We’ll have 100+ local authors along with Matt Fraser from Meet The Frasers, Jon Land, ex-Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee along with raffles, writing panels and Santa.
Free parking and admission.
Remember, personalized books make great stocking stuffers!
There’s much to consider when constructing a mythical, magical, or futuristic world, and one important factor is the foundation myth or backstory. What does the writer need to know? What does the reader need to know? When do they need to know it? How does the backstory impact the characters and the current events on their world? Join us for a discussion on how to effectively craft a backstory and weave it into your tale. Panel hosted by the Association of RI Authors.
Writing the Other – Creating Characters Outside Your Comfort Zone
Writing characters from different backgrounds than our own is both a challenge and an opportunity for authors. In this panel, we will explore the tools needed to write outside our own experiences to create three-dimensional characters. Topics will include the importance of research, the role of sensitive readers, and avoiding harmful stereotypes. Panel hosted by the Association of RI Authors.
Born in a small town of the smallest state, Rhode Island Joseph Mazzenga knew he was a writer by the third grade. When his creative simmer turned to an imaginative rage, he embarked on a voyage with no anchor and no horizon. He stepped aboard knowing that this journey will be for the rest of his days. He still looks to the stars to find his way. The navigation can be plodding but the bearing is clear. Joe is now a full author, by way of children’s literature, Science Fiction, Non-fiction, and Urban Fantasy. Ever pursuing the itch that he can’t possibly scratch, he is constantly stretching his boundaries, honing his craft and fighting mortal enemies such as avoidance and procrastination at every turn. Whether it is a beloved stuffed seal, a hard-nosed orphan stuck on the raw streets of a future time, or a pre-apocalyptic vampire turned human, he is fantasy intermingling with the future. Joe continues to live with his wife and beloved son in Rhode Island, center of the creative universe.
Tell me about yourself. What inspired you to write?
Truthfully, as a kid who had cancer, my imagination was my safe place, and I began writing at an early age. Writing can be cathartic, and the avenue of Fantasy was a safe place to be – to be ultra-strong, impervious to everyday stresses and to save the day when no one else could…who doesn’t love that?
Describe your desk / writing space.
I converted a model/hobby desk into my writing space. Every slot has pens, pencils, figurines to watch over me and pictures of wolves against the desk wall. Oh, and it is covered in stickers a la the old steam trunks of yesteryear.
Do you have a writing routine, or do you write when inspired?
The routine is whenever the inspiration hits. I have to write when inspired if nothing else, make notes in a journal. I have dozens of “treatments” for stories that I dip into.
How do you come up with the title to your books?
The title usually hits first just as the inspirational scenes occur. Then it will morph as the book carries on, until finally, the title is settled on – usually by half way into the story.
What was the hardest scene for you to write? Which scene was your favorite to write?
I don’t know if I have had the hardest scene yet. They’re all hard. If I have to pick a genre, then Romance may be tough especially if you are a male trying to have a female POV.
A favorite go to scene, always has to do with a tense, prepare for battle type of buildup scene. I love the rhythm of the buildup before the action really hits the reader.
What inspired your book/series?
I love anti-heroes and I think the reading world needs more female inspiration. Growing up a comics kid, heroes need to not be those perfect “super” people. People are flawed and so should our heroes be.
What are you working on next?
Book 2 of the Bloodline Series – Demon’s Child.
Resurrection – The Last Vampire
Not My Time – Lost Witch
What authors or books have influenced your writing?
I was always a comic kid who followed the beat writers like Alan Dean Foster. But I also was inspired by the classics from Tolkien and Asimov.
If you could live anywhere, in this world or fantasy, where would you live?
In this world, I’d love to be in the badlands looking for dinosaur fossils. In fantasy, I’d love a totally tech-city where it rains all the time.
What is your favorite meal?
I love food so it’s hard to pick but, being a pescatarian the choices get strange. I’ll go with eggplant vegan cheese parm. Go ahead – mock me.
