Know Your Neighbor: Adrienne Giordano

Oswego resident Adrienne Giordano is an award-winning author of romantic suspense novels. Her first book was released July 2011 and she’ll have five books available come this August.

Giordano said she’s always wanted to write a book and recalls having this desire as early as high school. She said life just took over as she followed a career in advertising, but the idea of writing a book was always in the back of her mind.

Thirteen years ago, Giordano took a leave of absence from work to spend time with her ill father.

“It was the first time I didn’t have a job to go to everyday and I just started writing,” she said.

As of six months ago, Giordano is a full-time writer. She said she carves out time every day for writing, with a goal of writing 10,000 words each week. She’s surprised by the amount of time she spends marketing herself, which includes Twitter, Facebook, a blog tour and blogging on review sites.

Giordano’s published books are a series of romantic suspense novels with some overlapping characters.

Giordano’s second released book, A Just Deception, has won many awards – including beating out a New York Times Bestseller, she said. Giordano explained that the main character is a sex abuse survivor and that she did tons of research and was very nervous about the reader response she’d receive.

“The response has been terrific and the reviews were great. I am thankful that people connected with the main character,” she said.

Giordano’s books are: Risking Trust, Man Law, A Just Deception, Negotiating Point (Novella – available June 4,) and Relentless Pursuit (Available August 2012.)

Giordano has constructed a network of professionals who advise on her books. For example, she met with a hostage negotiator to gain first-hand experience for her newest book. She recently spent hours researching how to steal a high-end car.

“The Secret Service is going to come knocking on my door and I’m sure I’m on the FBI Watch List,” she said about all the odd internet research she conducts for her books.

Giordano spent four years pitching her book to traditional editors and agents. Though she received positive feedback, she said she just hadn’t connected with the right editor or agent.

“I had to decide whether it was about getting published or holding my own book in my hands,” Giordano said.

She decided to publish with Carina Press, which releases books in digital format only.

“They have been fantastic to me and I’m very happy,” Giordano said.

Giordano’s husband, Larry, recalled when Carina Press first contacted Giordano to publish her book.

“She was overwhelmed emotionally. She had worked so hard, it was almost too good to be true…She saved the message on our phone for over a year," he said.

Giordano’s advice to aspiring writers is that “anything can happen in this business. Keep your options open to other possibilities … stay positive and focused on writing … I’m proof that it’s possible to have five books published in just over a year.”

Giordano also organizes Lady Jane’s Salon – a romance reading series held in Naperville. Four authors are reading at the upcoming June 5 salon and the $5 entry fee benefits Oswego’s Celebrate Differences.