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Cristina Loggia
1. I live with four furry individuals: three cats and a husband. All rescued! All like canned food! Although, unlike the first four-legged chaps, the latter also feeds me back occasionally with his wonderful dishes, he’s a great cook.
2. I read since a very early age, and before that, books came to me because of my mother: I loved as she read me bed stories, through my closed eyes I could see places far away, people doing fantastic things, having the most amazing adventures. I think this influenced how I write: I see the story in my mind and I just need to describe it. Imagination can be triggered and nurtured.
3. Because women, as well as men, played a critical role during the Second World War, I chose a woman as the protagonist of my debut novel, Lucifer’s Game, an espionage thriller, knowing all too well I’m trying to climb a mountain in a male-dominated genre, which almost exclusively sees men as the main fictional character.
4. I spent most weekends of my childhood sat in the cinema my grandfather built in his small village at the end of the war, mostly with stones – there was not much left in terms of building material back then, watching films. I was fascinated by those fabulous women on the silver screen. Being an actress was what I wanted more as a teenager. I auditioned and got a part as an extra with one line in a TV mini-series filming near my house: one of the most boring days of my life. I gave up my dream right there and then.
5. I am a great planner, so I planned the plot of my story from beginning to end. I wanted to know how it started and how it ended, so that it made sense, but most of all making sure that it kept the reader engaged. But along the way I had lots of additional ideas along and some things slightly changed, although the overall outcome remained the same. I have to admit that the final chapter came to me towards the very end. A plan can be set in stone, but ultimately it’s not granitic: it can be further sculpted.
6. I am absolutely passionate about nature preservation, and that include all spiders, even if they live in my house! I’m truly fascinated by their ability to build ingenious webs. I support a number of animal charities, especially those working to protect endangered species and wildlife.
7. I love travelling, almost exclusively dark chocolate, but I prefer cheese to cakes when it comes to deserts. A glass of the white wine Erbaluce is my drink of choice before dinner, I choose a solitary, sun-drenched beach over a crowded snow slope nine out of ten and I have a passion for second-hand, vintage clothes from the Art Deco era, as well as the 50s, 60s and 70s: stylish, with great personality and made to last. Great for the environment too!
