Alyssa Palombo Interview - The Borgia Confessions

Photo Credit: Jennifer Hark-Hameister

ALYSSA PALOMBO is the author of The Violinist of Venice and The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence. She has published short fiction pieces in Black Lantern Magazine and The Great Lakes Review. She is a recent graduate of Canisius College with degrees in English and creative writing, respectively. A passionate music lover, she is a classically trained musician as well as a big fan of heavy metal. She lives in Buffalo, New York.

        

  

Greatest thing you learned at school.
In college I took a lot of voice lessons for credit, and that helped me to truly find my voice, in a literal sense. I had always wanted to be a singer, and studying formally helped me to do that.

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I’ve always had a creative bent, even as a child. When I was very young (around 6 or 7) I wanted to be a painter, then realized I couldn’t draw nor had any talent related to the visual arts, haha. Not long after that I started writing down little stories, just for fun, and I pretty much haven’t stopped writing since. I’ve always loved to read, so writing felt like a natural next step for me.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
There have been a few instances so far where readers have reached out to me to let me know that one of my books helped them get through a really tough time in their lives, and I don’t think that anything else could ever mean as much to me as that. If I’ve made a positive difference in even one person’s life, then all the work is worth it.

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
My current WIP is another historical, this one set in Renaissance Venice. All I’ll say about this one for now is that I adore my heroine, and the plot has to do with the notoriously shady dealings of the Council of Ten, which was the Venetian Republic’s equivalent to the CIA/Secret Service/NSA/Homeland Security all rolled into one. Additionally, last fall I finished a draft of a witchy dual timeline novel, and that is with my agent right now, awaiting her notes. So once I have that back, I’ll be doing some revisions to that one.

If you could work for anyone you choose, who would it be?
Does Lin-Manuel Miranda need someone to, like, organize his notes or bring him his coffee or something? If so, sign me up. I’d just like to try and soak up his genius by proximity, haha.

Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from THE BORGIA CONFESSIONS
So a lot of my favorite scenes/quotes would be minor spoilers, but I will say that my very favorite scene in the book is the end of chapter 62 and all of chapter 63, in which Cesare confesses something to Maddalena.

HERE ARE ALSO A FEW NON-SPOILERY FAVORITE QUOTES
“Take care, Maddalena. Mind that you do not become caught up in their Borgia games.” (Spoken by Maddalena’s friend Isabella)

I knew the rumors about Cesare Borgia, about what kind of man he was and what he was capable of. I knew what kind of power he wielded, and the ways in which he had influenced the politics of the Italian peninsula and all her nations. But more than that, I knew things beyond the rumors, things that the gossips hadn’t even guessed at.

So whatever this was, whatever had happened this night that he sought to protect me from . . . did I truly want to know?

I lowered my hand to my lap. I did not. I did not want to know. (From one of Maddalena’s chapters)

“What is in your heart is of no use to me, nor to this family,” he said coldly. “It is what is in your mind that will serve us, and what I intend to make use of within the Curia.” (Spoken by Pope Alexander VI to Cesare)

“We shall prevail,” Pope Alexander said without hesitation. “God is on our side, for our cause is righteous. Alfonso is Ferrante’s son and heir—God rest his soul—and should by rights sit the

throne of Naples. Our Lord sees this and shall give us victory.”

“And what is the size of Our Lord’s army?” I inquired. “If He would be so good as to let us know, we could refine our strategy, and sleep easier in the coming nights.”

My father clucked his disapproval. “Blasphemy, Cesare.”

I bit down on my tongue to keep from replying. Who could guess at what a pope who kept a mistress and made his son a cardinal might actually find blasphemous? (From one of Cesare’s chapters)

I could not get Maddalena’s face at the moment she’d slapped me out of my head: haughty and imperious in her outrage, like a statue of some ancient Roman goddess. Madonna of Holy Vengeance, I’d called her. By God, but if I was a painter, I would paint her just so, and give the work that title. (From one of Cesare’s chapters)

TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THE BORGIA CONFESSIONS
1. When I was in college I wrote a short story about a maid who gets involved with Cesare Borgia, and I later used that idea as the jumping off point for Maddalena’s character and point of view.

2. I originally started writing this novel years ago, and originally it was just going to be from Cesare’s point of view, but it always felt like something was missing, and so I kept putting it on the back burner. Then I found the missing piece of it in that short story! The prologue and chapter two are the oldest parts of the book – they’re what I wrote originally, along with another chapter that got left on the cutting room floor.

3. I drew inspiration from two great characters in creating Cesare’s character and crafting his arc: Walter White from Breaking Bad and Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Fire and Ice.

4. Cesare’s “theme song” for the book is “Citizen Zero” by Kamelot; Maddalena’s is “Oceans” by Evanescence.

5. My brother went with me to Rome when I researched this book. He very dutifully followed me all over the Castel Sant’ Angelo and the Vatican Museums.

6. I’ve been obsessed with the Borgias since I was a teenager, and have always wanted to write a book about them.

7. I am usually a pantser and like to figure out the plot as I go, but this book was SO big and had so many characters, plot threads, and actual historical events that I couldn’t pants it. So I wrote a big outline before continuing drafting (I had about 10,000 words before I had to stop to outline, and the outline itself was over 5,000 words) and in the end I finished the first draft much faster than I would have normally. I still haven’t really been converted from my pantsing ways, though!

8. This book has had LOTS of titles. When I sold it on proposal it was called “The Keeper of the Keys”; when I handed it in to my editor it was called “Angels of Holy Vengeance”; my editor and I changed it briefly to “The Merciless Ones”; when we announced the book it was called “In the Shadow of Saints” (I still really like that title); and then with some input from the team at St. Martin’s it ended up as “The Borgia Confessions”. And that isn’t even counting the LISTS UPON LISTS of titles my editor and I made to try to find something that fit!

9. My very favorite scene in the book (mentioned above) was the last thing I added to the book, in my final round of developmental edits with my editor.

10. One of my favorite parts of writing this book was getting to write about all the shady political dealings of the Vatican during the Renaissance. The politics of Renaissance Italy are complicated and extremely fascinating, and I loved getting to dive into that world and write about some of the big power players.

WRITING BEHIND THE SCENES
No matter where I’m writing, I ALWAYS need music playing; it’s a huge part of my process. If I’m at my desk at home, I always light a scented candle as well (shoutout to Witch City Wicks, one of my favorite candle shops!). I do sometimes go out and write in cafes as well, just for a change of scenery – usually on Saturdays. I also do two solo writing retreats each year, where I go to a little town not far from me and hole up with some snacks, wine, and my laptop – I always get A TON done when I do that, without any of the distractions of being at home and needing to do errands, etc. The writing retreats are always a highlight of my year!

What is the first job you have had?
I worked as a tae kwon do instructor from the ages of 15 to 17.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
“Do I have to get up and go to work, or is it the weekend?”

What is your most memorable travel experience?
Definitely the first time I went to Venice – I had been reading about it/researching it for so long that finally seeing it for myself, and getting to explore it, was magical.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?
I’m all about the “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all” idea, which I think is evident in all of my books so far!

During the sweltering Roman summer of 1492, Rodrigo Borgia has risen to power as pope. Rodrigo’s eldest son Cesare, forced to follow his father into the church and newly made the Archbishop of Valencia, chafes at his ecclesiastical role and fumes with jealousy and resentment at the way that his foolish brother has been chosen for the military greatness he desired.

Maddalena Moretti comes from the countryside, where she has seen how the whims of powerful men wreak havoc on the lives of ordinary people. But now, employed as a servant in the Vatican Palace, she cannot help but be entranced by Cesare Borgia’s handsome face and manner and finds her faith and conviction crumbling in her want of him.

As war rages and shifting alliances challenge the pope’s authority, Maddalena and Cesare's lives grow inexplicably entwined. Maddalena becomes a keeper of dangerous Borgia secrets, and must decide if she is willing to be a pawn in the power games of the man she loves. And as jealousy and betrayal threaten to tear apart the Borgia family from within, Cesare is forced to reckon with his seemingly limitless ambition.

Alyssa Palombo's captivating new novel, The Borgia Confessions, is a story of passion, politics, and class, set against the rise and fall of one of Italy's most infamous families--the Borgias.

Praise for Alyssa Palombo and THE BORGIA CONFESSIONS

"[A] vivacious tale of power and love set in 1492... Excavating the personal relationships and petty disagreements that fueled Pope Alexander VI’s controversial reign, Palombo’s enticing tale will please fans of Sharon Kay Penman." —Publishers Weekly

"Readers looking for an immersive, light, romantic read will enjoy this book." —Booklist

"Under Palombo’s skillful hand, the entangled world of the Borgias comes vividly to life, exposing the dark facets of class structure and the all-consuming greed that comes with ambition--and love. I was utterly engrossed from page one. A colorful and suspenseful novel, The Borgia Confessions is packed with complex characters and political intrigue, and will leave readers hungry for more." —Heather Webb, internationally bestselling author of Last Christmas in Paris and Meet Me in Monaco

“Palombo has crafted a sweeping and surprisingly sympathetic portrait of Cesare Borgia, one of history’s most notorious "bad boys,” and the world surrounding him. [A] dark Renaissance parable about the intertwining of lust and power. If you’re as fascinated with all things Borgia as I am, you won’t want to miss this one!” —Kris Waldherr, author of The Lost History of Dreams and Bad Princess

"Handsome. Intriguing. Dangerous. Seductive. [This] is everything you want in a book--it's a romance, a page-turner, and a ride deep into the sumptuous and tumultuous time of Renaissance Italy." —Crystal King, author of The Chef's Secret

"Alyssa Palombo’s deft and delicate prose makes a gorgeous contrast against the visceral and cutthroat world of the Borgias. Dark and decadent, THE BORGIA CONFESSIONS is mesmerizing from start to finish." —Meghan Masterson, author of The Wardrobe Mistress

You can purchase The Borgia Confessions at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you ALYSSA PALOMBO for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of The Borgia Confessions by Alyssa Palombo.

jbnpastinterviews

Read More

Alyssa Palombo Author Interview

Photo Credit: Jennifer Hark-Hameister

ALYSSA PALOMBO is the author of The Violinist of Venice and The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence. She has published short fiction pieces in Black Lantern Magazine and The Great Lakes Review. She is a recent graduate of Canisius College with degrees in English and creative writing, respectively. A passionate music lover, she is a classically trained musician as well as a big fan of heavy metal. She lives in Buffalo, New York.

        

  

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I don’t think there was one moment when I realized it, necessarily. I’ve always loved to read, and even as a kid I would write down little stories in my free time. As I got older that turned into drafting novels, and probably around the age of 10 or 11 I realized that I wanted to be an author. I’ve basically always had at least one project in the works ever since!

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?
Real life! No, but really, if it was up to me I’d spend way more time writing, but I also have a day job that of course takes up a lot of time during the week. Generally, though, I think I’ve found a pretty good balance between work obligations, writing, and my social life and pastimes. It’s working well for me so far!

Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?

Yes, definitely. In high school I read The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, and that was when I realized that historical fiction was what I most wanted to write. It was definitely an important moment!

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.

The most rewarding thing has definitely been hearing from readers – whether via email, social media, or in person – who really connected with my books. That something I wrote really meant something to a reader is truly the best feeling, and it makes all the frustrating moments worthwhile.

In your new book; THE SPELLBOOK OF KATRINA VAN TASSEL, can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about your novel.

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel is a retelling of Washington Irving’s famous short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” from Katrina’s point of view. She is the most significant female character in that story, and yet Irving portrays her in, frankly, a rather sexist way. I wanted to give her the chance to tell her own story, and boy, did she have a story to tell. My novel is also something of a continuation of the original story, as it continues on past the point where Irving’s story ends as Katrina seeks to find out what really did happen to Ichabod Crane.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your Katrina and Charlotte?

Well, in researching herbs and herbal medicine for Charlotte’s character, I learned that high enough amounts of nutmeg can cause hallucinations and even death, so that was pretty surprising! J In terms of creating their characters, though, I think Charlotte surprised me the most in that she ended up being perhaps my favorite character I’ve ever written to date. She is both a lot like me and also a woman I wish I was more like.

Why do you feel you had to tell this story?

As I mentioned above, I wanted to give Katrina the chance to tell her own story – she is really the focus of Irving’s tale, but is in many ways rather flat. Beyond that, though, I’m someone who loves Halloween and all things spooky and creepy, so I wanted to write a book that would let me play with all those things in a fun and interesting way. And I’m always interested in what women’s lives were like in the past, and in this book it was interesting to explore what the word “witch” might have meant in this time and place, and what consequences came with it.

What was the most magical thing that happened while writing this book? 

I got to write part of the first draft during the month of October, which was magical and a lot of fun! I also got to go to Sleepy Hollow to do some research, and seeing places that appeared in the book, and hearing different folk tales from the Hudson River Valley from people who loved there, was definitely a magical experience.

What part of Ichabod did you enjoy writing the most?

He’s just the sweetest guy! I liked making him into an ideal romantic hero – sure of himself and what he wants, but not arrogant; he respects what Katrina wants and needs; he loves her for who she is, flaws and all. And being handsome and saying romantic things doesn’t hurt either!

If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?

One of my very favorite books that I read this year was From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris, which is set in a fantasy world based on ancient Rome. I think that Charlotte would get on famously with Morris’s heroine, Latona. They both stray outside of the bounds of what is expected of women of their time; they are both loyal friends; and gosh, I would just love to hear the conversations about magic that they would have!

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?

I do have a fourth book in the works, but I can’t say too much about that one yet. Suffice it to say that it is set in Renaissance Italy and is very dark and political – probably my darkest book yet. It’s been a huge challenge, but really satisfying as well when I think how the book has grown and developed.

At the moment I’m playing around with a dual timeline idea – and all I’ll say about that one is that writing Spellbook made me want to write some more witches J

If you could be born into history as any famous person who would it be and why?

I think Kate Warne, America’s first female detective. I didn’t know much about her before reading Greer Macallister’s fabulous novel Girl in Disguise, but what a great heroine she was! It would be fun to get to experience all her exploits – which included saving president-elect Lincoln from an assassination attempt and spying for the North during the Civil War.

Do you scare easily?

Oh, gosh, yes. I am one of the most easily startled people you’ll ever meet. My coworkers think it’s really funny to sneak up behind me and tap me on the shoulder when I have my headphones in. I also can’t go in haunted house-type attractions for that reason. People are also always surprised to learn – since I love Halloween – that I don’t really like horror movies. I like things with just the right amount of creepy – give me a good haunted house movie any day – but anything with a lot of gore or a ton of suspense just makes me really stressed out.

What is the last movie that you saw at the cinema?

Oh wow, I honestly don’t remember – I don’t go to the movies very often! I think it might have been last December, when I went to see The Man Who Invented Christmas. That movie best portrays the writing process out of anything I’ve ever seen. I highly recommend it!

What is your happiest childhood memory?

I have a wonderful family and had a wonderful childhood, so there’s lots to choose from! We used to vacation in Florida a lot with my parents’ friends and their kids – we’d rent a condo on the beach in Siesta Key – and I have a lot of fond memories of spending time there with everyone. I also have a lot of great memories of spending Halloween trick-or-treating with friends who are still my closest friends to this day.

Can you define love in your own way?

To me, love is when you are willing to put someone else first – but I think the tricky thing is to be able to do so without losing yourself.

TEN FACTS ABOUT THE SPELLBOOK OF KATRINA VAN TASSEL

• I first got the idea for The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel while I was in the shower.
• I based the Van Tassel farmhouse in the novel on Washington Irving’s house, Sunnyside, which sits on the banks of the Hudson. He didn’t live there yet when he wrote “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, but the location of the Van Tassel house in his story fits with Sunnyside, and before Irving owned it a woman named Eleanor Van Tassel lived there – some say she as a model for Katrina.
• I borrowed Charlotte Jansen’s name from two of my favorite singers, who happen to be Dutch themselves – Charlotte Wessels from Delain and Floor Jansen from Nightwish.
• There are a few little homages to Tim Burton’s film Sleepy Hollow throughout the book – one of which being that, in Katrina’s dreams of the Headless Horseman, he is carrying an axe, which Burton’s Horseman always had as well.
• One of the albums I listened to most while writing this book was Phantasma’s The Deviant Hearts. Almost all of the songs on that album are on the book’s playlists, and so many of them fit perfectly with the story.
• The first draft took me almost a year to complete.
• I love the show Sleepy Hollow on FOX, and as I wrote I couldn’t help but picture Ichabod as Tom Mison, the actor who plays him on the show.
• One of my favorite scenes in the book is the harvest party the Van Tassels throw. After reading the first draft of this book, my best friend actually threw a harvest party, and everyone dressed in colonial-era costumes.
• I got obsessed with Hamilton while writing this book, which is pretty much the only reason there’s a duel in it. 
• NOTHING HAPPENS TO THE DOG, I PROMISE!

When Ichabod Crane arrives in the spooky little village of Sleepy Hollow as the new schoolmaster, Katrina Van Tassel is instantly drawn to him. Through their shared love of books and music, they form a friendship that quickly develops into romance. Ichabod knows that as an itinerant schoolteacher of little social standing, he has nothing to offer the wealthy Katrina – unlike her childhood friend-turned-enemy, Brom Van Brunt, who is the suitor Katrina’s father favors.

But when romance gives way to passion, Ichabod and Katrina embark on a secret love affair, sneaking away into the woods after dark to be together – all while praying they do not catch sight of Sleepy Hollow’s legendary Headless Horseman. That is, until All Hallows’s Eve, when Ichabod suddenly disappears, leaving Katrina alone and in a perilous position.

Enlisting the help of her friend – and rumored witch – Charlotte Jansen, Katrina seeks the truth of Ichabod Crane’s disappearance, investigating the forest around Sleepy Hollow using unconventional – often magical – means. What they find forces Katrina to question everything she once knew, and to wonder if the Headless Horseman is perhaps more than just a story after all. In Alyssa Palombo's The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel nothing is as it seems, and love is a thing even death won't erase.

Praise for THE SPELLBOOK OF KATRINA VAN TASSEL

"Readers seeking a historical romance or a reboot of an American legend will enjoy this tale." ―Booklist

"The perfect combination of sweeping romance and eerie thriller, The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel will haunt you in all the best ways. Palombo's deft touch brings new life, fierce female spirit, and pulse-pounding suspense to the Sleepy Hollow milieu." ―Greer Macallister, USA Today bestselling author of The Magician's Lie and Girl in Disguise

"Marrying forbidden love, devoted friendship, and the supernatural with Palombo's signature passion for music, storytelling, and heartbreaking choices, The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel enchants with a concoction of love, longing, and loss plucked from the bones of one of our most enduring and haunting legends." ―Erin Lindsay McCabe, USA Today bestselling author of I Shall Be Near to You

"An enthralling lovers' tale woven from 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,' Alyssa Palombo's captivating story, told through the eyes and heart of Katrina Van Tassel, is like visiting a treasured childhood friend and finding out all her secrets." ―Gwendolyn Womack, award-winning author of The Memory Painter and The Fortune Teller

"Palombo has conjured up a dark, sexy twist on Washington Irving's classic tale. The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel will satisfy romance fans who crave a dash of spine-tingling horror."―Cat Winters, award-winning author of The Uninvited and In the Shadow of Blackbirds

You can purchase The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you ALYSSA PALOMBO for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel: 
A Story of Sleepy Hollow by Alyssa Palombo. 

jbnpastinterviews

Read More