Interview with Indie Author Loretta Giacoletto

Indie Author - Loretta Giacoletto

Loretta Giacoletto: Fourteen years ago but I’ve had stories tooling around in my head way before then.

IR: Are you self published or did you use an independent publisher?

LG: I’m self-published.

IR: What genre do you write in the most?

LG: Although my genres include mystery, crime, paranormal, and sophisticated horror, I consider Italian/American sagas my first love. I have one already published and another slated for August. The common thread in all my novels is an abundance of flawed characters

IR: What is it about that genre that attracts you?

LG: The history and culture of people who learned to survive in times much more difficult than those we’re currently experiencing.

IR: How many books have you published?

LG: Three novels so far and a collection of short stories coming soon.

IR: Which one should people start with?

LG: Well, that depends on the genre readers prefer—mystery, family saga, or crime. In LETHAL PLAY a grieving widow must convince a team of hard-nosed detectives that she didn’t kill her coach’s son, a man with more enemies than friends. FAMILY DECEPTIONS follows two generations of earthy Italians and Italian/Americans who commit a multitude of misdeeds, the worst against those they love the most. In FREE DANNER a cynical young man’s troubled past and deadly encounters hinder his search for the father he has yet to meet.

IR: What was the prime motivation in publishing your work through independent channels?

LG: Initially, it was the inability to attract a literary agent who “loved my work” as much as I do. But after self-publishing my first novel, I decided there’s no one I’d rather have representing me than me. I’m demanding but know when to back off and when I run into a problem, I take the time to figure out the solution. And if I can’t figure it out I turn to my Daughter the Marketing Consultant.

IR: What were your early experiences like?

LG: I fired my first literary agent when I realized what she should’ve already known: that the saga I’d spent two years writing still wasn’t ready for prime time. That was eleven years ago. Since then I’ve rewritten, renamed, and polished the novel several times and plan to publish it as THE FAMILY ANGEL in August.

IR: What did the process teach you?

LG: To be as objective about my work as I am anal—anal can be good as long as it’s not overdone.

IR: Have you seen a change in the independent publishing community?

LG: I think it’s slowly finding acceptance among traditionally published writers who never thought they’d consider self-publishing as an option.

IR: Do you read other independently published authors works?

LG: Yes, but not as many as I’d like because my own projects consume the bulk of my time.

IR: Any favorites you would like to plug?

LG: Bonnie Turner has several Depression-era novels that kept me riveted.

IR: Where are you most likely to purchase indie works?

LG: Amazon since I have a Kindle.

Youthanasia by Loretta Giacoletto

IR: Where can people find your books and which source has been the most successful for you?

LG: Amazon, of course, but my books are also available through Barnes and Nobel, Sony, Kobo, Apple, plus Smashwords and its distributors.

IR: Do you have books in print?

LG: As of now, none but that may change in the future.

IR: Do you have any advice for someone who would like to be an Indie author or publisher?

LG: Be prepared to work harder than you imagined. Write like the professional you want to be and proofread … proofread … proofread. Publish nothing but your very best and above all, respect the intelligence of your potential readers.

IR: Do you do your own cover art or do you have someone do it for you?

LG: I had professional help with my three published novels but I may try something different with the upcoming books.

IR: Do you have any new works coming out soon that you can tell us about?

LG: The above mentioned FAMILY ANGEL is a paranormal saga about the Americanization of an immigrant family of bootleggers, coalminers, winemakers, and priests—and a mysterious black angel who enjoys sticking his nose in the family business.

IR: Is there anything you would like to share?

LG: Yes, learn the business of writing. For self-published authors and those considering that route I recommend the blogs of Joe Konrath and Dean Wesley Smith. And be sure to read the thought-provoking comments following each topic.

Thanks for inviting me, Shawn.

More Info:

Loretta Giacoletto divides her time between the St. Louis Metropolitan area and Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks where she concentrates on writing fiction while her husband cruises the waters for bass and crappie. Their five children have left the once chaotic nest but occasionally return for her to-die-for ravioli and roasted peppers topped with garlic-laden bagna càuda. An avid traveler, she has visited numerous countries in Europe and Asia but Italy remains her favorite, especially the area from where her family originates: the Piedmont region near the Italian alps.

Loretta’s novels are filled with bawdy characters caught up in problems they must take responsibility for having created. In LETHAL PLAY a grieving widow is suspected of killing her son’s coach, a man with more enemies than friends. FAMILY DECEPTIONS follows two generations of earthy characters who learn to thrive and/or survive through a series of misdeeds, the worst against those they love the most. FREE DANNER features a cynical young man whose troubled past and deadly encounters hinder his search for the father he has yet to meet. THE FAMILY ANGEL is a paranormal saga about the Americanization of an immigrant family of bootleggers, coalminers, winemakers and priests, and a mysterious black angel who enjoys sticking his nose in the family business.

In addition to the horror anthologies, Damned in Dixie and Hell in the Heartland, Loretta’s short stories have appeared in a number of publications including The MacGuffin, Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, The Scruffy Dog Review, Allegory and Literary Mama, which nominated her story “Tom” for Dzanc’s 2010 Best of The Web.

An associate editor for Allegory ezine, Loretta is a member of Backspace Writers and the St. Louis Writers Guild.