Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Alyssa Palombo

Alyssa Palombo is a writer living and working in Buffalo, NY. She attended Canisius College in Buffalo, where she majored in English and creative writing with a minor in music. She is a classically trained mezzo-soprano who also dabbles in playing piano. When not writing, Palombo can usually be found reading, hanging out and laughing way too hard at nonsensical inside jokes with friends, traveling (or dreaming of her next travel destination), at a concert, or planning for next Halloween. She is a metalhead and a self-proclaimed French fry connoisseur. She also owns way too many hoodies, pairs of sunglasses, and pajamas, but never enough books.

Palombo is the author of three historical novels, The Violinist of Venice, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence, and The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel.

Recently I asked Palombo about what she was reading. Her reply:
Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton: This book is the perfect eerie, atmospheric fall read. The novel is set in the fictional village of Three Graces, where long ago a witch made a pact with the devil, and forever after no sickness or evil or misfortune shall befall anyone in the village – so long as every few years a boy is sacrificed to the devil in the forest. The plot centers on three friends: Rhun, the likely next “saint”; Arthur, who wants nothing more than to become a saint and prove himself; and Mairwen, daughter of the village’s witch. When a sacrifice is demanded early, things in Three Graces begin to take an odd turn. I’m not quite halfway through this one yet, but I’m just loving it so far. Gratton sucks you right in with her otherworldly plot and setting, and with her lovely writing.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu: This historical horror novel tells the story of the infamous Donner party. I’m only about halfway through, and things have been dark and are getting darker. This book has that thing that I always love in a horror novel – a pervasive, palpable dread right from page one. There are hints that there is going to be a supernatural element to the Donner party’s fate – if Sam and Dean Winchester have taught me anything, I’m guessing that there are wendigoes involved here.
Visit Alyssa Palombo's website.

My Book, The Movie: The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel.

--Marshal Zeringue