Sometimes the best way to know a person is by asking questions, so let’s meet Julia.
What is your name?
My name is Julia Elizabeth Bonatti.
How old are you?
I’m 37 years old, I was 36 when the Zodiac Mysteries began.
What is your profession?
I’m an astrologer and I write an astrological advice column for the Chronicle called AskZodia.
Do you have a significant other?
Sadly, no. My fiancé died a few years ago. He was killed in a hit and run accident.
Any children?
No, and it’s not looking like a possibility either.
Do you have any sibling(s)?
Nope. I’m an only child. My grandmother raised me after my parents were killed in an accident on the Bay Bridge.
Cats, dogs or other pets?
Oh yes, my cat Wizard. He’s all black and weighs 20 pounds and he’s the only man in my life.
What town do you live in?
San Francisco.
House or building complex?
I have a small four room apartment on the second floor of a duplex. I have a living room, bedroom, kitchen and a second room I use as an office for my clients.
Do you rent or own?
I rent. I wish I could buy my own apartment, but San Francisco is so expensive. If I could, I’d choose this neighborhood because it’s close to the ocean and socked in with fog every day. I grew up in my grandmother’s house in North Beach, but after living here in this neighborhood, I’d want to hear the foghorns all the time.
What is your favorite spot in your house?
I guess I’d have to say my office. That’s where I do most of my work and meet with my clients. The back window faces east toward the city and at night I can see the lights twinkling.
Who is your best friend?
Gale Hymson, the owner of the Mystic Eye, is my best friend. It’s really because of her that I became an astrologer. Before that, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my life. Cheryl Perugia is just as close a friend. I met her when Gale hired her to manage the Mystic Eye.
Amateur sleuth or professional?
I might be a professional astrologer, but I’m definitely an amateur sleuth.
Whom do you work with when sleuthing?
I’m a lone wolf for the most part, but I’m happy to have help when needed, professional or otherwise.
Favorite meal?
My grandmother Gloria’s baked lasagna. She’s a fantastic cook and sends me home with all sorts of care packages.
Favorite dessert?
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, with the exception of dark, bitter-sweet chocolate. If it’s that or a dessert made with dark chocolate, I’m lost! I’ll eat the whole thing.
Favorite hobby?
I can’t really say I have a hobby as such. I’m too busy with my work and my friends and the time I spend at the Mystic Eye for their psychic fairs. Not to mention the crimes I find myself involved in.
I don’t really cook and I don’t sew. I’m spoiled I guess because my grandmother is an expert at both of those things.
Actually, now that I think of it, I’d like to learn more about psychometry. That’s a subject that’s always fascinated me. And the Eye is the perfect place to pick up some books or meet someone knowledgeable. I do believe that objects hold energy and that by touching an object, you can learn who owned it and how they felt. It’s a fascinating idea, isn’t it?
Favorite vacation spot?
My favorite spots are the ones I’ve never visited. So here goes. Here are the places I’d like to see – Istanbul (exotic spices, gorgeous rugs), Tibet (I’ve heard the monks can move objects with sound), Paris (I took French in high school, maybe it’ll all come back), Budapest (because it’s so ancient and full of history) and Venice (I’d love to live in another place surrounded by water).
Favorite color?
I do like Scorpionic colors – purples and greens so dark they’re closer to black. And red. I guess red in every shade imaginable is my favorite.
Favorite author?
Any good astrology writer, of course, like Noel Tyl or Liz Greene or Stephen Arroyo. Oh, do you mean fiction? Uh, well, I don’t really read much fiction, but I do love the old grade B horror or sci-fi films from the 1950’s. You know, movies like Curse of the Mummy or Dracula or I Was a Teenage Werewolf. My friends laugh at me for loving those movies, but I don’t care, let them laugh.
Favorite sports team?
I know absolutely nothing about sports. I once went to a baseball game and once a hockey game. I really enjoyed watching the fights the hockey players got into. But baseball . . . well, all I can say is it moves so slowly!
Movies or Broadway?
Broadway’s a bit far for me, although I do enjoy catching road tours that come to the west coast. I look for foreign films when I go out to the movies. And as I said, if there’s a tacky black and white horror or sci-fi on TV, that’s what I’ll watch. I also have a great DVD collection too – vampires, mummies, atomic ants, brain eating bugs. You know the thing.
Are you a morning or a night person?
I’m both. I like to wake up early, fuel myself with really strong Italian coffee. Work for hours, then take a lovely nap so I can keep going till the wee hours.
In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
Wizard never lets me sleep in. He always comes first. I get up and open a fresh can of one of his faves, like salmon in gravy, and feed him first. I make a big mug of coffee and head back to bed to snuggle up and contemplate my day. Wizard always joins me after his breakfast and usually falls asleep under the covers.
After coffee, I get washed, dressed and tackle my work. I check my emails and messages and return phone calls. My day really revolves around clients’ appointments. That can take hours, but if I have no one scheduled, I get other charts ready ahead of time and then spend a few hours answering questions for AskZodia, my newspaper column. There are so many people who ask for help, I wish I could answer every single letter. I write that column anonymously. No one, except the editor and his assistant, knows that I am Zodia. I like it that way because last year my very sensible response to a question got me in a lot of trouble. Almost got me killed in fact! So that’s my day. Assuming there isn’t a murder . . .
Giveaway: Tell us, have you ever been to an astrologer? Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Tail Of The Dragon. U.S. entries only, please. The giveaway ends August 9, 2018. Good luck everyone!
You can read about Julia in Tail Of The Dragon, the third book in the “Zodiac” mystery series, coming August 8, 2018. The first book in the series is The Madness of Mercury.
San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought murder would be part of her practice, but when her former boss and current client asks for help she agrees to go undercover at his law firm. Three people have received death threats and the only common denominator between them is a case long settled–the infamous Bank of San Francisco fire. Julia’s astrological expertise provides clues but no one wants to listen. Before she can solve the mystery, two people are dead and her own life is in danger. Julia must unmask the killer before he, or she, takes another life.
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About the author
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink featuring San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti. Tail of the Dragon, third in the series, will be released on August 8, 2018. You can visit her website at conniedimarco.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the national bestselling Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime. You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of MWA, Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.
All comments are welcomed.
Years ago I took a night class that covered palmistry, tarot cards, astrology,etc. it was fun and I met a woman there who claimed to read palms…she read mine and told me my ring would be passed down to my daughter. Since I wasn’t yet married and had no plans for children I laughed, but many years later I did indeed have a daughter. But I have never been to an astrologer.
Hi Linda, that’s a great story! I met a beginning astrologer years ago and that’s the thing that got me interested. I hope you get to meet Julia soon. Glad you could stop by!
I have never been to an astrologer, but I think it would be quite interesting! I am open to any experience once!
Hi Barbara ~ I think you’d be pleasantly surprised. I discovered several on Twitter and now I follow them. Their posts are very interesting!
Yes, I have several times. An exciting & fun thing to do.
Hi Doward, great to see you here! That is so interesting. One of the best things about astrology is timing. Knowing when to make a move or take a chance on a new venture.
I have never been to an astrologer. This one sounds like I’d like to visit her – if she wasn’t ficticous.
Julia loves what she does and always tries to give her clients the best advice she can. Problem is, she always has crimes to solve, but I think you’d enjoy her company!
Never been to an astrologer but I like to read my horoscope.
Hi Sharon ~ I can’t resist rreading those either. They’re based on Sun signs, so they tend to be general. In other words, they set up a chart with the Sun at the first house or rising sign. So if your rising sign is the same as your Sun sign, then the predictions work very well.
By the way, that’s why Julia writes AskZodia, her advice column for the newspaper. Wouldn’t it be fun if there really were such a thing?
I enjoy astrology but have never been to an astrologist to delve any further. This book is definitely intriguing beginning with the cover.
Thank you so much Dru Ann for supplying your blog to those of us who
enjoy getting information about books prior to buying.
Thanks, Robin, I really love this cover too! And I love how the artist incorporated astrological symbols in all of the covers.
And me too, Dru Ann, you’re the best and it’s great to be visiting you today!
I have never been to an astrologist but my mom went to one once. What she said never came true. She did have fun though. Dru Ann love this style of questions to the lead character in the book. It gives you an insight to them.
Hi Lois, I really like Dru Ann’s new format too. Dru Ann’s been kind enough to host me every year for every new book and I really enjoyed this interview! Glad you could stop by today!
I’ve been to a psychic. He said I might have two children, but to be really sure before having them.
I adopted two children years later!
Wow! What a prediction, Libby! I knew a woman years ago who was a psychic and a friend urged me to see her. She was truly amazing. It was if she had a bird’s eye view of your life path. Not specific details, but she could see where you were headed. She did admit though that she (and other psychics) were very bad with time. I guess in that realm, there really is no time! (unlike on Earth)
I’ve never been to an astrologer. I’m curious what they’d say.
Hi Jana ~ I think there are people who would do this on a regular basis, but more likely people ask for help when they’re faced with problems. Astrology is a wonderful tool when it comes to understanding yourself (and others) and great for timing. And most questions are going to fall into the area of love, money or health. If an astrologer is good, they’ll tell you what’s going on with you before you even ask the questions!
I have never been to an astrologer, but astrology fascinates me. I’m looking forward to reading the book.
Oh, thanks, Dianne! I hope you really enjoy Julia’s adventures. Of course, she has to solve the crime(s) with astrology, that’s always the thing that gives her the clue that breaks open the mystery, but I try not to get too complicated with it. I do like things to be accurate because, believe me, someone who knows astrology will let me know if I make a mistake! LOL!
I’ve never been to an astrologer but think it would be very interesting.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Hi Sue ~ it can be pretty amazing. I didn’t start out as a believer, just curious to know more, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised myself. I hope Julia piques your curiosity!
New to me series. Will check it out.
Hi Cynthia ~ I hope you have a chance to catch up with the Zodiac Mysteries soon! Thanks for visiting today!
Hi Connie & Dru! Never been to an astrologer. I read my horoscope once an awhile. 😁
I can’t wait to read about Julia’s new adventure. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Hi Elisa ~ great to see you here! You’ll have to make an appointment with Julia at The Mystic Eye! Have a great weekend yourself!
Yes, I have – it was an interesting experience.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Mary. Would you go back to an astrologer?
No I never saw the need to go to an astrologer
Hi Joye ~ I hope you’ll enjoy Julia and her clients in the Zodiac Mysteries. Happy reading!
The closest I came was a girlfreind’s mother who was a palm reader. She read my palm and most of what she told me happened over the next 30 or so years.
Dru, would you believe not one of our local county libraries has this book?
Hi Nora-Adrienne ~ thanks for stopping by! That’s too bad about your library. What county are you in? Maybe I can donate one of the Zodiac Mysteries to them.
Dear Dru Ann ~. Thanks so much for inviting me to visit today! It’s always great to come back to ”see” you!
Thank you Connie for letting us know more about Julia.
I’ve never been to an astrologer but wouldn’t mind going!
Well maybe you’ll have a chance some day, Karen. But in the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy a visit to Julia’s world!
No I haven’t. Thanks for introducing me to a fantastic series that I have added to my TBR list.
Hi Vicki ~ I hope you get to meet Julia and all her friends at The Mystic Eye very soon!
No I have not been to an astrologer! I’m a wimp!
Oh,that’s so funny Renee! No need to be afraid, it’s really learning more about yourself. Happy reading!
I’ve never been to an astrologer but I’ve been to a medium who deals in a group setting, Matt Fraser, wasn’t chosen though. It was very interesting. Looking forward to your series.
Hi Colleen, checking back with Dru Ann’s site. Sorry I missed your comment. I think mediums are far more mysterious! And you can find them at the Mystic Eye bookstore in the Zodiac Mysteries too!
I have never been to an astrologer but it sounds like an interesting experience. Thanks for the chance to win!
Hi Ashley, I think you might find it very interesting. That’s how I first became interested in the study, and finally decided to invent Julia. Happy reading!
**** WINNER ****
Tail of the Dragon is Lois Rotella
Congratulations!
Thanks again, Dru Ann and congratulations to Lois!