Mimi Costalunga Shares the Art of Love, Emotion, and Literary Passion Through Her Romance Novels

Exploring Love, Family, And Self-Discovery Through Romance

Mimi Costalunga writes emotionally rich romance stories that explore love, family dynamics, and self-discovery, offering readers heartfelt journeys grounded in authentic characters and compelling themes.

Mimi Costalunga brings both heart and craft to the world of romance fiction. With roots in Trieste and a life that has taken her across continents, from the skyscrapers of China to the quiet countryside of northeast Italy, her stories reflect a deep emotional intelligence shaped by a rich tapestry of personal experience. Since adopting her pen name in 2022, Mimi has devoted herself to writing love stories that explore not only the joy and vulnerability of romantic connection but also the complex web of family, memory and identity. In conversation, she shares her creative journey with striking sincerity—discussing everything from the emotional backbone of her stories to the meaningful design behind her book covers. Whether she’s writing about forbidden love in Verona or revisiting tales born in her youth, Mimi writes with a clear desire to move her readers—and to do so with honesty, beauty, and care.

Mimi’s stories linger long after the final page, blending deep emotion with elegant storytelling and a fresh, honest voice in contemporary romance.

Your books cover a variety of themes. What inspires the stories you tell, and how do you decide which themes to explore in your writing?

It often feels like the theme chooses me! While that might sound a little whimsical, the first spark of an idea often comes already mixed in with a specific thematic feel. Inspiration can pop up from anywhere, frequently in the most surprising ways. As I start to develop the main plot and characters, the underlying theme also begins to take form. I really believe that a strong, resonant theme is like the emotional backbone of any story, the thing that sticks with readers long after they’ve finished the book.

Given my focus on romance, I’m particularly drawn to exploring the often tricky dynamics of family relationships. I find that difficult family situations can create interesting internal and external challenges for my main characters as they go through their journeys toward love and self discovery. These family complexities – whether it’s strained parent-child bonds, or the unique challenges that come with a family member’s disability or illness – often act as a powerful trigger, adding layers of emotional depth and making the characters’ hard-earned happiness even more satisfying.

“A strong, resonant theme is like the emotional backbone of any story.” – Mimi Costalunga

Many of your books seem to delve into deep emotional topics. How do you balance introspection with engaging storytelling to captivate your readers?

For me, the key is weaving the protagonists’ inner journeys together with what’s happening in the story. I try to balance their moments of reflection – those crucial times when we understand their vulnerabilities, their hopes, and their struggles, often linked to family dynamics, with other important parts of the storytelling. I include descriptions that make their world feel real, action scenes that move the plot forward, and revealing dialogues that show how relationships change, especially the main love story.

As a reader myself, I find that lengthy passages of internal monologue can sometimes slow the pacing, and disconnect me from the story. So, when I write, I try to integrate the different kind of scenes. I prefer to show what my characters are feeling through how they react, how they talk to others, and with short moments of reflection that still have an impact. My goal is for the story to flow well and for the reader to feel involved, really understanding the characters’ emotions without getting lost in endless internal explanations. In the end, I want my style to be both emotionally engaging and for the story to keep moving, offering a fresh and honest take on the challenges of love and life, while being careful not to use the same old clichés.

Looking at your collection, each book carries a unique artistic touch. How important is visual presentation in your works, and how do you collaborate on the design aspects of your books?

Book covers are definitely crucial, especially in romance, since they’re the first thing a potential reader sees. They need to immediately communicate the tone, the sub-genre and, most importantly, the emotional feel of the story. A compelling cover attracts the right readers, those who will really connect with the kind of story I’ve created. So, I place a high value on their visual appeal and the overall aesthetic.

As an indie author, I’ve had the opportunity to work with several talented graphic designers, and it’s always a collaborative process. I come with a clear vision, often based on the core emotions of the book, the key themes – maybe a specific setting that resonates with the story, or a feeling that captures the main relationship. I share these initial inspirations with the designer, and then we work together to translate that into an engaging visual. It’s important to me that the final design isn’t just beautiful but also accurately reflects the heart and soul of the story inside.

Your website showcases a diverse range of literary projects. Can you share the creative process behind one of your most meaningful books and what makes it special to you?

My trilogy, ‘Never Enough,’ holds a very special place in my heart. The initial idea for it actually came to me when I was in my twenties, and becoming an author felt like a completely impossible dream back then. I revisited those early stories years later, even though they were quite raw and unfinished, and I was able to give them new life using the writing skills I’d developed over time, publishing them between 2023 and 2024. The fact that readers really connected with them meant a lot to me, especially because the story is set in Trieste, my beloved hometown, where I haven’t lived for many years.

If a new reader were to explore your work for the first time, which book would you recommend as an introduction to your style, and why?

If someone new were checking out my work for the first time, I’d probably suggest starting with my novella, ‘The Most Beautiful Thing.’ It’s set in Italy, specifically in Verona – the city of Romeo and Juliet – and it’s not just a really passionate age-gap, forbidden love story between a young painter and a well-known sculptor. It also explores themes of art and the appealing beauty of the Italian way of life. The writing style in that one feels pretty fresh and young, so I think it could be a good entry point to see if my other books are something they’d enjoy.