Featured Interview With Christie Santo & Jeff Santo
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Christie: I was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area by a flight attendant and a lithographer who loved art and golf. Jeff grew up in Chicago who’s father was the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs and now has a plaque in Baseball’s Hall of Fame. We live in beautiful Burbank, California, blocks from Warner Bros. Studios. We have two adorable Boston Terriers who provide us with so much warmth and life.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Jeff: I was fascinated by the movies at an early age, not books. My father and his baseball teammates would always quote movie dialogue; my dad saw a lot of films during his baseball career. I loved movies just as much as I loved baseball, and baseball was pretty much my whole world. My brother and I had a unique upbringing hanging out in the clubhouse with larger-than-life Major Leaguers. I think it gave me a visual ability for storytelling. I took a lot in as a kid because my world was so fascinating. Almost like a movie, with so many unique people that filtered through my entire childhood. I think I started writing at an early age, in my head only, knowing I would write one day. I remember thinking that.
Christie: My mom was a bookworm and pushed it onto me. I think I loved the idea of books more than reading them, but I realized later on that it was because I had a hard time relating to the older stories given to me to read. When I was 14, a very kind woman gave me Jay McInerney’s “Story of My Life,” which changed me forever. I didn’t know writing could be like that, simplistic straight-up and real with a harrowing psychological depth that spoke to me. I decided right then and there that that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to write.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Christie: Well, I just told you how Jay McInerney inspired me. When I got to college, it was Elmore Leonard and movies. The indie film “Dream for an Insomniac,” written and directed by Tiffanie DeBartolo, moved me.
Jeff: Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and The Sea” is the one book I always go to for inspiration and writing lessons. I used to remember the first page like a long song, so I could feel the style of his sentences by speaking them out loud. It was the first book that made me want to read for more than just the story itself. It also made me feel like I could possibly write a book one day because I’m starting to understand how I could write it. It’s the same thing for me as finding a baseball hero you want to emulate or a musician whose lyrics capture your attention to explore more. I didn’t become a baseball player like my dad. And I didn’t have the trajectory to become a rock star. So movies and writing became the big picture for my life.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
Christie: Our book is titled “Ravens in the Rain: A Noir Love Story.” We fashioned this contemporary noir romance after the black and white film noir of the 40s and 50s, i.e., “In A Lonely Place,” “Gilda,” and “Double Indemnity.” But we infused our flare and twists, so it both distorts and yet stays true to the genre. And just recently released, we are fortunate to be receiving good reviews.
Jeff: The reviews feel rewarding because we literally put our hearts and souls into this book.
Christie: Our book is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook (both kindle and audible offer it for free with membership).
Link to our book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B095HYQ3YM?pf_rd_r=0QS17AYD9P7YR088YMVB&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=674c16b8-71e8-4cff-9db6-be299e53fcd2&pd_rd_w=xHfsr&pd_rd_wg=xQvt7&ref_=pd_gw_unk
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Christie Santo & Jeff Santo’s Website