An interview with Petra F. Bagnardi, author of A VEIL OF GLASS AND RAIN

Brina and Eagan meet for the first time when she's nine and he's fourteen. They like each other from the very beginning, although their bond isn't immediate, but it grows over the years. What links them is the fact that their parents are photographers and are extremely devoted to their work and to each other; so much so that both Brina and Eagan have to learn how to take care of themselves from a very young age. Despite their differences, age, gender, nationality, Brina is Italian and Eagan is American, they find comfort in their growing friendship.

Then Brina becomes a teenager, and her feelings for her friend start changing and deepening. New desires stir within her. As soon as Brina realizes how those feelings complicate her friendship with Eagan, she runs away from him.

 

A few years later, Brina is twenty and Eagan is twenty-five, they find one another once again. Brina is studying cinema in Rome and she's also trying to become a musician. Eagan begins to work as an architect in the same city. Eagan wants to be a part of Brina's life anew. Brina, however, is still in love with him; she finds it difficult to act merely as a friend and she keeps pulling away.

Set in the beautiful Rome, this is a sensual and romantic story of friendship and love.
 

(Recommended for ages 17+, due to sexual content and language)

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult.

The first time I saw Eagan, it was through a veil of rain.

The garden was dotted with small and big puddles. I jumped around them, pretending they were black holes that could capture me, if only I grazed their surface with the tips of my feet.

Eagan was carrying a deep-purple umbrella. I stared at him from the edge of a huge puddle. He stood on the opposite side and for a few seconds we considered each other. I noticed that his feet were too close to the water, and I wanted to warn him about the danger of black holes, but I felt shy. He was tall, like a giant. His smile was gentle, and he smelled good.

He contemplated the murky puddle that separated us with a serious expression, then he looked up at me. “I read somewhere that if you jump into a puddle, the currents will carry you away to another world.”

Suddenly the dark water became less frightening and more interesting. “If I jump in and get lost in the other world, will you run after me to bring me back?” I asked him.

He smiled. “Of course.”

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Hi Petra.  Welcome the Read Your Writes Book Reviews.  Could you please introduce yourself?

Hi Kim, thank you for having me here. My name is Petra. I live in Rome, Italy. I'm partly Italian and partly Swiss. I'm a screenwriter and an indie-theater writer, actress and director.

How has it been for you as a newly published author.  

I'm a self-published author, which means that I'm also my very own publisher. It's a difficult path, because you basically have to do everything by yourself, but at the same time it gives you the chance to experiment with your writing, your characters and your plots.

Tell me about A Veil of Glass and Rain.  What exactly is its premise?

It's the story of two friends who, over the years, discover that their bond is deeper and more profound than a mere friendship.

How did you come up with the idea to write the book?  What was your inspiration?

My main inspiration was the movie “When Harry Met Sally”, which is actually one of my favorite films.

What do you love about Brina and Eagan?

What I love the most about Brina and Eagan is that they're both very, very human. They're fragile and full of faults and imperfections but, as the story evolves, they grow and show an unexpected inner strength.

What’s your writing process like?

It all begins with the main characters. I spend days thinking about them and imagining how they look like, the way they talk, what they love and what they hate. Afterward, I work on the plot and on the thousands of ways in which I can make my characters' life very, very difficult.

Do you a favorite scene from A Veil of Glass and Rain that you can tell me about?

Well, probably Eagan and Brina's first kiss. It's a sensual and brave moment... but I'm not going to tell you more than this! (winks)

After someone reads your book, what do you want them to feel?

I hope my book will leave them with a sense of contentment and utter bliss.

~QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS~

Sunrise or Sunset?

Sunset

Favorite Food?

Pizza! (Big Smile)

Auto-buy author?

Carol Goodman.

Favorite way to spend an evening?

At the movies with my friends.

Thank you Petra for joining me today.  

I want to thank you again for giving me the opportunity to talk about my novel and myself.

About this author:

Petra F. Bagnardi is a television screenwriter and story-editor, and an indie-theater writer, director and actress.

She's an avid reader and an enthusiastic cinéphile.

Connect with Petra F. Bagnardi:

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