Featured Interview With Toni Verticelli
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a single mom, indie author, secretary for the Courtney Anne Rice Performing Arts Scholarship and I love to write! I was raise primarily in Daytona Beach, FL, but have lived all over. I acquired the nickname “Gypsy” when I was young and do not like it. Gypsy is a derogatory word, though most people aren’t aware of it. I have 2 dogs, Bosco and Lucky, who have their own Instagram, 2 lizards named Skye (beared dragon) and Cerberus (leopard gecko) and a tiger salamander (amphibian) name Richard.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
The first time I was grounded at 8’ish I think? I was only allowed to read when I was grounded and my late stepmom bought me a ton of children’s addition Greek mythology and classics like Heidi and Oliver Twist. Once Anne McCaffery’s Pern series came inot m life, I was addicted!
I started writing in the 7th grade when my amazing English teacher at the time, Mrs. Beachy at Silver Sands Middle, realized I was dyslexic and basically forced me to write a bunch of short stories and would edit them herself and show me where I had gotten confused. She was incredibly patient with me and submitted a short story I had written to our local newspaper’s writing contest. I took second and bawled my eyes out because I knew I could do it after all. That woman was a saint, and I don’t know that I’d be writing without her.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Harper Lee, Anne Mccaffery, Jacqueline Carey, Jane Austen, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman….
Tell us a little about your latest book?
I am currently writing a fantasy fiction called “Chaos Calls”. It’s my 4th book and hopefully my first hardback.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles