Featured Interview With Cassandra Giovanni
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Cassandra, but everyone just calls me Cassie—unless I’m in trouble, then it’s Cassandra for sure. You know I’m an author, but I’m also in college for marketing, I own a photography and publication marketing company called Gio Design Studios, I have a day job as a Retail Banking Operations and Project Manager, and I have an unhealthy obsession with perfection. All that equals a 70 hour work week and an unending drive for success that eventually runs me face first into the ground—but only for a few hours. Then I wake up and start again. I love music and couldn’t function without it—especially metal music. I’m a huge fan of Deftones, Of Mice and Men, Bring Me the Horizon, August Burns Red, Sleeping with Sirens, 10 Years and Five Finger Death Punch.
How did you become a writer, and did you always want to write?
I’ve always been a writer. I guess it was just born into me, because not one person in my family can remember a time when I wasn’t writing or telling a story. I was first published when I was seven, when I began to enter writing contests. I continued to write well into high school until I hit a slight bump in the road and got a bit lost. I eventually found my way back, which resulted in the publishing of In Between Seasons. I never plan on stopping now.
How do you hope your readers react to the stories you write?
I hope that my readers will feel like the characters are as real to them as they are to me. That they see their actions and emotions through dialogue and feel as invested in their stories as I am.
What responses to your writing have affected you the most and why?
I try to stay neutral when it comes to people’s responses to my writing. As you can imagine, I’ve had both good and bad responses. I do not write like anyone I’ve ever read, and I don’t want to write like anyone else. I want to write like me, and I want to stay true to myself; with that comes the need to accept that criticism will not always be positive or constructive. Sometimes it is a downright personal attack, but by continuing to write I show them they’re wrong and I let those that love my writing continue to do so. The biggest compliment that resounded with me was this “Giovanni’s writing style was a breath of fresh air in the midst of a stagnant world of writing styles.” That made me realize I’d nailed it, and I need to stay true to my writing style even when my editor says that readers want to be spoon fed everything. I don’t think they do, and I won’t be doing that any time soon.
Other than writing great stories, what other goals do you have for your life?
I’d like to finish my degree in Marketing, get a second degree in Graphic Design and open a successful publication marketing firm where I use my photography and marketing skills to help other authors be successful. This would mean that I could eventually leave my day job in banking to pursue only writing and marketing. I would also love to be able to have a child with my amazing husband and live happily ever after.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Spare time? What’s that? When I do decide to take a break I like to hang out with my family, take pictures of everything and anything, go shopping with my best friend, Carley, do Zumba and teach my dogs agility.
What can you tell us about your latest works?
Currently, I’m focusing on the Beautifully Flawed series. Flawed Perfection is the first novel, which introduces the readers to River, Adam and Bobby. The second novel, Pieces of Perfection, is written in two parts—one from River’s POV and the remainder written from Adam’s POV. The third novel, Broken Perfection, focuses on River’s life after Flawed Perfection, and the last novel,Finding Perfection, shows River and Adam as they try to put back together the pieces they have lost. Besides that I would like to get back to the first novel in my Devil’s Army Series, Deadly Sins, which is a New Adult Paranormal Romance.
What stories can your fans expect from you in the days ahead?
All kinds of stories—all of them will always have Romance in them, though!
What would you like to say to your fans in New Zealand and others worldwide?
Honest to goodness, any time someone says you have fans in so-and-so I completely go blank. I cannot fathom the fact that my words and stories are reaching people in general and that I have fans—not to mention outside of the US. I think it’s absolutely amazing that you are a fan of little old me, and I cannot express my gratitude for your continued fanship. It leaves me in awe, and I am so thankful that you love my stories all over the world.
Do you have any parting words?
Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog and for all of the readers continued support. I hope you fall in love with River, Adam and Bobby as much as I have.
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