fuonlyknew

 INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR  DAN ROMANELLO

Why did you start writing later in your career and why do you write fiction?

I retired from the practice of law in 2017 and prior to that work and family had occupied much of my time. After retirement I coached college athletics and then COVID shut down the sports programs and the entire campus. I suddenly found myself with a lot of time on my hands and decided to start writing. I wanted to have fun with it, something that would entertain readers and provide them with an escape, so I chose to write contemporary fiction. The first book in the Dylan Tomassi series, PAPERBOY, a coming-of-age thriller, was published in 2022.

Are any of the characters in the series based upon real life people you have known?

The short answer is no. All the characters are derived from my wildly vivid imagination, although some of the books’ villains share characteristics with people you may be reminded of and that was done intentionally as part of the extrapolation feature of the writing.

Are you sure Dylan Tomassi is not based on you?

That’s probably the most frequent question I get from readers, and the answer is no. Dylan is tall, handsome, smart, and extremely well-grounded. He came from a hardscrabble background and became incredibly wealthy and successful. Along his journey, he is guided by an unrelenting work ethic and strong moral compass and his somewhat naïve outlook allows him to view the ways of the world through an apolitical perspective of common sense and reasonableness. He’s almost too good to be true, and I am far from that.

Is there anything that you and Dylan have in common?

We both grew up in Connecticut, had paper routes, and relocated to Florida after graduating from college. We also both enjoy sports and fitness. The similarities pretty much end there.

What is your proudest moment so far since you began writing?

When PAPERBOY became an Amazon number one best seller.

Your books often go into detail on the background of various subjects. Where do you get that information and is it all fact based?

Some of the subjects that are weaved into the plots, including the newspaper industry, college athletics, and the criminal justice system, involve areas where I have worked at various times in my career and I rely a great deal on my background and experience. I do extensive research on all the other subjects I write about where I have no specialized knowledge, such as the banking system, climate change, and education. All the story lines themselves are fictional, but I do try to be factually accurate when describing the fundamentals of the various institutions. 

Where can we find more information about you and what can we expect to see in the future?

The best source of information is my website at authordanromanello.com. TWO LEFTS DON’T MAKE A RIGHT is the third book in the series and the fourth book, MED MAL U, is in the works and set to be released sometime next year.