Please help me welcome today’s guest, Maria Imbalzano. I noticed I have a lot in common with her (favorite book, for one), but I cannot get on board with her favorite sports team. 😀
Hello Maria, welcome. Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?
I am a retired divorce lawyer. I practiced law for 38 years and found it very fulfilling in that I was helping my clients get through a very difficult time in their lives. My experiences as a divorce attorney were instrumental in writing “Sworn to Collide.”
What was your first job?
When I was 14, I had a job as a candy girl at a movie theater. All my friends worked there and it was a blast. We saw every movie several times, ate as much popcorn as we wanted, and when all the patrons left and we were supposed to lock-up, we stayed and partied.
What’s your favorite book of all time and why?
“Gone With the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell. I loved learning about the history of the civil war but I also loved the romance aspect. The push and pull between Scarlett and Rhett kept me turning the pages. One of my daughter’s just bought me a leather-bound version with gold-edged pages for my birthday. I just started reading it again.
What’s your favorite childhood book?
“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.” Although it’s a children’s story that follows a young prince who visits various planets, the author makes observations about life, love, and human relationships. We were just in France, where “Le Petit Prince” is very popular. I bought a copy for my grandchildren.
What is your favorite quote?
“Some women fear the fire. Some women simply become it.”
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
In the Sworn Sisters Series, the four girlfriends are based on my high school friends. I’m still very close with them today. The stories are not their stories, but some personality traits, backgrounds, and physical aspects are most definitely based on them.
Who is the most famous person you have ever met?
David Copperfield. I was at one of his performances many years ago (when he was young and very handsome) and he pulled me out of the audience to go up on stage with him. He performed some magic trick with a duck. He did give me a kiss at the end.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
While practicing divorce law for over 35 years, I saw the many reasons why people were willing to throw in the towel. Of course there were the affairs, money problems, and marrying for the wrong reasons. But many couples grew apart because they couldn’t or wouldn’t communicate effectively with each other. The reader will see this problem in “Sworn to Collide.” Communication is key in any relationship, and if one or both parties aren’t sharing what they need or want, the other person is never going to be able to provide it.
Your favorite…
Movie Pretty Woman
Music I love female artists from rock and roll (Janis Joplin, Melissa Ethridge) to country (Kacey Musgraves, Carly Pearce). My ITunes playlists are very diverse.
Place you’ve visited Amalfi Coast, Italy
Place you’d like to visit Thailand
TV show from childhood That Girl
TV show from adulthood Younger
Food Pizza
Sports team Yankees
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Television
She thought she had it all—until she realized she’d lost herself
Excerpt:
After they finished opening their presents, I stuffed the discarded wrapping paper into a trash bag and turned to Ben. “Do you want to help make breakfast?”
His eyebrows shot up. “Sure.”
It had been months since we’d occupied the house together. Planning for today had set my nerves on end, but I wanted Christmas to continue to be special for the kids. Including him was a must, even if his presence brought back memories that hurt me to the core.
He followed me into the kitchen where I got busy taking out eggs, bacon, milk, and butter from the refrigerator.
“Jennifer is going to want pancakes, so can you get out the mix?”
He complied, and before long we were side by side at the counter, preparing a feast.
He cracked an egg and went to drop it into the bowl, but my hand got in the way, and the egg slid right over my wrist.
“Sorry.” He laughed despite his apology.
“You did that on purpose.” My eyes widened as I looked into his.
“I didn’t,” he protested, but he continued laughing.
I picked up the measuring cup with pancake flour and held it menacingly.
“What do you plan to do with that? If you dump it over my head, you’ll just have a mess to clean up.”
Instead, I blew against the top, right into his face.
His laughter rang through the kitchen and melted my heart.
“Perfect clown makeup. Who knew?”
I dusted off his cheek with my fingers, and our eyes met, all laughter gone for the moment. He held my wrist, keeping my hand there. Turning his face against it, he kissed my palm, sending electric currents through my veins. He inched closer, and his lips were a whisper away. I held my breath. Waiting. Wanting.
“Is breakfast ready yet?” Jennifer skipped into the kitchen with Johnny in tow.
“I’m hungry, Mom.” Johnny squeezed between us and clung to my leg.
I held in my frustration as I ducked down to hug him before getting back to work. “Just a little while longer.”
Disappointment wound through my being like a snake, but I had to tamp it down. Even with my resolve, regret streamed through every cell in my body and would most definitely last the entire day.
Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/bMj5AG
About the Author:
Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states. Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband–not far from her two daughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
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Author Alicia Dean 