Book Cover Junkie Interviews Fantasy Adventure Author Paolo Mazzucato

Paolo Mazzucato is an American fiction author and screenwriter. He began his writing career as a Chicago playwright and award-winning student filmmaker before moving to Los Angeles where he won awards for screenwriting and scripted various projects for film and television. He is also the author of several children’s books including: “No One Mocks a Panda” (an Amazon #1 Best Seller, Feb. 2019), and “The Absolutely True Story of La Befana” (an Amazon Holiday Top 100 title). He is also the author of the fantasy/adventure novel, “The Gondoliers: The Secret Journals of Fanticulous Glim,” a “recommended” read by the US Review of Books.

Mazzucato’s new book will be launched on Sunday, September 22nd at the Orange County 
Children’s Book Festival in Costa Mesa, California. 

Find out more about the author on his website:  www.writer.mazzucato.org and follow him on his social media (Facebook, X and Instagram).

 Interview:

 Tell us about your book! What inspired you to write it?

Inspiration for AJ and the Incredible Fish came from years of wanting to tell stories on a grand scale that encouraged readers, both young and old, to reach beyond the ordinary and search for whatever they dreamed would make their life extraordinary. Fantasy/Adventure (everything from Gulliver’s Travels and

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, to Lord of the Rings and…Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) has always been where I turn not only for enjoyment, but also for perspective. There is wisdom within the quest to chase whatever dream of a fish you are willing to pursue, and there is meaning behind every character interaction and connection that can lead the way toward understanding, empathy and even the drive to embrace the unknown and succeed. AJ’s journey from doubt and uncertainty to wonder and belief, his new friendship with Livvy and connection with his Grandpa, is an invitation for each of us to chance the unknown and believe in incredible things again.

 How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing it, or did it come later?

I think I usually have a title when I start, because often the title helps set the tone of the story. If the story, however, takes me in a different and surprising direction, I might tweak the title in the process. On occasion, I have also completely changed the title of a piece because the completed book (or screenplay) needed something better than my original title to paint a picture in my mind. I’m pretty sure AJ and the Incredible Fish was my original title. I considered others, but nothing felt as genuine to AJ’s adventure and quest and also had that hint of subtext that readers would come to understand as they read on.

Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic     idea of what your book cover would be like?  

The collage of images from AJ’s adventure over an old world map of the seas was an image in my head even as I was still finishing the book. I had mocked up some art with character silhouettes over a compass and map early on, and when I met with an illustrator much later, I had very detailed ideas and compositions for the cover and each of the twenty-two chapter heading graphics and twenty-two chapter illustrations. I eventually forged ahead with the art, trying to recreate the cover and images from my mock-ups and from those in my head to best capture the fun and adventure of the story.

Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her?

Initially, I had found an artist whose website art I liked after a chance meeting at a bank where he was employed. I made the initial investment, but after a year of back and forth, I had to start over.
Fortunately, I have some graphic design and illustration background, so I was able to create much of the art for the book myself, and that all worked for the publication.

 What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

The only response I’ve heard so far has been positive. About the art, Kirkus Reviews stated that it has “an oddness that befits a delightfully bizarre narrative.” I like that.

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer?

You can’t really skimp on cover design. It’s the one thing that will either sell your story to a reader or keep them scrolling to something more engaging. If you have some skill, you may be able to create something that tells your story (or at least a part of it) in one composition, but beware of an image that is just too generic. I like to help authors when I can through mazzmediaworks.

Anything else you'd like to say about your book?

Writers write because they want to share their stories. But we also need readers to help spread the word about the stories they like. Whether it’s by recommending books to friends or leaving a review (even just a sentence or two) on Amazon, they are the ones that lift a book to best-seller status and perhaps beyond. AJ and the Incredible Fish is both an wild adventure and also a personal story of connection for me. I hope that readers, both young and old, discover it, enjoy it and find in it something that speaks to them as well.