I love Rome. It's my mother's city; the place where she grew up and where I have visited family and learned so much about my parents' courtship and history. So when I saw Mira's Diary: Home sweet Rome by Marissa Moss, a middle grade time travel novel set in Rome, I wanted to read it. My daughter and I did read it together and you can read our review here. I've also had the pleasure of interviewing Marissa Moss and asking her more about the setting of her novel.

Please help me welcome Marissa Moss.

LCR: Hi Marissa! Welcome to Library of Clean Reads. My 12-year-old daughter and I read your book and we got curious about a few things.

MM: Hi Laura. Thank you for the wonderful review on your blog. I enjoyed visiting your site, especially your Essentially Italian author blog -- fascinating!

LCR: Thanks, Marissa. So what made you decide to write a time travel novel?

MM: I love history, and time travel seemed like a great way to make a period more vivid. Plus, the wonderful thing about writing is that you can make whatever you want to happen, happen and I'd love to be able to go into the past and meet some of my favorite artists and authors.

LCR:  Have you been to Rome? My mother was born and grew up there, immigrating to Canada after she married. So we've been to many of the places you mention in your book!

MM: Yes, Rome is my favorite city! We lived there for a year and still go back often, at least once a year, if not more.

LCR: How lucky! Why did you decide to feature Giordano Bruno?

MM: I've always found Bruno to be a compelling figure. He was such a brilliant thinker, but he's barely known today (except for the statue of him in Rome's Campo dei' Fiori). He was truly a Renaissance man -- a philosopher, mathematician, writer, and theologian, all in one. Galileo gets all the credit for not being condemned by the Inquisition because he recanted, while Bruno, who refused to recant and was punished for holding many of the same positions, doesn't even get an official pardon from the Vatican.

LCR: Yeah, I didn't know anything Bruno before I read your book. If you could travel back in time, where would you go?

MARISSA MOSS has published over 50 children's books, and her illustrated Amelia series sold more than 2 million copies. Although she hopes to visit all the wonders of the world, right now she lives in the San Francisco Bay area where she can appreciate the Golden Gate Bridge from her window. Visit www.marissamoss.com.