This is one of the most dynamic and special authors that I have ever met. She has a courage that we all should envy. I suggest you buy her book for it's amazing. ~~ RD
Rita Schiano (Boston, MA) replied to April's post on July 1, 2009 at 1:24pm
Re: elevator pitch for "Painting The Invisible Man" by Rita Schiano
In 2001, while researching the online archives of her hometown newspaper for a client, freelance writer Rita Schiano stumbled upon archived stories about her father’s murder and the possible mob connections that led to his death. This brief visit to her past inspired her to look deeply into the heart of her childhood.The journey she embarked on was nothing she could have ever anticipated. Rather than place her work into the harsh scrutiny of memoirs, Schiano developed her story through the eyes of a fictional character, Anna Matteo. It is the story of a stolen childhood, a family torn apart by the violence of mafia ties and one young girl’s resilient spirit that allowed her to rise above the hardships and seek solace in the most unusual ways. http://www.reededwards.com//item/Painting_The_Invisible_Man/214/c48
Tell me about your earliest memory about reading.
I recall my mother reading to me long before I could recognize and comprehend the words on the page. When I was five, she took me to White Branch Library in Syracuse, NY where I got my first library card. I’ve had one ever since. The first series of books I recall delving into was the Trixie Belden series. The adventures of Trixie and Honey, their desire to own the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency when they grew up, gave me the belief that a girl could aspire to be anything she wanted. Keep in mind, I was reading these books in the 1960s...long before the feminist movement, Title 9, and many other advances for women.
What do you do for fun on a weekend when you are not working on writing? (hobbies, trips, lay in bed, whatever).
Friday night is date night.... Corny as it sounds, my partner and I reserve Friday evenings just for us. Saturday morning tends to be a combination of work time and household chores. We tend to stay close to home on Saturday night; we both love to cook so it’s a shared task. Sunday mornings are spent lounging in bed. (I love having coffee in bed.) We’re early risers and so the first few hours is our time. Around 8:00 or so, we’ll turn on the television, catch up with the news, watch “Good Morning America” and “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,” then off to church. Sunday afternoons are often spent with friends: cook-outs in the warm weather; cozy, indoor dinners during the cooler months.
What would your dream paradise be and what would your house there be like?
I’d love to own a villa in Italy...maybe 20-30 miles outside of Rome.
What is your favorite part of "The Painting The Invisible Man" novel that you wrote? Don't give anything away because it's for readers but you must have a special part that you wrote and that you will always like?
I loved the scene when Young Anna learns the meaning of her brother’s favorite 4-letter swear word. The scene takes place in the 1960s. There is an innocence that comes through, a naiveté that kids today just don’t have. Plus, I find the scene quite hilarious. I also am deeply moved by the scene when Anna realizes she was not there for her mother during the years of the very public murder trials. And now that her mother is dead, she cannot ask for forgiveness. This is a scene I often discuss during book signings because it illustrates one of the central themes of the story: atonement.
In ten years what genre do you think you would like to be writing?
Although I’d like to take a stab at horror, what stops me is that I would be devastated if something I wrote led to someone acting out that horror. I am planning on writing a nonfiction book and I still would like to get my sci-fi/drama television show on the air.
How will books and stories change in the information age? How will it be easier to enjoy a string of words molded to fill a line? Will you want to participate in the new changes or will you want books (hard-bound and paper back) to be in the hands of your readers?
I don’t know how stories will change, but books certainly will. With the advent of e-books and Kindle, I think it is very possible physical books may become less and less available. We’re seeing it happening with newspapers, as more and more fold. In Massachusetts, where I live, the Boston Globe is struggling to stay alive. I’m amazed at how many people really don’t care if the newspaper survives, or admit that they never read or buy a newspaper. And I must say I am equally guilty of this. I get the majority of my news via television and online outlets. I see, too, that many people don’t have personal libraries. Many people prefer to buy a used book and then trade or resell it. Seinfeld had an episode that, to me, was indicative of this current attitude towards books. I like holding a book in my hand. It is a sensory experience…the weight, the feel of the page. I read printed word differently than onscreen text. I recognized that when I proofread. My proofreading is more accurate when I’m looking at a printed document as opposed to onscreen text.
How do you keep connect to your readers? What kind of information do you share with them?
I love book discussion events, whether in person or online (although I find the in-person events more fulfilling). I like to talk about the writing process. When I do a school program, I like to tell kids how I got interested in writing, and the way I go about creating a story. One teacher wrote and said that several of her students now carry an observation notebook like I do.
Have you done a television show? People love your radio show so have you thought of television or uploading a video to YouTube?
I’ve been a guest on television shows, but I have not pursued hosting one.
When do you prefer to eat, morning, noon or night?
I’m Italian…I enjoy eating morning, noon, and night.
Do you think that there are stories floating somewhere for writers to snatch or is it more pragmatic for you?
I do think ideas float in the ether. Creativity is an energy one must tap into.
How important is research?
I think research is critical, particularly if your story spans several decades. For example, it’s important that language, especially idioms, reflect the time period. I recently say a trailer for an upcoming television show and the 20-something character says, “Who do you think you are, MacGyver?” And I thought that seemed so out of place. She wasn’t even born when MacGyver was on the air. Your characters, too, should know how to perform their jobs. Patricia Cornwell is an excellent researcher. She is my standard bearer.
Thank you, Rita. Every time I connect with you I come away with so much! Your enthusiasm and intellect are very giving and that's a big plus for writers these day. I am lucky to know you.
