1. Tell us a bit about yourself and where you live and work.
I live in the Big Apple and walk around town with my husband, Bob, where I take in the scenes that eventually land in my writing and digital art illustrations. New York City is like living in an open canvas of cultural events. I work at home near a park by the East River; grateful to see the trees, river, and kids with smiles, for inspiration.
2. Describe your journey to becoming an author.
I had the advantage of being born into a creative family; I’d watch my grandfather sketch his murals; my father brush stroke his canvas with magic colors and wished to enter his world; my uncle, a TV writer, inspired my word count. In high school--a reporter for the school’s newspaper--eventually led to a byline for a feature article in my high school’s yearbook magazine. As an independent study in college my professor suggested I retell the Orpheus myth, with a happy ending. I wrote and illustrated Prince Orfeo: awarded the Alpha Chi Honors Colloquium. Although an English major, the door to illustrating opened in college, with art classes in painting and computer graphics.
3. Who is your ideal reader?
My ideal reader is the child, young adult, adult, who reads my story and is transported to another world; where he/she can gain insight into their own world, wherever and whatever, that may be. The reader who delights in my digital art; colors and lines and loops.
4. Describe your path to publication. Has this experience met/exceeded your expectations?
My first path to publication was in print and online magazines. In both cases before I had written one word, research was prime. Gathering information for my articles, I became more passionate about my subject. The writing became an adventure where I learned facts about the subject and happy to tell the tale. My iBook, The Myth of Cyber City, began with text and images on my iWeb page. Out of sheer interest in the marriage of art and technology the roots of my book was born. Who knew? I read Macworld and Mac/Life and have gained insight into the goings on of cyberspace. One day sparkling images flew on my iMac. “Is there a city inside my Mac?” I placed the text and images in my iWeb page into Keynote and found the story. I submitted my story idea to a publisher with a background in technology. My manuscript and illustrations were accepted for publication. Two weeks later I’d gotten an email stating closure of his company. The publisher said to go with Apple’s iBookstore. I did. After submissions to Apple, my book was finally accepted. Got that magic email that stated my book was in the iBookstore. The publication of my book exceeded my expectations.
5. How do your promote your work? What methods have worked best for you?
I have a blog, Windblown Journals, where I post and update any event happenings. I plan to have my book reviewed; and do believe that it’s the best step to promote. I submit my illustrations and feature writing to print and online journals.
6. Who are your favorite authors? What is on your reading list right now?
My favorite author is Jack Kerouac. On The Road. I referenced Kerouac in an online article, http://fmwriters.com/Visionback/Vision39/visualarts.htm
Madeleine L’Engle, Charlotte Bronte’s, Jane Eyre, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. On my reading list. Nine Stories, J. D. Salinger; The Dharma Bums, Jack Kerouac, The Time In Between, Maria Duenas.
7. Describe a typical day in your life.
Every day is set with different priorities. Must finish the next chapter. Final touches on graphic. Go to Barnes & Noble. Research this and that; online and in library. Go to Fairway. What’s for dinner? Take-out? Cook? Go to Sephora for a lipstick fix. Must see that event at MoMA.
8. What projects do you have in the works?
My main project is writing “The End” to my novel, Starstruck Girl; an aspiring actor in search of her father who vanished on her sixth birthday. My manuscript had been accepted by Houghton Mifflin, then returned when a new editor came on board. I left my novel in the back burner. After participating in NaNoWriMo, I decided to work on revising Starstruck Girl. My independent study, Prince Orfeo, is in edits to turn into an iBook, with up-dated text and graphics. My novel, Oliver Pindar, the descendant of Orpheus, "so his mother says," builds the Orpheus myth into the 21st century.
9. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Listen to your heart and your passion and what makes you feel magic is happening. READ. READ. READ. Even the back of the cereal box. Believe what you have to write is worthwhile.
Author/Artist Bio
After the finish line in the of 2010 National Novel Writing Month, I’d decided revise Starstruck Girl, a novel of an aspiring actor which had been under consideration for publication at Houghton Mifflin. On her revise list is Oliver Pindar and the Mystical Chords based on the Orpheus myth in the guise of mystical realism. Her recent published book, The Myth of Cyber City, "A journey into cyberspace, into the phenomena of Information Art--where cyber robots build mysterious complex structures--on the back roads of Cyber City", is in the iBookstore FREE for download.
Contact Nanette
nanetteppub@mac.com
Website: http:www.nanettepurcigliotti.com
Twitter: @starstruck13
Facebook: Facebook.com/nanette,j,purcigliotti
SCBWI: http://www.scbwi.org/My-Portfolio.aspx
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