Interview

Q: Fio, where did you get your name? I don't think I've ever heard it before.

A: My mother decided on my name. It's Italian. Fiorella means "little flower" and is the feminine form of Fiorello, as  in Fiorello La Guardia, who was a a famous New York mayor. .

Q: What about your last name, Plum? That's not Italian.

A: Mom called it a nom de plum. You know, sort of like the French nom de plume.

Q: Moving on, why is the good use of time so important to you? You write about it all the time.

A: I've had a strong sense of time passing ever since I was a child, and even more so now. I want to spend whatever time remains in my life making the world a better place by what I do, what I say, and what I write.

Q: How do you intend to do that?

A: I do my best to be truthful, loyal, helpful, kind, and caring. To speak out against wrongdoing and support justice, to move forward and not look back. I want to write poetry and books that explore our humanity in an uplifting manner.

Q: That's quite a XXXX. Do you really think you can accomplish all this?

A: No. But I can try. I'd rather be a failure than never have tried.

Q: Do you think you're mother approves.

A: Totally. We're very close, almost like the same person.