Author Interview: Josephine Angelini

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Rie’s Review

Can you tell me about your book in 20 words or less?



Starcrossed is a modern-day re-imagining of the Iliad, set in the world of teen-aged demigods.

The fates are so instrumental in this tale, do feel they have been
instrumental with your life?


I’m not a big believer in Fate, but I know that the ancient Greeks were.  In fact they were obsessed with it.  Almost all of the Great Tragedies include a prophecy from either the Oracle or the blind seer Teiresias.  I think it’s nearly impossible to tell a Greek-themed story without including Fate as one of the Prime Movers of the plot.

The relationship between Helen and Lucas, who should have been traditionally named Paris is much a re-telling of the tale of Helen of Troy. How did the old inspire you or hinder your writing?


I took the old story and reshaped it into a modern context.  But this is done all the time with Greek myth.  Suzanne Collins? excellent The Hunger Games is essentially the tale of Theseus in the Minotaur?s labyrinth, but re-imagined in a new and, in my opinion, brilliant way.

With Starcrossed, I took the story of Helen and Paris and re-worked it to fit in a modern context.  The biggest problem that I had was finding a way to make them sympathetic.  How can anyone root for a pair of lovers that start a bloody, 10-year war?  Once I got over that hurdle, though, the rest of the story fell into place easily.

Everyone's relationship is so strong even though they are constantly getting in fights. I've read that you too had a large family, did the dynamics of your family help in creating a family with so much love and drama?

Heck, yeah!  I even use my own mother!  When Noel looks at Lucas and calls him every name but his own—that’s classic Cynthia.  Once, my mom actually looked me in the eye and called me by one of the cat’s names.  I still laugh when I think of it.

What is your current WIP (Work in Progress)? Can you tell me a little about it?

Right now I’m working on Book 3 of my trilogy.  I’m very excited!  I feel like I’ve had this one idea in my head for so long and now I finally get to pay off everything I’ve set up in the first two books.  It’s very gratifying.

Do you have a favorite place to sit and write? Where is your favorite place to read?

I like to write in two places—my kitchen table in the morning after I cook breakfast and my desk in the bedroom in the evening.  I don’t like to be tied to one specific spot.  I’m a rebel like that.

As a reader do you write in the same genre as you write? What is your current paranormal obsession?

I LOVE all kinds of fantasy and sci-fi, both adult and YA, but right now I only have time to be obsessed with my own book!  Finishing up a trilogy is very consuming because there are so many loose ends to tie up, plot points to pay off, and character arcs to satisfy.  Right now, I’ve got a one-track mind!


You can see more of Josephine Angelini at her upcoming tour stops.

Categories: Author Interviews