Dina Santorelli

Voted one of the best Long Island authors for two consecutive years, Dina Santorelli writes thriller and suspense novels. Her debut novel, Baby Grand, the first book in her Baby Grand Trilogy, was a #1 Political Thriller and #1 Kidnapping Thriller on Amazon Kindle and reached the Top 30 in the Paid Kindle Store. Dina has been a freelance writer for more than 20 years and currently serves as the executive editor of Salute and Family magazines. Over the course of her career, she has interviewed many celebrities, including Maria Shriver, Martina McBride, Sarah McLachlan, Gary Sinise, Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Strahan, Norman Reedus, Vince Vaughn, James Gandolfini, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, and Kevin Bacon. Since 2010, she has collaborated on a variety of nonfiction titles, and her book Daft Punk: A Trip Inside the Pyramid has been published in several languages. Dina also lectures for Hofstra University’s Continuing Education Department and is a SELF-e Ambassador for the Library Journal. For more information about Dina, visit her website at http://dinasantorelli.com.

Welcome Author Dina Santorelli!

Thank you for this opportunity to connect with me. Could you share a little about yourself? When did you choose to become a writer and author?

Thank you so much for having me, Alison! I’ve been a professional journalist for about 30 years and began publishing fiction eight years ago. I have always been interested in storytelling from a very young age, and that interest brought me first to telling other people’s stories (journalism) and then my own. I love doing both.

Inspiration for writing In The Red

I was attracted to the title of your book and the cover. What inspired you to write In The Red?

Like Baby Grand, my first novel, In the Red was one of those stories that I’ve had lingering for many, many years. I was interested in the idea of a woman who had given up on love falling for a guy who was suspected of murder. Everything flowed from that premise.

How long did it take you to write and complete your book?

Usually, it takes me about a year and a half to write a book—at least the first draft. In the Red, though, took about four years, and I think the reason it took so long is because I started writing it immediately after I finished Baby Grand, which, in hindsight, may have been a mistake. At that point, I had decided that Baby Grand was going to be a series, so my headspace probably wasn’t conducive to starting a whole new world. Mentally, I still hadn’t finished with Baby Grand-land. Fast forward four years, when In the Red was done, I stuck it in a proverbial drawer so that I could write Baby Bailino and Baby Carter, the next two books in the Baby Grand Trilogy. Once those were done, I went back to In the Red thinking I would just have to read it through before publishing—easy peasy—but that wasn’t the case! I did LOTS of editing this year to get the book where I thought I should be.

How hard did you work to get here?

One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received from someone is: “You’ve worked for everything you’ve gotten.” I’ve worked hard to be an author. Writing wasn’t something that came naturally to me. I was a math-science whiz in school, but my PASSION was always writing. I wanted to do it well. I wanted to write stories. I thought I had those stories in me. Becoming a journalist first may look like a detour to some, but it was a blessing and significant in my journey to becoming a fiction writer. It taught me:

1. How to observe.

2. How to interview someone.

3. How to describe things.

4. How to edit myself.

5. It allowed me to travel and meet all kinds of people.

6. It allowed me to find my own style.

Every day, as a fiction writer, I utilize all of these things. And I’m still a journalist. And still meeting all kinds of people. I love dabbling in both worlds.

What is the message (theme or takeaway) can readers embrace in your story?

Hmmm… I’m not sure I can say without giving anything away. I’ll have to let readers tell me what that is. J

What amazing experience did you learn while writing In The Red?

I learned that I’ve grown as a writer. I never planned on re-editing In the Red this year. I thought that I would just read the book over and then publish. But my writing had changed so much in the past nine years that I found myself tearing the book apart—deleting chapters, deleting characters, changing plot points, etc.—to make the book better. So I learned that not only had I grown, but also that I was willing to do the hard work to make the book what I wanted it to be. I could have just published it as it was, but that’s not me. I like doing the hard stuff.

What’s Next for Dina Santorelli

Is there a new book in the making? Could you share a little blurb or give us a hint on the story or theme etc.

I am super-excited to be working on a sci-fi/dystopian thriller for my next book. A lot of people ask me what it’s like to be writing in another genre, but I guess I don’t see this as another genre. A thriller is a thriller. M pacing and characterization is probably the same. I’m drawn to fast-moving storylines and lots of action. The only difference now is that it all takes place in an alternate world.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a writer?

Write EVERY DAY. Push through the hard days. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think I suck, that I am the worst writer ever. Just about every writer I talk to has said the same thing. We are all hard on ourselves. But the ones who really want it are the ones who will push through anyway. As I always tell myself when the going gets rough: What have you got to lose?

Connect with Dina Santorelli

Readers, Dina would love to hear from you. You can connect with her here.

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