Sixty Seconds with Anna Mazzola

Sixty Seconds with Anna Mazzola

What means home to you?

It means where I feel I belong. Where the people I love live.

Is there anywhere else in the world you could see yourself living?

I really like Edinburgh. In fact, there are lots of places I could see myself living, but most of them are too far away from the grandparents. Australia, Canada, even America, despite the Trump factor. Maybe when the kids are older.

Something you miss when you’re away?

The tea, the cats, reliable Wifi.

One thing that always puts you in a good mood?

Coffee. Good coffee. I am a terrible grouch without it.

Your go-to, to relax?

Writing. Which is fortunate, given that I’m a writer. It’s my escape. And running. Literally running away from everything.

A recent book you’ve enjoyed, that you’d recommend to others?

That’s tricky, because I’ve read many good books recently. I’ll go for Little Deaths by Emma Flint. Dark and thought-provoking, with prose to die for.

A fond family story that always gets retold?

I’m going to go with the time we nearly missed our flight because we were having a huge airport picnic and then my dad (a chef) got stopped trying to go through customs with an enormous knife. Which he had brought for the picnic. Dads.

Your favourite home-cooked meal?

‘Pamela’s Spaghetti’ – a bacon and mushroom number that my husband cooks up following a recipe his mother invented.

And as we’ll be at The Bedford this year… Your favourite tipple from the bar?

I’ll have a Negroni, please.

Anna will be taking part in South London Crime Fiction Extravaganza at 13.30 on Saturday 10th June