Liliana Tommasini – Author Interview

Meet Mom’s Choice Award-winning author Liliana Tommasini! She has written her first picture book and is telling The Neophyte Writer all about her writing journey.

The Neophyte Writer Author Highlight Interview:

TNW: How long have you been writing?

LT: I have been writing cookbook reviews for my blog, My Cookbook Addiction, and for the Food Bloggers of Canada for years.

TNW: Have you always written for children?

LT: Octavia Can Do It! is my first children’s book.

TNW: It’s exciting and interesting that you write in multiple languages. Tell us about that.

LT: I wrote the book for my grandchildren. Their mother tongue is French, and we live in a French-speaking province, so I wrote the book in English and had it professionally translated into French.

TNW: What drives and motivates your writing?

LT: Watching my grandchildren interact and grow motivates me to write. Seeing the world through their eyes is magical.

TNW: Do you feel it’s important for writers to use social media?

LT: Definitely. It is important for writers to use social media not only to promote their books but to connect and interact with their readers and with other authors.

TNW: Who are some of your favorite authors and why?

LT: There are so many talented children’s books authors, but my favorites are Robert Munsch, Eric Carle, Margaret Wise Brown, and Sandra Boynton. I read their books repeatedly to my grandchildren.

Some of my personal favorite authors are Louise Penny (murder mystery novels), John Grisham (courtroom and law thrillers) Elena Ferrante (literary fiction), and Malcolm Gladwell (non-fiction).

TNW: What books for writers would you recommend?

LT: Two books I refer to while I write are The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.G. White and The Writer’s Diet by Helen Sword.

TNW: What advice do you have for new writers?

TL: Write every day and don’t give up. Don’t compare yourself to other writers. Your story is unique because it’s your story, and no one else can write it. Make accepting criticism a learning experience.

TNW: Will you only be writing for children? Why or why not?

TL: Apart from writing cookbook reviews, I will only be writing for children. I want to write a book for each of my grandchildren where they are the main characters. Octavia and Ludovic will be welcoming a baby brother into their family soon. It seems like Octavia Can Do It! is the first of a series of books.

Thank you so much Liliana for sharing your writing journey with us!

Be sure to follow Liliana on her social media platforms and visit her website. You can also check out her interview and book giveaway at Kristi’s Book Nook.