JQM LITERARY CHAT WELCOMES Leslie Conzatti

 

 

 

 

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:

I’m an avid reader and writer from the Pacific Northwest. I work full-time as an elementary school paraeducator (so, not a full-fledged teacher, but I lead small groups, provide support in the classroom, and supervise crosswalks, recess, and cafeteria times), but the hope is to someday be able to make enough from my writing that I can work only as much as I want (like maybe part-time, at least) and spend most of my time writing. (Kind of like I’m doing right now, during Quarantine!)

WHAT INFLUENCED YOU TO WRITE YOUR GENRE(S)?

A large part of the thing that influenced me to start writing fantasy is probably the kind of stories I grew up reading–and how much they really ignited my imagination, how I couldn’t stop thinking about those stories: the fairy tales, the fantasy adventures, the vivid descriptions and magnificent prose. I enjoy writing fantasy above any other genre for the freedom in creativity it allows–any problem can be solved, as long as one can explain it. Everything is possible, as long as the writer can justify how it fits within the world they’ve created.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS?

Oh man, so many! Visiting the library more frequently and listening to book-loving friends recommend authors introduced me to mainstream authors whose books were so wonderful that nowadays I would seize their books in a heartbeat, merely because of the name on the spine. Authors like David Baldacci, Anthony Horowitz (especially his more recent books–fantastic work!), Cornelia Funke, Mark Lawrence, Naomi Novik, Brandon Sanderson, and Marissa Meyer. As well, ever since I started posting indie reviews on my blog, I’ve encountered many wonderful indie authors like Kelly Blanchard, Patricia Loofbourrow, R. R. Virdi, Jeffrey Cook, Kimberly Rogers, Nils Visser, and C. L. Coffey. They are all spectacular, creating characters I quickly became obsessed with, and adventures that I couldn’t stop reading till I reached the end of the book–this is by no means a definitive list, but it does highlight many of my favorites!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS?

Oh, I have just about as hard a time answering this question as the last one! A few titles that come to mind immediately when I think about “books that I would not hesitate to recommend to people because I enjoyed them so much”: Specifically, The Red Queen’s War trilogy by Mark Lawrence–a spin-off of his first trilogy, The Broken Empire, but a lot more light-hearted (still very grimdark)–which I definitely enjoyed. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyers stands out in my opinion as the single BEST series of fairy tale re-tellings I have ever read. Anthony Horowitz is writing a series called the Inspector Hawthorne series, which is a Sherlock-style self-insert–but in the best way possible! In regards to indie books, The Chronicles of Lorrek by Kelly Blanchard is a spectacularly epic fantasy series that blends magic and technology in a seamlessly balanced way that draws a reader in and certainly gets my imagination going! And as far as classics go… The Princess Bride by William Goldman holds a special place in my heart, as well as the series of anthologies put out by the Writerpunk Press, a group of spectacular authors who have re-written classics from every genre and Shakespeare plays in various “punk” styles that are amazing and wonderful to read!

 

 

 

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS?

I have definitely been obsessed with many characters from various books! I don’t get too attached to any specific one, though–I more view books as an overall experiencing of the author’s skill at storytelling, and this includes the portrayal of different characters. I could easily name a handful of authors who possess the capacity to create vivid, realistic, and relatable characters–those are the kinds of characters I like reading the most, the ones who take on a life of their own, the ones that are portrayed with such personality that I can imagine them having their own conversations, or better yet, when they converse with another character, their “voices” are so unique that I know exactly who’s talking, even without dialogue tags!

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?

Oh that’s an interesting thought… What WOULD I share with potential readers? How about this piece of advice: read fearlessly. Don’t be afraid to try out new books, explore genres you’ve never read. Maybe you didn’t have a very good experience with one particular book in one particular genre–that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t find a book in the same genre that appeals more to you. There are many books I might never have read, genres that I would have never experienced and enjoyed, if I just stuck with a certain specific criteria for my reading material. Reading without limits encourages imagining without limits. What you read affects how you think–the more you read, the more food for thought your brain has!

WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?

I’ve got plenty of places to find me! I have an author page on Facebook, where I post regular updates, deals from authors I follow, and different things I’m writing and reading: https://www.facebook.com/LeslieConzattiWriter/

My blog, where I post reviews of indie books, serialized stories, and very many writing updates, is called The Upstream Writer:

https://upstreamwriter.blogspot.com/

My books are also available on Amazon:

Princess of Undersea: https://www.amazon.com/Princess-Undersea-Timeless-Leslie-Conzatti-ebook/dp/B01MSWZRUU

Dreamtime Dragons: https://www.amazon.com/Dreamtime-Dragons-Tale-Fantasy-Authors-ebook/dp/B0771KT46G

Cracks in The Tapestry: https://www.amazon.com/Cracks-Tapestry-Arthur-David-ebook/dp/B07H69PCT3

Dreamtime Damsels and Fatal Femmes: https://www.amazon.com/Dreamtime-Damsels-Fatal-Femmes-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07WFWSQ26

COMING TOMORROW: Myths and Monsters, A Limited Edition Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Myths-Monsters-Anthology-Pauline-Creeden-ebook/dp/B084PYKJW5