, what would that be?
Easy. The existence of God.
Describe your ideal reader.
Hard to say, but a fellow writer likely reads analytically, learning as well as enjoying.
What is the greatest compliment you have received as a writer? The most stinging criticism?
Barnes & Noble selected me as one of the hundred Italian American authors asked to march on the 2017 Columbus Day parade.
Regarding criticism, I had an editor rip my work, then indicate that if I paid him, he could help me make the piece great. Distasteful more than stinging.
Which authors or books would you recommend to those who want to challenge their own thinking?
I read widely. But if the character and story don’t grab me immediately, I put the book down.
Is there an interview question you wish someone would ask you? How would you answer it?
“Tell us about your latest work.”
The Mandylion Featuring Valentina Esposito & Other Intriguing Tales is a mystery/thriller. After two-thousand years, the Mandylion, a priceless, lost ancient image of Jesus, has resurfaced. To authenticate and secure the piece, Anthony Provati and his sister Valentina Esposito are lured to Paris, France by Sophia, Anthony’s notorious ex-lover. Upon arrival, they’re plunged into a murderous pursuit for the icon threatened by Russian spies and Arab terrorists who also seek the art. The collection includes five Detective Bragg mysteries. A gold shield homicide detective out of Brooklyn South, Bragg tackles a set of tangled murder cases that sometimes frustrate his sense of justice. The final two short stories in the collection, “A Second Shot” and “What Value to Profit the World” draw the reader into the speculative realm.
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