Vinny Author Q&A with MaryAnn Diorio

MaryAnn Diorio writes award-winning fiction from a quaint small town in southern New Jersey where neighbors still stop to chat while walking their dogs, families and friends still gather on wide, wrap-around porches, and the charming downtown still finds kids licking lollipops and old married folks holding hands. A Jersey girl at heart, MaryAnn is a big fan of Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore.

FF: What inspired the story in your book?
My Italian-American heritage and a desire to share universal truth through that unique heritage inspired this novel series. Born and raised not far from South Philly, I still live within 15 minutes of Little Italy and the amazing Italian Market. I have very strong ties to the area and intimately understand its colorful people and its vibrant culture. Hence, writing stories about South Philly seemed the natural thing to do.

FF: What can you tell us about the main characters in your book?
Vinny Morello, the male protagonist, is on track for a promising career in the fine arts. But when tragedy suddenly hurls him headlong into a life-altering crisis, he faces a frightening fork in the road. One fork leads to self-ruin; the other leads to the ruin of others. Which one will he take?

Rosalie Cappelletti, the female protagonist, is a nurse without a job. To make ends meet, she takes a temporary position at the South Philly Art Gallery. When Vinny Morello walks in for a chance at an art exhibit, Rosalie’s world is turned upside down.

VINNY is an edge-of-your-seat, romantic suspense story where tragedy and triumph merge into transformation.

FF: Which character surprised you the most?
Rosalie. She emerged not only as the romantic interest in the novel but also as the sage archetype, something I had not planned.

FF: Why do you think storytelling is such a powerful way to share truth?
Jesus shared truth primarily through story. If He thought it the most effective way to share truth, how can I do any less?

FF: What can readers expect from the rest of this series?
As a reader, you can expect a six-book series of wonderful, wild, and winning stories set in the exciting, one-of-a-kind neighborhood of Philadelphia’s Little Italy in one-of-a-kind South Philadelphia. You will meet amazing, crazy, and lovable characters who will welcome you into their hearts and their heartaches, their passions and their problems, their dreams and their destinies. You will experience soul-stirring stories of family, fortune, and faith as you journey with Vinny and Rosalie, Nick and Julie, Tony and Angelina, and others, from hope to healing to happily-ever-after. Be ready to shed a few tears, to laugh in all the right places, and to discover anew the power of God’s love to transform lives.

FF: How do you get into the right frame of mind to write for your genre/audience?
I pray and then I pray some more. As I write, I ask the Holy Spirit to lead me. Throughout the writing process, I continually lean on the Lord to give me the words He wants me to write so that my readers will be blessed. I picture myself holding the hand of Jesus with my right hand and the hand of my reader with my left. I am merely the conduit between them.

FF: What do you want readers to take away after reading your book?
I want readers to take away the truth that Jesus Christ alone can set us free from the lies we believe, lies that stand in the way of our becoming all that God intends for us to be.

FF: What are the biggest challenges when writing romantic suspense?
While characterization is easy for me, plotting presents a challenge, especially when writing romantic suspense. VINNY deals with an international crime involving a diamond-smuggling ring. I had to do a lot of research on diamond smuggling because I knew nothing about it. The research led me down fascinating paths that then furthered my plot.

FF: What authors or books have inspired you as an author?
The literary classics, especially Henry James and Gustave Flaubert; contemporary authors such as Cathy Gohlke, Deborah Rainey, Tamera Alexander, Robin Lee Hatcher, and DiAnn Mills.

FF: How has your faith or world view impacted the way you tell stories?
My biblical worldview impacts every word I write since we authors write who we are. Immersing myself in God’s Word is, to me, an absolute necessity. I bear a great responsibility before God to use the writing gift He has given me to portray truth through story.