Today, I am happy to welcome Toni Verticelli, author of Chaos Calls, as a guest.

Let’s start by finding out a little bit about you…

• What is your name and do you write under a pen name? Toni Verticelli, my maiden name.
• Where do you call home? Ocala, FL
• Obviously, we know you are an author, but some writers have other jobs as well. Do you have another occupation? Do you believe you’re any good at it? Do you like what you do? I was a CNA for 14 years up until recently. I absolutely loved it, I found it very rewarding. I had to stop because of problems resulting from being hit by a drunk driver.
• What is your family like? They are a big bunch of loving weirdos, just like me.
• If it doesn’t bother you, can you let us know what your childhood home looked like? I moved a lot actually, Navy brat.
• Do you have any hobbies, other than writing? What do you enjoy doing? I love to sing and have done several benefits for the performing arts, and one for the Alzheimer’s Association. I also really love gardening and painting furniture.
• What is your greatest dream? Watching my daughter grow up. Living the dream now.
• Not to pry too much, but do you remember your first love? Yes, married him. Also divorced him.
• What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing? I had an amazing teacher in the 7th grade who realized I was dyslexic and got me into writing.
• What was your dream growing up? Did you achieve that dream? If so, in what ways was it not what you expected? If you never achieved the dream, why not? I desperately wanted to be a singer. Became a writer that sings for fundraisers and benefits. Life throws some pretty strange curveballs.
• Who is your role model? I admire so many people that I couldn’t pick just one.
• What is your greatest fear? Caving. I have a terrible fear of caving into the things that frighten me. We  really are our own obstacles in life.
• Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books? Yes, I prefer all of them. 
• Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it? Oomph, ask the hard question! I’ve read the entire Pern series by Anne McCaffrey several times.
• What is your opinion of novellas? I don’t have one. There is no such thing as a guilty pleasure, on what makes you happy. If you like novellas, awesome. If you like graphic novels and comic books, awesome. Play, fabulous. Read what makes you happiest.
• Have you ever read a book just based on its cover? The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley. I was pretty young when I came across it in a library. I had never seen a book where the dragon fighting hero was the princess. I own both The Hero and theCrown and it’s companion, The Blue Sword.
• What is your favorite film based on a book? The Labyrinth.
• What is your favorite book genre at the moment? Again, I don’t have one really. I pick up books, I read them and I either read more by that author or I don’t ever go near the book again. 
• What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format? The Master Harper of Pern by Anne McCaffrey. I’ve lost count how many times. Paperback.

Let’s shift somewhat and talk about your latest story.

• What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say? Currently I am working on Chaos Calls. 
• Is the above book part of a series? I’m hoping it will be
• How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)? I haven’t had a cover done yet.
• Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)? Classical. Auditory brain food.
• How did you come up with the title for your book(s)? A line in the book, actually.
• Do you have a book trailer? If so, where can we watch it? No, and I haven’t ever made one in the past.
• In your latest novel, who is the lead character and can you tell us a little about him/her? Katya Malloy, 6th of the name. Her family is a powerful matriarchy.
• What are your character’s greatest strengths? Perseverance and sarcasm.
• And what are his/her greatest weaknesses? Gullibility and stubbornness
• What’s a positive quality that your character is unaware that he or she has? Adaptability. With everything that’s thrown at her, she is able to adapt to the situation better that she realizes.
• Will readers like or dislike this character, and why? I hope they will love her character. She is easy familiarize with.

Let’s talk now about your writing process.

• What is your writing style like? Are you a pantster or a plotter? Total Plotter. 
• Have you come across any specific challenges in writing or publishing? What would you do differently the next time? RESEARCH, and English classes early on.
• Are you a self-published/Indie author or did you publish through a traditional publishing company? Self-published currently, though looking to publish Chaos Calls traditionally.
• If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route? I had no intention of publishing my first books, they were more therapy for me. I had just left my ex husband, had a toddler and was starting over. Writing gave me an outlet, 
• What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing? Get it all out on paper, then organize when you run out. Don’t edit as you go, or you are going to be stuck in a perfection rut.
• What advice would you give someone who wants to start writing? Do it, even if it’s just for you. Get it all out.
• Where can your readers follow you?
• FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ToniJVF
• TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vxvgypsyvxv
• BLOG: https://authortoniverticelli.blogspot.com/
• WIXSITE: https://vxvgypsyvxv.wixsite.com/toniverticelli
• SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ToniJV
• GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6452558.Toni_Verticelli
• Basically just google ‘Author Toni Verticelli’.

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