I recently reviewed the mystery He Who Sings Last by Lisa Laird DiRosso. I now have had the privilege of interviewing Ms. DiRosso concerning her book and a few other tidbits. Please enjoy a just a glimpse into this wonderful author.
- Have you always wanted to be a writer? I started writing poetry as a teenager; it helped me express my feelings and try to make sense of the world around me. In July 2000, I began writing human interest columns for a Features syndicate. This opportunity was brought to my attention by Danny “Dirty Dan” McBride, former lead guitarist of Sha Na Na. He was my mentor and greatest source of inspiration. Sadly, Danny passed away on July 23, 2009.
- Are there any authors that inspire/motivate you? I am partial to Mary Higgins Clark, especially her novel You Belong to Me. Another writer who has inspired me is contributing editor, Roger Rosenblatt, who wrote a fantastic article called My Broken Chair. It was published in Modern Maturity, March-April 1999 edition. I happened upon this article by chance and I read it from time to time; it never fails to evoke sentiment in me.
- How long did it take you to complete He Who Sings Last? I had written a short story in 1995 that eventually evolved into my novel, He Who Sings Last. I was looking at an old photo of myself with Sha Na Na’s Johnny Contardo taken back in 1983 and it begged to tell a story. I wanted to write something with a twist. And so, I turned the tables around with the celebrity-fan concept and began writing!
(Side note for the next question, Lisa had emailed me and mentioned that she once had a crush on a member of Sha-Na-Na which did give her inspiration to write her book)
I have to say, I love the photo of you and Johnny Contardo. I loved Bowser (I know I was odd). Did your crush on Johnny help with writing the character of Miranda? Absolutely. I not only wrote her character from my own perspective of being a fan, but the way I believe some fans take their feelings about celebrity idols to extremes.
- The book gave me the feeling of listening to an old mystery show on the radio (those programs that were on before television). I could actually hear the narrator, characters and sound effects. Will this be available on audio? I think it would be a great audio book. Thank you; however, the book is not currently available as an audio version
- Are there any other people currently or from the past that helped you develop your other characters? Especially Jimmy Covelli, such a good bad guy and I would hope that your Johnny Contardo was much nicer in your meeting. Yes. Several of my characters are based on people who have come into my life over the years. I have exaggerated their traits to enhance the storyline. And yes, Johnny Contardo was very pleasant in our meeting. Unlike Jimmy Covelli, he did not proposition me with a sinister decision to ponder!
- Can you hint any little suprises to come in the sequel? Any new characters? The sequel starts out action-packed and will keep the readers guessing throughout. There will be several new characters who come into the picture and add new dimensions to the storyline.
- Is there anything you would like to share with your readers? The most difficult part of writing He Who Sings Last was imagining how Miranda Madison would feel after meeting Jimmy Covelli almost nineteen years later. I was totally stuck at that point in the story. I had the chance to meet Johnny Contardo after many years; I took the experience in and decided which direction I wanted the book to go.
Now, if you don’t mind, a couple of fun questions:
- When you leave to run errands, what 3 things must you have with you? Credit card, keys, and cell phone.
- What is currently loaded on your I-Pod/CD? I have a wide variety of songs on my iPod. I listen to everything from Led Zeppelin and Dr. Hook to Natalie Merchant and Sean Kingston.
- Do you have a new celebrity crush? No, I can’t say that I do. Celebrity crushes have been left in the past along with my childhood innocence of life and love.
I certainly appreciate and thank Lisa for taking the time to answer some questions. Your kindness and correspondence have been greatly appreciated and I cannot wait for the next installment!!
