Welcome to Author Wednesday on Writing Whims. Today, Annamaria Bazzi stopped by for an interview with two characters from her novel White Swans: A Regency Era, the first book in a series about  an orphan who cries herself to sleep and only to awake in a Regency castle.

Patricia: Welcome to Writing Whims today, Annamaria. I understand you’ve brought two of your character creations with you for this interview.

Annamaria: Hello, Patricia. Thank you so much for having us over. I would like to introduce you and your readers to Kendíka and Saphora. Although I must admit, I’ve never seen Saphora, but she wouldn’t let Kendíka come without her.

Patricia: How did you meet Kendíka and Saphora and how long ago was it?

Annamaria: I met Kendíka a few years ago, but unsure of what her story was, I left her in her bedroom, or her prison, as she calls it. I remember she always sat near the window gazing at the three white swans swimming in the lake. I had no idea what to do with her at the time, so I filed her away in my mind. About a year ago, she decided to open up and tell me her strange story, which I wrote down word for . . .

Kendíka: That’s a lie; she made the story up.

Annamaria:  Please don’t interrupt; I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to give your version of the events. Now, Saphora sort of popped into the story out of the blues . . .

Kendíka:  I think you have a very twisted mind. What is it with you and turning people into birds? It’s a real strange fetish.

Annamaria: Be thankful you’re still human.

Saphora: Wait a minute! I thought I was the one turning people into birds – swans, to be precise.

Kendíka:  How many pets do you have?

Saphora:  That’s not important . . .

Annamaria:  Excuse me! Are you telling me you have more than one pet?

Saphora: It’s a possibility.

Annamaria:  Wait a minute! I thought I was the author making all the rules.

Saphora:  Yeah right! Haven’t you heard that the characters drive the story? You, Annamaria, are only the instrument for writing the words in the word processor. (Saphora laughs.)

Annamaria:  I don’t think that’s funny. First off, you are my creation.

Saphora:  As I recall, you created Kendíka, I popped into the story, and boy, were you surprised when I did, and you’re still in the dark about my character and what I look like. If I choose never to reveal those things, you will never know me. The mystery will kill you. After all, you are the most curious human I’ve met thus far.

Annamaria:  I don’t like where this is going.

Saphora:  Are you admitting defeat?

Annamaria:  Never.

Patricia: Before this gets out of hand, Kendíka, can you tell us what you think of Annamaria?

Kendíka:  She’s a bit demented with a fixation on birds. I think she lost her heart a long time ago.

Patricia: What makes you say such a thing?

Kendíka: Why else would she change people into swans?

Annamaria: This idea unfortunately isn’t new; Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky comes to mind and the Swan Princess, a cartoon animation adapted from the ballet.

Kendíka:  OK, now you’re getting boring. (Kendika rolls her eyes)

Saphora:  We are gracing this blog as guests, and I suggest we stop arguing and behave; if not, I have the power to turn you both into swans. I don’t think our host would appreciate such an event taking place on her blog.

(Kendíka bows her head and turns quiet.)

Annamaria: I have more power than you can ever imagine, so I suggest you start to behave. I’m the creator and can definitely erase you from existence.

Saphora: Go ahead, I’ll allow you to believe it, but if you attempt to erase me, you’ll have no story.

Patricia: Kendíka, if you could say one thing to Annamaria, what would it be?

Kendíka: Annamaria, you’re a crazy woman.

Patricia: What about you, Saphora, what would you tell her?

Saphora: To be careful because characters have more power than she’ll ever imagine. Beware, Annamaria.

Patricia: Do you think you’ll all meet again?

Annamaria: Naturally, since White Swans is a series, we’ll be spending a great deal of time together, and in the next book, a new character will waltz into the series.

Kendíka: Oh boy, can’t wait! (she makes goo-goo eyes at Annamaria)

Annamaria: Before we overstay our welcome . . .

Kendíka: (frowns) Are you implying we’re being disrespectful?

Annamaria: Never, just rambunctious. As I was saying, I would like to thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to talk to your readers. Hopefully, we haven’t made too bad of an impression.

Patricia: I’m happy you stopped by. I’ve never hosted anything quite like it. I bet my readers are curious about these two characters.

About Annamaria Bazzi – Although born in the United States, Annamaria Bazzi spent a great deal of her childhood in Sicily, Italy, in a town called Sciacca. Italian was the language spoken at home. Therefore, she had no problems when she found herself growing up in a strange country.

Upon returning to the states, she promised herself she would speak without an accent.

She attended Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in computers with a minor in Spanish.

Annamaria spent twenty years programming systems for large corporations, creating innovative solutions, and addressing customer problems. During those years, she raised four daughters and one husband. Annamaria lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her small family where she now dedicates a good part of her day to writing.

Links to Annamaria’s books on Amazon: White Swans, A Simple Matter of Justice, and Revelation of Abaddon

A Simple Matter of Justice is also available on Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.

Revelation of Abaddon is also available on Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.

Annamaria Contact Information:

Amazon Author page

Annamaria’s blog

Facebook Fan page

Email: annamariascorner@yahoo.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMBazzi