every bit as goddessy as the characters she pens,
via her Facebook fan page.
JOSEPHINE, YOUR TRILOGY "STARCROSSED" CROSSES WORLDS, RACES AND GENERATIONS OF FANS. WHAT SORT OF INFLUENCES HAVE INSPIRED YOU TO REACH OUT AND EXPRESS YOURSELF IN SUCH AN INCLUSIVE WAY?
I actually felt like I couldn't use as many ethnicities in my book as I would have liked. I made the choice (for plot reasons) to have my characters look like gods from Greek mythology, and the literature describes the gods as white. I am happy, though, that such a diverse fan base has embraced my books. As for my influences, I think I'm just trying to be true to life by including as many different people as I can. Life is multicultural, I think-or at least mine certainly is.
WHAT FIRST TRIGGERED YOUR INTEREST IN MYTHOLOGY?
I started reading mythology when I was very young. I think it was a combination of being a fantasy geek and the fact that they happened to be on the bookshelf at home. I was really into magic and monsters and Greek mythology had it all-hydras, sirens, Cyclopes, you name it. HAVE YOU HAD AN ORION OR LUCAS (THE BOOKS' LEADING MEN) IN YOUR OWN LIFE?
Haha! This is the part where I say that all of my male characters are modeled after my husband and earn major brownie points! Actually, I think that my characters have more of me in them than anyone else, even the guys. Except Hector. Hector is the guy I wish I could be just for a day. He's cocky and he always speaks his mind even if other people don't like what he has to say. He's a jerk, but in a fun way.
THE TITLES OF YOUR TRILOGY HAVE 'MATURED' RIGHT ALONG WITH YOUR PROTAGONIST HELEN HAMILTON. FIRST SHE WAS "STARCROSSED "- A FEELING SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN CAN RELATE TO. BY "DREAMLESS" HELEN SEEMED WISER WITH MUCH MORE RESPONSIBILITY. AT LAST SHE EVOLVED INTO A "GODDESS "IN HER OWN RIGHT, SO TO SPEAK. HOW HAVE YOU PERSONALLY GROWN IN YOUR JOURNEY WITH HELEN?
"Starcrossed" was the first book I ever wrote, and I've been learning on the job ever since. I think my writing has grown, and I know that on a personal level I have as well. By the time I got to "Goddess", I was a lot more confident about my storytelling and less worried about what other people thought.
AFTER INVESTING SO MUCH LOVE AND CARE INTO YOUR TRILOGY HAS IT BEEN HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO IT?
I haven't really said goodbye just yet. I'm thinking about writing prequels to the series, and maybe in a few years I'll continue with Helen and Lucas' story as well. At the end of "Goddess" they still have a few lingering issues to deal with that would make interesting storylines, I think. CLEARLY, YOU DEVOTE A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO CONNECTING WITH YOUR FANS. WHAT DO YOU DO JUST FOR YOU?
Hot yoga. There's nothing like twisting yourself into a pretzel while you're sweating your brains out. Really puts things into perspective.
WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON NEXT? A BOOK TOUR? A WELL EARNED REST? THE FIRST FEW PAGES OF YOUR NEXT POPULAR SAGA?
I can't post the first few pages just yet, but I do have another series waiting in the wings. I've titled the first book "Crucible," and it's what I call a fanta-sci series. Part fantasy, part science fiction. I have no idea when it will be coming out-probably not for another year or so.
STARCROSSED
Helen Hamilton has always tried to hide how different she is-no easy feat on an island as small as Nantucket, and only getting harder as she finds herself haunted by hallucinations and vivid nightmares.
It's not until she crosses paths with Lucas Delos at school that Helen's true heritage is finally revealed. Yet even as Lucas helps her awaken to her startling powers, they can never be together-not unless they can break free from the tragic destiny the Three Fates have in store.
DREAMLESS
Can true love be forgotten? As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.
Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out-a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.
As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling "Starcrossed" delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.
GODDESS After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.
To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas's life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.
