In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m especially thankful and pleased to share a lovely, hometown interview I had with WriteNowPhilly.com, which posted on its website today. Drexel computer science major Tahsin Ahmed had the assignment of reading my debut, Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir, and his deep, introspective interview questions are still serving as a roadmap for my ongoing interviews and podcast appearances.
WriteNowPhilly.com is an online literary magazine focused on book reviews by Philly authors and articles about local writers, and it’s run by faculty and students from Drexel University. I can’t thank Tahsin enough for his incredibly thoughtful questions and professional engagement 😊
Here’s short excerpt of our interview:
TA: For a bit of fun—if you could go back in time and create a similar true-crime memoir centered on any historical figure involved in a notorious case, who would it be and why?
CC: I think I would take a break from blood and gore and seek a story that had something to do with an art theft or a jewelry heist. Or maybe I’d pile onto the search for who really is the Bitcoin King Satoshi Nakamoto.
I just read a fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal about a family member of the Hermès fashion dynasty, who was once worth $13 billion, but says he was swindled out of his family’s inheritance. Potential culprits include his lawyer and handyman … it’s a terrific mystery, and the billionaire-turned-pauper lives in the Swiss Alps. My family and I were expats in Geneva for three glorious years, and any chance to go back to Switzerland, I’ll take it!
TA: Finally, what’s next for you as a writer? Do you see yourself exploring more stories in the true crime genre, or do you have other projects in mind?
CC: I do have outlines for about half a dozen books—most are nonfiction with a true-crime element, and one is a mystery/thriller. I can give you hints about my next two most likely projects, and I don’t even know which will come first …
Check out the interview for the answer and the complete Q-A. Thanks again, Tahsin!
Carla Conti is a true crime journalist, storyteller, and prison reform advocate. Her debut book, Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir, will be published by WildBlue Press on November 12, 2024.
