Danielle Trussoni - Interview and Contest

A special PVN welcome to Danielle Trussoni author of the bestselling novel Angelology. Many thanks to Danielle for this interview.

[See contest info at the end of the post.]

PVN: Please tell us about the research that went into writing Angelology - What sources did you use? What places did you visit? How long did it take?

Danielle: Research was a very big part of writing Angelology. I started off knowing that I wanted to set the book in three specific locations — A cave called The Devil’s Throat in Bulgaria, World War Two era Paris and New York. I had very little solid idea of how these locations would come together. And so, in the beginning stages of the book, I was searching for the story and for the details. I read a lot of books of theology. I sat in on a class about the history of religion. And I went and stayed at a convent where I discovered books about angels. This is what pushed me to choose angels.

PVN: Why pick the subject of angels? What fascinates you about them?

Danielle: Angels are fascinating for me on a bunch of different levels. First of all, there is the vast difference in the stereotypical idea we have of angels—the Hallmark card version of angels—and the very spooky, often dark angels that are described in the Bible and pseudoepigraphical writings such as the Book of Enoch. Then, there are the beautiful angels of Renaissance painting, which I fell in love with as I was doing research.  And finally, there is the fact that angels are everywhere—sculpted onto buildings, drawn in children’s books, hanging in museums, on key chains, tattooed on people’s arms. Angels are a huge phenomena in our culture.

PVN: What are the Nephilim?

Danielle: They are the half human, half angel offspring of the Watchers—a group of angels sent to spy on humanity in Genesis: 6—and woman.

PVN: Tell us about Sister Evangeline.

Danielle: Sister Evangeline is a 23 year old nun at my fictional convent whose parents were involved in a group called angelologists, whose mission it is to study and contain the Nephilim. She is deeply conflicted about her life in the convent, and when she begins to discover the Nephilim—and the truth about her history—her world changes.

PVN: How do the Nazi's figure into your story.

Danielle: The Nazi’s are one of the many historical groups that the Nephilim have leeched onto and used for their nefarious purposes. Essentially, the Nephilim infiltrate a group, use them and then discard them when they have served their purpose.

PVN: What can you tell us about the sequel to Angelology ?

Danielle: The sequel is called Angelopolis and it is a love story between Evangeline and Verlaine—a character introduced in Angelology . The novel is set in Paris.


PVN: What were your favorite books as a young reader?

Danielle: I love to read many, many different things. I loved The Phantom Tollbooth and Alice and Wonderland. I loved anything with a fantastical element to it.


PVN: You received great acclaim for your memoir, Falling Through the Earth. Would you tell us about this book?

Danielle: It is a memoir about my relationship with my father. It looks quite closely at the time my dad spent in Vietnam as a tunnel rat, and the effect this experience had on my family. You can learn more about it at: www.fallingthroughtheearth.com

PVN: What is your writing day and your writing environment like?

Danielle: I wake up, get my two children ready for school (I have a boy and a girl), eat something and then spend the morning writing. I usually make lunch and them am back at my desk. This is the typical day, but sometimes I work much more than this and other times less. It depends on where I am in a book.

PVN: What do you like to do in your spare time - assuming you have any?

Danielle: I love to cook. I’m living in France and this is the perfect place to teach yourself—the markets are simply amazing, and the wine and cheese is, of course, great. I haven’t had a whole lot of free time lately, but when I do I plan to get some hobbies.

PVN: Where can readers find you?

Danielle: The best place is on my website: www.danielletrussoni.com

PVN: Anything else you would like to add?

Danielle: Yes, I’d like to suggest to any readers who want to learn more about angelologists, and the work that they have been doing, you can go to the Angelological Academy’s homesite: www.angelologist.com. They have a course that you can sign up for and lots of extra information at the angelological mission.


CONTEST


One commenter will win an autographed copy of Angelology. US and Canadian residents only.

*To enter: Name an angel.

You may also:

*Link to this contest on any of the social network sites, including Twitter, or your own web page. Let me know the url:  One chance for each link.
 
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*If your email is not associated with your ID, please put the address in your response.

This contest closes April 25, 2010.