It’s been a long time since we caught up with Wisconsin native and bestselling author Danielle Trussoni.
In the nearly six years since we talked about her first book, "Falling Through the Earth," Trussoni, who now lives in New York, published "Angelology," which was a New York Times bestselling novel about the world of dark angels and the angelologists who hunt them.
In just two years, Trussoni – who hails from La Crosse – has returned with a sequel. "Angelopolis" is the second installment in a planned trilogy, the author says.
After catching up on Milwaukee gossip, Danielle Trussoni – who visits Boswell Book Co. on Downer Avenue on Wednesday, April 3 at 7 p.m. for a free reading and book signing – and I talked about angels and the business of writing.
OnMilwaukee.com: Can you tell me a bit about what made you decide to do a sequel to "Angelology"?
Danielle Trussoni: I didn't plan for this to be a series when I began to write "Angelology." But when I'd finished, I realized that there was more to the story than what I'd originally believed. Also, I had so much fun writing "Angelology" that I wanted to keep going. So "Angelopolis" grew out of a need to continue.
OMC: Did you have something else going that you put on hold to get back to the angelologists?
DT: No, I worked on this book exclusively. The editing process took a long time. But "Angelology" actually took four years to write, so I feel like this was fast.
OMC: Is there something about these characters that you really identify with?
DT: Yes, I love Verlaine's sensibility and Evangeline's sense of seriousness and purpose. In "Angelopolis," these characters are quite different from "Angelology;" they've changed a lot.
OMC: I assume you traveled to Paris and St. Petersburg to do research. Is that a perk of the job or were you so busy working while there that you didn't really get to enjoy it as you might as a tourist?
DT: Actually, I didn't go to St. Petersburg. I've never been to Russia, although I would love to go! But I did spend time in Paris. And when I'm there, I take pictures and notes rather than write. It's good to be a tourist now and then.
OMC: Can we expect another installment?
DT: There will be one last book – it's a trilogy. At this stage, it's called "The Angel Hunter" but that may change.
OMC: Do you get back to Wisconsin much these days?
DT: Not as much as I'd like! I'm living in New York and am really loving it.
OMC: Do you ever see yourself coming back here to stay?
DT: Maybe someday. My family is there, and so it might be nice to be closer to them.
OMC: Do you ever see yourself writing about Wisconsin again?
DT: My first book, "Falling Through the Earth," was about Wisconsin and about growing up in Wisconsin. I'm not ruling out writing about Wisconsin again. I love the area where I grew up.
OMC: Anything special on your to-do list when you visit Milwaukee in a few weeks to read from the book at Boswell?
DT: I'm planning to visit my godson Anthony and my baby niece, Alessandra, who was born in February.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
