Roxanne Veletzos
Author Interview - Roxanne Veletzos
Author of WHEN THE SUMMER WAS OURS
Set in Hungary during and after the Second World War, When the Summer Was Ours centers on star-crossed lovers Eva and Aleandro, whose passionate, forbidden romance is caught brutally in the wheels of history. Taking us from the Siege of Budapest and the Dachau concentration camp in 1944, to the Hungarian Uprising of '56 and into the final years of cold war in New York, When the Summer Was Ours is story of profound loss and second chances, of the healing power of art and music in dark times, and ultimately of a fierce first love that endures through decades of war, occupation, injustice and revolution.
Author Interview - Roxanne Veletzos
Author I draw inspiration from: Isabel Allende
Author Interview - Roxanne Veletzos | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: Early morning in bed, with a cup of coffee.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Count Rostov - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Author Interview - Roxanne Veletzos | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I've been in love with writing since I was a child, but it wasn't until 2011, when my father passed away unexpectedly, that I truly understood the importance of embracing one's dreams -- fully and in the moment. As difficult as that experience was for me, it also gave me the fortitude to finally write (and finish) my first novel, because life, as I'd seen, could change so quickly. I don't know exactly when I decided that I never wanted to do anything else, but I believe it was in the early stages of crafting that book.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Paperback for weekend reading; ebook for traveling on a plane; audio for long drives. Truly, I love them all!
The last book I read: Half Life, Jillian Cantor
Author Interview - Roxanne Veletzos | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: Computer
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Audrey (Theo's mom) in The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt. I loved her energy and fascination with art (which I also share), as well as her ability to create special moments for her son in a rather mundane existance. She just really resonated with me.
Author Interview - Roxanne Veletzos | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: A book editor. Or, a graphic designer.
Favorite decade in fashion history: Defintely the 60s.
Place I’d most like to travel: South America - Argentina, Chile or Brazil.
My signature drink: Red wine
Favorite artist: Picasso
Number one on my bucket list: Take six months to travel the world
Anything else you'd like to add: Thank you, Ashley, for this interview!
Author Bio: Roxanne Veletzos was born in Bucharest, Romania and moved to Los Angeles as a young teen. Already fluent in English, she began writing short stories about growing up in her native Eastern Europe, at first as a cathartic escape while adapting to a new culture, then to build on what had become a budding passion. Before she began writing full-time in 2012, Roxanne worked as an editor, content writer and marketing manager for a number of Fortune 500 companies. Her debut novel, THE GIRL THEY LEFT BEHIND, based on her family’s true story, was an international bestseller and was published in ten countries. Roxanne now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their two sons, and one very spirited Border Collie.
