Interview with Manuel Arbanassi

Today’s post is an interview with one of my favorite authors on Twitter. Not only is he a really nice guy, Manuel Arbanassi is one hell of a writer.

His debut novel Elemental: The Calling, garnered some very passionate attention from fans, and I see that he is already being asked by many about a sequel.

So today, he’s agreed to sit down and let me pick his brain.

About The Book

What is “Elemental: The Calling” about? Is there magic in it?

Elemental is my first published novel. It’s an Urban Fantasy aimed at the New Adult/Adult market. It's about six people all over the world having to face a destiny greater than themselves. And having to cope with very drastic changes. And yes - it has magic in it. Quite a lot of it too.

Who is your favorite character in the book? And why?

Uh, that’s a hard one. Doesn't help that in Elemental I’ve got a lot of characters, and all of them go through a very intense struggle. Having to chose one is impossible.

If there were a movie of your book, who would play Jason?

Oh, that’s an interesting question! I tried to go with sort of ‘about average/above average’ for their physiques and looks, so no Brad Pitts and such... BUT... For Jason, Josh Hartnett would work!

*Josh Hartnett works for me too! (wink).

Do you have a favorite antagonist in Elemental: The Calling?

Mh, I -could- answer that question, but it’s pretty spoiler-y. What I can say is, I try to make my antagonists not...evil for evil's sake? In a way, everyone is the hero of their own story. Their stories just clash with my protagonists’ story.

Will there be a sequel, (because a lot of people seem to want you to write one…)? Lol!

I’m on it! I swear! I know what I did and I know they wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t write one...and I do want so much to continue this story. I’m still on the fence if this will be a two-parter or a more classical trilogy.
I suppose it’s gonna be decided on the way! I just got caught up writing Tiogair first, but the next one is Elemental 2 after the release!

*Sounds like a plan! I know a lot of people are ready to find out what happens next. Now, to ask some more personal author-y questions...* 

*Rubs hands together mischievously*

About The Author

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

I think writing is more like a drug.
It’s a high, followed by a down. You start your story and you’re so excited, you stay up all night, do all that stuff. Then you hit the peak; then, there’s all the rest - editing, trying to get yourself out there, revising-- and that can be incredibly exhausting.

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

Everyone can - after all, it’s not a matter of just emotion, it’s a matter of experience. How we look at the world, how we feel the world around us changes the way we describe things.
I guess it’s a balance: I see a painting, I feel the emotional connection. Someone else sees it and basks in the technical perfection of it.
Both are valid experiences.

*Well said!*

What does literary success look like to you?

People loving my work. Literary success means what I write is read, analyzed, the characters interpreted - reviews, fan art, cosplay, fanfics, the works. Knowing what I wrote mattered to someone enough that it’s discussed, hated, loved, all of it.

I’ll be perfectly honest though, being able to put food on the table, electricity in my computer and something nice on the side wouldn’t hurt.
I have a cat to feed.

*Lol*

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

The only thing I’ll say is, careful people will notice hints and recognize things beforehand. In Elemental, there aren’t many secrets pertaining to other books, but I do try to put a lot of attention to detail - and sometimes, that means something carefully weaved in to almost pass unobserved.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Editing. And I don’t know if you can pin the whole 'marketing yourself' thing in the ‘artistic process’ term, but that too. Writing itself is fun, (editing aside), but everything else you need to do to get yourself out there, to have people read your stuff-- that’s incredibly rough for me.

*I agree completely.*

What inspires you?

I find inspiration in a lot of things. Mostly sleepless nights, an overactive imagination, tabletop role-playing and I never stop asking myself questions about my stories. I find it very inspiring even thinking back on the current published works!

Well, there you have it folks, Manuel Arbanassi, in the flesh! 
On Twitter he's @m_arbanassi
You can check out his author website here. He has an English version and an Italian version of his site, (which I thought was pretty bad ass).

Here's the blurb for Elemental: The Calling:

The nights of Jason, a normal student at the New York University, are tormented by images of ancient creatures and fierce battles. But when dark signs appear on his skin, he will have to embark on a journey along with five strangers.

Brought together by a shared destiny, they'll face it under the guidance of a mysterious figure.

Manuel Arbanassi is a currently independent author born 32 years ago and raised in Monfalcone, a small Italian town in the northeastern region of Friuli - Venezia Giulia.

Always with a passion for reading, (especially the fantasy and horror genres), he learned English mostly on his own through games and books, to the point he does his own localization work for his writings.

He firmly believes cats are bent to take over the world, and he’s currently living with one, Leo, to appease the future feline overlords.