Interview with Patricia Barletta, Author of Moon Bright

What can you tell us about your new release, Moon Bright?

Moon Bright is the third book in the Auriano Curse Series. The series is about a cursed Venetian family in 1797. Each of the books is a stand-alone about one of the siblings who search for a magical artifact, the Sphere of Astarte, that will break the curse. The books are connected because they’re about a family, and the siblings show up in each of the books. Moon Bright is Allegra’s story. She has fled to Bath, England, in order to evade the nefarious Legion of Baal. This group wants her dead, because she stands in the way of their search for the Sphere, which they want for their evil purposes. She is also pursued by the ancient, evil sorceress, Nulkana, who placed the curse on the family. While in Bath, Allegra encounters the dashing and dangerous Sebastian Fox, Earl of Hawksmoor, who is an agent for the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, and who has infiltrated the Legion. Revealing his secret identity will put both of them in danger. But Allegra has her own secrets, and she’s not sure she can trust the enigmatic earl. Forced to fight their common enemies while negotiating through Bath society, Allegra and Sebastian are thrust together. As they fight for their lives, passion ignites between them, and love conquers all secrets.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve always loved to read, so my love of reading really started me off. I can remember going into the stacks at my local library when I was young, pulling a book from the shelf, sitting on the floor, and starting to read it right there before checking it out. I was entranced by authors like Alexandre Dumas, Walter Scott, Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, and Helen MacInnes. In junior high and high school, I wrote stories for my friends. When I became an adult and read romances by Kathleen Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rodgers and Johanna Lindsey, I decided I could write one, too. So I did!

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

There are so many good books that it’s hard to choose five, but here are some of my favorites, not in any particular order:
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern)
Bird by Bird (Ann Lamott)
Rebecca ( Daphne du Maurier)

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

I think my first guest would be Shakespeare. I’d want to know where he got his ideas, and how he did his research for his historical plays. I’d ask if he had ever traveled to Italy, because several of his plays are set there, like Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, and The Merchant of Venice. How long did he take to write a play? Who inspired him to write such strong, powerful women in many of his plays? Was it Elizabeth I? What was his opinion of the queen? I think Shakespeare would be a fascinating, interesting guest on a talk show, because he lived in such an interesting period of history.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

I love creating my characters, putting them into difficult or emotional situations, and then watching them work their way out. I also enjoy writing about the past and exotic locales because of all the research I have to do. I love to do research almost as much as writing! When I start researching something, it often leads to something else, an interesting fact or tidbit that I can put into my story. And the best part of writing happens when I finish a story, because all that drama and angst get tied up, my two main characters live on happily, and the villain gets what’s coming to him or her.

What is a typical day like for you?

After I’ve had my coffee, I sit down at my computer and work for four or five hours. After that, my brain is pretty well fried, so I do errands or chores around the house. I try to go for a walk every day because it clears my head. I might come back to the computer for another hour or so and do busy work. By that time, the work day is over for me.

What scene in Moon Bright was your favorite to write?

I think all the scenes with Sebastian and his mother, the countess, were my favorites. She aggravates the heck out of him, but he loves her, so he grits his teeth and puts up with her drama. Their scenes together have some humor in them, so it lightens the mood after a darker or more emotional scene. Then there’s the big reveal about her past near the end of the book that opens his eyes to who she really is, so she not only has his love but also his respect.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

My work motto is: Butt in chair; fingers on keyboard.
For difficult times in life: This, too, shall pass.
For life in general(I got this one from my good friend, Jane): Don???t postpone joy.

Patricia Barletta is the author of the new book Moon Bright.

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