Today I have Casie Rocca on Dreaming With Open Eyes talking to me about her debut release A New York Love Story, which is going to be released on 1st October.
Cade Harrison already has everything in life. A Hollywood actor, he is handsome, rich, famous and popular. Success, however, has its downsides; having just emerged from a disastrous relationship with an actress, he feels a need to hide away in an area unfrequented by stars, in an apartment lent him by a friend, far from prying eyes – especially those of tabloid reporters. But as chance will have it, the apartment in question is right opposite the one occupied by Clover, who until now has seen Hollywood actors only on the big screen. Two quite different lives meet by chance, at the most exhilarating time of year…
Hi Cassie, a warm welcome to Dreaming with Open Eyes! Thank you for participating in this interview, would you like to start by introducing yourself…?
I always have a hard time talking about me! What can I say? I
live in Genoa, a city in northern Italy, in a small colourful apartment,
with my five years old cat, Zoe: a white fur ball with beautiful blue
eyes. I love her! I’ve been working for fourteen years as a child
educator and I always loved writing, even as a child. I am a great
reader, I enjoy cooking cakes and I have a passion for Christmas!
How was your publishing route with Aria?
My Italian publisher, Newton Compton Editori, has proposed to Aria a shortlist of writers, and I was one of them. It was so exciting!
What can you tell us about A New York Love Story? Is it your first story or have you published more books yet?
It is a romantic comedy that I wrote three years ago. In my
head I thought of it as a simple Christmas story, but in the process the
plot has expanded so much that I had to turn it into a trilogy, of
which "A New York Love Story" is the first chapter. After this series I
published another novel and some short stories.
How long did it take to write?
The first draft took me very little time, just three weeks. It is a story that came straight off after three long years of block, so I almost felt the physical need to write, and I poured inside those pages all of myself and my desire to start over.
Why did you set your book in New York? Is it a special place for you?
It was a deliberate choice. I needed a big city in which to easily move a Hollywood actor and a personal
shopper, and had, at the same time, a strong tradition of the Christmas tree. New York was perfect, and has become special for me during my
writing. I find it a magical city, where everything is possible.
How much research have you done? Did you enjoy the research? What did you like about it?
I did lots of research, because I've never been to New York and I had to describe it
as if I knew her perfectly. I studied the map of the city, I checked on taxi fares, subway and Ferry boat timetables and virtually walked on the
streets using Google Earth, as well as talk to whoever was there or lived there. I had to know everything! At the end I almost felt I really
was there!
What 3 things (not including paper, computer, pens) would you like to facilitate a good day writing?
Silence, a cool place and, if possible, a hot chocolate: it helps my inspiration!
Where do you do most of your writing?
I do not have a favorite place to write. I generally use the kitchen table or the sofa, with the notebook
on my lap, but I can do it anywhere: the beach, in the car, in bed, lying on the floor ... As long as it’s comfortable!
Lastly, what is next for you? Are you writing on something at the moment?
My new novel
will be released in Italy in a few months. After that I will start
writing a new trilogy. For the moment it’s just a bunch of ideas in my
head, but I can’t wait to start working on it.
Cassie Rocca is a writer of Sicilian origin who has lived in Genoa since the age of three. In everyday life she is a child-minder, a job which gives her plenty of ideas for her modern fairy tales. More information about the author: Twitter
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