The Writers Who Read series continues this week with writer Kristi Belcamino.
Who are you?
Kristi Belcamino is a writer, photographer, and Italian mama who also bakes a tasty biscotti.
In her former life, as an award-winning crime reporter at newspapers in California, she flew over Big Sur in an FA-18 jet with the Blue Angels, raced a Dodge Viper at Laguna Seca, watched autopsies, and conversed with serial killers.
During her decade covering crime, Belcamino wrote and reported about many high-profile cases including the Laci Peterson murder and Chandra Levy’s disappearance. And because of her police sources, she was one of the first reporters in the country to learn that the passengers on Flight 93 had fought back on 9/11. She has appeared on Inside Edition and local cable television shows. Her work has appeared in such prominent publications as the Miami Herald, San Jose Mercury News, and Chicago Tribune.
Her first novel, BLESSED ARE THE DEAD, was inspired by Belcamino’s dealings on her crime beat with a serial killer who police and FBI agents linked to the kidnapping and murders of little girls.
What are three beloved books you first read before the age of 12?
The Secret of the Seven Crows by Wylie Folk St. John
This is Paris by M. Lasek
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
What is one book you are always recommending to friends and family (and maybe the local barista) as an adult?
Peace Like A River by Leif Enger
What is your book kryptonite–those unique elements in a book, beyond just great writing and three-dimensional characters, that make you unable to resist reading?
I like books that show light shining in a dark world.
What is your ideal time and place to read?
In bed at night.
Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?
Lisa Unger’s writing, Hemingway, Ian Fleming
How do you balance reading and writing in your life?
I write from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday.
Choose your preferred book form: ebook, physical book, or audio book?
Physical book
Do you consciously plan your future reading–i.e., set book goals, keep a TBR list, participate in book challenges or book clubs? Why or why not?
No, but I always have a stack of books on my nightstand waiting to be read. A book doesn’t go on any of my bookshelves until it is read.
What are you reading now?
Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau
You can find out more about Kristi on her website, Twitter (@kristibelcamino), or Facebook, and you can check out BLESSED ARE THE DEAD at these booksellers: