The Heroine’s Journey of Chiarastella Campanelli

di Peter de kuster 

What is the best thing that I love about my work?

Invent projects I believe in and be able to realize them

What is my idea of perfect happiness?

Living in the present rejoicing each instant without thinking of the moment after

What is my greatest fear?

Stop dreaming

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

Don’t believe enough in myself

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire?

I appreciate various people for the strength and the passion they put into their work such as Saphia Azzeddine, the author we have just published, in perfect balance in her art and in its realization as a woman.

What is my greatest extravagance?

Take the time off and relax

On what occasion would I lie?

If it is necessary to keep calm those around me

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

The human factor when organizing events and authors deny their presence.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

In my office last year when we found out to have been selected by the European Union for the literary translation project, and I was the one who created the project.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

Mood swings

What is my greatest achievement in work?

Managed through my work to influence the publishing panorama of my country with our publications.

Where would I most like to live?

Happy with my family in any place

What is my most treasured possession?

The ability to dream, to have passion, to find the beauty in everything, plan and be skilled in public relations.

What is my most marked characteristic?

Being a little naïf and genuine

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

The sights like the garden of orange trees or climbing on the many church towers and see my city from above. Rome is the Eternal City, but the inspiration is always within us.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city?

La Madia a small bar in the Torrino area (Rome)

What books influenced my life and how?

“La coscienza di Zeno” that I read when I was 16; it made me realize that it is human to have weaknesses.

Who are my favorite writers?

Italo Svevo, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Orhan Pamuk, Susan Vreeland.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

Marcello Mastroianni

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

People who have energy and know how to transmit it.

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime?

“Blade Runner” and “8 e ½”

What role plays art in my life and work?

Art is the focus of my life.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

Festivals and Book Fairs.

Whom would I like to work with in 2017?

Santa Maddalena Foundation and some foreign publishers for children who develop certain issues related to fairy tale and art.

Which people in my profession would I love to meet in 2017?

All our authors

What project, in 2017, am I looking forward to work on?

Start to open the way for new publishing projects. Open our catalogue to publications for children with a ‘Waldorf line’, to dream and bring to life the most remote part of the soul.

Where can you see me or my work in 2017?

Mediterraneo Downtown Festival (Firenze, Prato 5-7 May) Salone del Libro di Torino (Torino, 18-21 May) Festival Nues (Cagliari, November 2) Più Libri Più Liberi (December, Rome).

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

The passion is the base that supports ideas.

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story?

The writer Selma Dabbagh in publication for our publisher for September 2017 (il Sirente / Altriarabi Migrante series)