Interview with author Giuseppe Tortorici

Today I'm interviewing Dublin-based author, Giuseppe Tortorici, about his debut novel ‘Isemen’, which I was fortunate enough to design the cover graphic for earlier this year.

Hi Giuseppe

Q) Firstly can you please tell us what genre, and what is ‘Isemen’ about?

The genre is crime novel and it is set in Sicily, the place where I come from. It’s about Francesco Taibi, a man that many would consider lucky, to whom life seems to have given everything: he lives in London, has a satisfying job, economic security and, recently, met the love in a beautiful woman, Christine. After a few years of absence, is finally time to take a break and return to his native Sicily with her for a holiday delayed for too long. He already knows that in Sicily there are places and people close to him: the sea, the big house of his
parents, long gone, Aunt Agatha and his friends Stefano and Teresa. A romance that seems too good to be true, an idyll that this holiday will break, perhaps forever, triggering new tragedies and bringing back the past long buried in his memory.

Here’s the book blurb: “Focus and silent spectator of the human tragedies an ancient lighthouse, which for decades held and concealed an important clue ...
Giuseppe Tortorici creates a novel that surprises page after page, chiseling doubts and revelations in an atmosphere that becomes increasingly dark and claustrophobic, with a gripping crescendo that imprisons the soul of the characters and involves the reader.”

Q) Did you always know you would be a writer?

Not really, I wrote this book 6 years ago in a particular period of my life. It was a way to express what I was feeling

Q) What’s your writing style, do you plan everything first, or write and see where the story leads you?

I tend to plan the main body and structure but then I leave the story lead me. Due to the fact that the book is a crime story I had to verify several times that the clues and the rationale of the story made sense.

Q) Where did the idea for the novel come from?

From a trip in Brittany, in the north of France, which I’d taken 6 years ago. There were impressive lighthouses and the entire story is set around a lighthouse.

Q) As someone fluent in more than one language, what influenced your choice of telling the story in Italian?

When I wrote the book I was still living in Italy and I was not so fluent in English. Also my mother tongue is Italian and writing in English would not be the same for me (I would not be able to communicate exactly what I feel or play with the world like I do in Italian).

Q) Were you familiar with the area you set the story in?

Not exactly with the area, which is East Sicily, I come from the west, but I’m very familiar with everything else (settings, colours, food, traditions, themes…)

Q) What was your favourite and least favourite part in researching for the novel?

I had to be very detailed in describing certain Sicilian traditions so I spent a lot of time in researching them but after all, even if time consuming, these researches were interesting.

Q) Which character do you most identify with and why?

Even though for certain aspects  I identify myself with the main character, Francesco, I’m also close to Vittorio, a charming Sicilian guy who befriends Christine.

Q) How did you choose your publisher?

By chance, last year in October a friend of mine told me that they were looking for new authors and I sent them my book.

Q) What do you friends and family think? Are they already bugging you for cameos in the movie?

I wish it could happen.

Q) Lastly, are you planning on writing a sequel?

No but who knows? If I become famous maybe… ;-)

 

Thanks Giuseppe! And for everyone who can read Italian, ‘Isemen’ will be available from Albatros publishers soon, Visit their WEBSITE.  

And below is the cover of 'Isemen', which I custom designed: