Mary Ann Barrucco is a average, middle age, middle class Italian American womanborn and bred in Bensonhurst Brooklyn New York. She guaduated Layafatte High School and two days later her mother passed away from pancreatic cancer. A few months later Mary Ann met her husband Eddie. After 3 years of dating they married.
Mary Ann had the wedding of her dreams and looked foward to her new life.After three years of a happy wonderful marriage Mary Ann noticed subtle changes in her husband. They always partied and drinking was a big part of her life. But now Eddie was getting nasty and abusive. He started coming home late from work because he was hitting the bars with his friends.His drinking addiction went spiraling out of control and he had no intention of stopping. I felt so hopeless that it lead me to ALANON where I could learn to deal with disease.
My struggles continued until I found solace in gambling. The candy store on my corner had slots machines in a back room and that became my heaven. I hid there day and night. I started to call in sick to my job because all I wanted to do was play. Suddenly I hit rock botton. I was in deep debt and nowhere to run. I was going to kill myself. Then I found Gamblers Anonymous and it saved my life.
My husband continued drinking through everything until one day he got sick. We went to the doctor and he was told his a heart disease and needing a heart transplant or he would die. Now came another round of battles for survial. Through the grace of God We came out of it all with ultimate truimph.
Author Interview
What question do you wish that someone would ask about your book(s), but nobody has? Write it out here, and then answer it.
I would like if someone would ask me if my book has ever help anyone
Yes my book has help someone from killing himself because he was an alcoholic and his wife was a gambler. Just like Eddie and I.
Another woman told me my book gave her the courage to face her problems.
What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine or do you have any weird, funny, or unusual habits while writing and what are they?
I write in the morning or whenever I feel my brain working
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I pray to St. Frances De Sales he is the Saint of Writers and has never failed me
What is the single most important piece of advice for aspiring authors?
Never give up and fight and stick to your dream no matter how hard it is
What are your current/future projects?
I writing a book of funny stories things that just happen to me in everyday life
Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?
I wrote my first book because my heart doctor suggested that I write a book about my struggles and it became a healing process
What do you think is the future for independent authors and do you think it will continue to be easy for anyone to be a published author?
Yes
Are you traditional or self-published, and what process did you go through to get your book published?
I had an agent who found me a publisher It took 5 years for that to happen
Have you ever changed a title, book cover, or even the content of your book after it was published? What was that process like?
No
What opportunities have being an author presented you with and share those memories? (i.e. travel, friends, events, speaking, etc..)
I have been on many radio shows and shared with the listeners
My friends were shocked because they had no idea what was going on
I spoke at an open Gamblers Anonymous meeting sharing the pain
I have been in the program since April 2014 for 23 years
What field or genre would you classify your book(s) and what attracted you to write in that field or genre?
Non Fiction
What do you do if inspiration strikes in an inconvenient place like (car, restaurant, bathroom/shower, etc..) and how do you capture that moment before it gets away from you?
Think of a one work crash word that connects the thought
Do you have a target amount of words/pages for each of your books or do you just know when enough is enough?
Enough is Enough
How do you think you have evolved as a person/author because of your writing and do you believe your writing has helped others, how/why?
I feel wonderful when I know I helped someone
How much influence do you believe a title, cover, content, page numbers have in purchasing decisions of potential buyers/readers?
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Do you believe there is value in a Press Release, have you used any press release service, and what have your experiences been?
Many years ago I used Press Release and got many radio shows and the man that wanted to kill himself contacted me
Do you believe there is value in a review? Do you believe they are under rated, over rated, or don’t matter at all?
Value in reviews
I wrote a few that sold the authors books
What are your thoughts on authors doing review swaps, paying for reviews, or reviews that just don’t seem right for the book?
Write a review that is honest
Have you ever had an interesting, funny, or even bad experience during a live interview, reading, event, or autograph session?
I have had 6 radio shows that were interesting and I made them very funny on a serious situation
What is your biggest fear about having a book published?
That no would like it. My were true stories about my life and I felt embarrassed
What is the intended audience for you book?
Human interest readers
Addictions
Giving people Hope Strength and Courage
Give us a fun fact about your book(s)?
The funny stories and the memorable characters
If you had the chance to get one message out there to reach readers all over the world, what would that message be?
There is Help Out There. You are not Alone Reach Out and Call
What makes a good story, why?
A regular every day Woman can come out of Horror Nightmare with ultimate truimph
How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?
The name of my first book HI, my name is Mary Ann is from the 12 step programs. Each chapter is the name of a step
Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
Yes I read them but don’t respond so far all 5 star
What is the easiest/hardest scene for you to write, why? (Love, action, fight, death, racy, controversial, etc…)
Death
Were your characters based off real life people/events or did you make it all up?
Real Life
What motivates you to write and where does your inspiration come from?
Deep in my heart
What makes your book stand out from the crowd?
It is written with Truth and Contiction
What is your most/least favorite part of the writing process, why?
I laugh when I write about things I had forgotten
Books by Mary Ann Barrucco
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