Anna Casamento-Arrigo was born in Sorrentini, Sicily and came to America with her family and settled in New Jersey. After suffering a stroke, she turned to writing as a means of expressing her innermost thoughts through visionary prose. Inspired by music, poetry, and the classics of literature, Casamento Arrigo truly encompasses the breadth and scope of the written word. Casamento-Arrigo has accomplished a great deal. She has penned several children’s books, a memoir, “Weeds Beneath the Open Meadows,” an electrifying romance, “The Shadow’s Secrets,” as well as several collections of poetry! Casamento-Arrigo continues to make great progress toward complete recovery. She is, presently, working on several additional children’s books, as well as, another memoir, and collection of short stories!

For more information, please visit Anna’s website and her Amazon author page. You can also also visit her on Twitter and Facebook.
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What motivates you to write and how did you get started?

Once upon a not so long ago, I taught AP Language Arts Classes in an inner city school. I carry, not only the fond memories of those many years in the classroom, but, most importantly, I carry, protect, and cherish ALL those students, who taught me more than I taught them! A dichotomous situation: I’ve always written. From my early childhood days in Sicily, where I was born in 1955, to the present. It’s a dichotomous situation, as it were, because my earlier work was either to express my thoughts and feelings (a cathartic ritual of sorts), or to create templates, model, and guide those eager faces that awaited whatever and wherever writing released.

Sadly, or fortuitously, I had to go into early retirement as a result of a stroke almost eleven years ago. Thus, as I adjusted to my new ‘norm’ which included physical, occupational, speech therapy, and, essentially, learning how to cohesively formulate words into sentences once again. Thus, the adventures, my adventures began!

My first was my memoir. After days, which eventually turned into months, I took a downward spiral. I needed to stop my ruminations and the pity part that had only one attendee. Me! That little snippet of a memoir, ‘Weeds Beneath the Open Meadows,’ redirected or, more precisely, reconnected me with myself!

What’s most rewarding about writing?

The most rewarding part, for me, is when my grandchildren ask me repeatedly to write another children’s book! Although, quite frankly, getting those great reviews is second on the list tied with completing a piece that I know reflects part of that eclectic, weird, quirky, creative thinker I am and have always been!

What’s your favorite genre and why?

I’m multi-genre and constantly redefining myself. But, truth be told, I’m a poet! My affinity for poetry goes back to my father’s passing, which is when I wrote my very first poem, ‘When I Die,’ and is featured in my memoir. My love intensified during my high school years but, truly accelerated during my undergraduate and postgraduate studies. It was my second major, but, first love. Speak to me of Shakespeare, Poe, Whitman, and any of the Harlem Renaissance ‘beatnik’ poets, and I guarantee I’ll start reciting a few. If there’s such a thing as not having a filter on one’s mouth, then, that would be me when talking anything or anyone, the masters at the top of that list.

Where do your characters come from?

Most of characters, for example, in my children’s books come from my grandchildren and the beautiful and inspiring students I met during my many years in the classroom. However, in my romantic thriller, ‘The Shadow’s Secrets,’ those characters were, for the most part, taken from people I’d known in my very early years in Sicily. Although, they went through a metamorphosis of sorts, hijacked my computer (and my mind) and took it where I had not expected to go.

Who is an author who inspires you and why?

There are many authors who inspire me. But, since I’ve given myself the moniker, poet, I absolutely, as stated earlier, love and am absolutely inspired by Shakespeare’s works, Poe’s style, Dickinson’s fantastic imageries and metaphors, Langston Hughes insights, as well as those of Gwendolyn Brooks, and Ferlinghetti and Ginsberg’s raw and visceral approach to pen beyond political issues. I, also, absolutely admire William Carlos Williams’ work. One of my favorites is ‘The Red Wheelbarrow, and Robert Frost’s ‘Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.’ There’s this soothing quality to his work-I equate it to taking a stroll with grandpa, who points things out and allows you to come to your own truths!

What do you look for in other people’s books?

When I’m reading another author, I look for the unexpected, strong characters, believable plots, realistic dialogue, and, since I’m drawn to historical fiction, as well as anything ‘history,’ I look for accuracy in every detail. (Admittedly, I have this uncontrollable propensity (though I like to believe it’s an asset), to dissect and analyze EVERYTHING)!

What are you writing now?

My latest WIP is ‘Petals.’ It will be my seventh collection of poems and featuring some of my impressionistic artwork. Releasing this year!

What kind of book would you like to be known for?

I’d most like to known for my collection of poems: followed by my children’s books, and, finally, by my romantic thriller.

What has writing taught you about yourself?

I’ve discovered that, like life, I am always finding alternate paths: sometimes, frightening and discomforting, but, always interesting. My life’s experiences have helped me realize that there are always new recipes to be discovered for lemons.

What encouraging advice can you offer new writers?

As I had shared with my students, in the not so long ago, I suppose the best advice I can offer, new upcoming authors, is write from your heart first, then, go back and revise with your brain. And, to quote yet another of my favorite poets:

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath.