Tessa published her latest historical mystery, Murder & Matrimony in the Castello, last month.
Tell us a little about yourself!
I write historical stories about Italians, both real and imagined, set in Europe, the Pacific Northwest, and points in between. I am a dual Italian-Canadian citizen living in the Seattle area with my American husband and Camus, a semi-feral freeloading purrball. By day, I work as a content strategist for high-tech companies wrangling content for their products, services, and websites. By moonlight and candlelight, I write stories to entertain myself, and hopefully, others who are interested in stories featuring Italians, both known and unknown.
What led or inspired you to start writing fiction? And how did you end up choosing your specific genre(s)?
Reading novels was my favorite entertainment growing up, and through essay assignments in high school, writing stories captured my attention. I have always been interested in history and specifically Italian history because (a) my mother tongue (Friulian) is over 1200 years old and I can trace my ancestral roots to a northern Italian town all the way back to 1640 and (b) after my father died 16 years ago, I realized that I had missed out on stories from his side of the family and by exploring the history of our ancestral region, I can uncover some of those stories. All of the above has also inspired the “why” of my writing, which is centered around bringing historical Italian culture to life for my readers.
What’s your most recently published book? What’s it about?
Murder & Matrimony in the Castello is about a Christmas Eve wedding in 1897, set in a northern Italian castle, gone awry. The castle is real though I am not ready to reveal which one it is. If the book does well, I have plenty of ideas for a series.
What has been the most challenging part of being an indie (self-pubbed) author? How have you tackled that challenge?
Though it is my first independently published one, Murder & Matrimony in the Castello is my third book, not including contributions to three anthologies. I actually signed a contract for it with a traditional publisher, but there was some miscommunication, and the publisher claims I missed the deadline for submitting the contract. So I could have either had them publish it in 2025, or I could self-publish. I have been sharing tidbits to my readers about the premise of the novel for almost a year and wanted to get it into readers’ hands this year. So I had to explore the indie route. Because I was not expecting to self-publish, it has been a stressful time, figuring out all that I need to do on my own—including the marketing. Fortunately, I learned about Two Birds Author Services plus I found a great cover designer, so both of those things were a big help.
What has been the most fulfilling part of being an author?
Having readers tell me they enjoy my stories is the best feeling of all. Also, I have had readers ask me to write a series based on my first novella, Slain Over Spumoni, so that was an unexpected compliment. My nonfiction book, Italians in the Pacific Northwest, has continued with additional immigrant stories on my free Substack and I have had people offer to support that work with contributions of their own. I haven’t taken them up on their offers yet, but appreciate them nonetheless.
What was it like working with the Two Birds team?
I hired Two Birds to evaluate my manuscript and perform a line edit. Both services were thoroughly and constructively done, much more so than I have had in the past. They got me to see scenes and characters in a new light. I learned much and would definitely work with them again.
What advice would you give to authors looking for an editor?
I would recommend that writers ask for a sample edit and testimonials from other clients. Be sure to read through the website and understand what you can expect. Ask questions and feel good about the answers. I would caution newbies against giving in to a presumption or hiring someone that 100% matches your expectations. Sometimes, someone who is outside your comfort zone may end up teaching you some great lessons.
Where can authors and readers connect with you and find your books?
The best way is to sign up for my newsletter on my website, as that is where you will find out what’s happening with my books. I’m active on Instagram and Facebook, too, under @tessafloreano. I also have a free Substack about Italians in the Pacific Northwest.
Have questions about the editing process? We’d love to chat with you and help you figure out your next steps. Contact us to set up a free sample edit.
Sign up to receive our Substack newsletter, full of more helpful info and exclusive content.
