Anna’s Dual Careers

Becoming a writer was not at the top of her priorities; in fact, it “was not even an option,” as they say in these cases. Anna Premoli, a Milanese with Croatian heritage, was the typical high school student who was “good at essays,” but nothing hinted at a future in literature. Her goal, or — rather — her goals included: “I was undecided between engineering and finance, two paths that both satisfied my passion for math and science. I then decided on Bocconi and the CLEFIN program specifically, which was actually my first preference upon passing the admission test,” Anna Premoli shares. She was a good fit at Bocconi, and her decision ended up being the right one, saying “both because of the material learned in the classroom — which fully met my expectations — and because of the personal relationships established, many of which I still maintain to this day.” Before graduating from the university, Anna Premoli began working in asset management at JP Morgan Chase: “Asset management was fun, but I missed connecting with people. I then moved on to private banking, working with listed markets, personalized management and much more. I learned a great deal during this time, and still work in the sector today.” That is not all, however, because — in addition to finance — she had quite unexpectedly gained a new career in the meantime. “It was around 2008/2009; those who worked in our industry, which was devastated by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, remember how difficult that period was. I was also pregnant and particularly anxious. During a doctor’s visit, my gynecologist found that my blood pressure was exceptionally high and adamantly told me, ‘You have to find a relaxing hobby,’” she recalls. She definitely did not imagine at the time that such an ‘invitation’ would take off so soon. “I started to read novels, especially by American writers, on my eBook reader — but I did not stop there. I began imagining how I would have written those stories, then I put pen to paper and over the next two years it was non-stop,” continues Anna Premoli, “I wrote two novels, but kept them for myself. I did not even entertain the idea of sending them to some publishing house.” Then, in 2012, her husband put his IT skills to use and tapped into the emerging trend of self-publishing, and decided to publish Ti Prego Lasciati Odiare on the online publisher, Narcissus. “The book was a huge success, which I certainly did not expect — so much so that my current publisher, Newton & Compton, noticed it and reached out to me. They eventually convinced me to publish the book in paperback and distribute it in traditional bookstores. A collaboration was born in that moment, lasting to this day and generating 19 novels, along with a Bancarella Prize from my very first book.” Two careers are better than one, one would say. How is it possible to successfully continue both, though? “The secret is not to have any time,” she jokes, “Working in finance takes up nearly all my time, but it also gives me different insights for my books because it compels me to read a lot. Then, since I have little free time — as I mentioned before — I am forced to carefully plan and methodically allocate my time to devote to both activities, in addition to the time set aside for family of course. I do not have any distractions; my time is not wasted precisely because I do not have time to waste.” And, at the end of the day, literature is not a continuous practice that you must constantly exercise: “It is not like a sport that you cannot afford to quit even temporarily; in fact, I often take breaks to disconnect. However, for now I am still able to manage both careers well, and have no intention of choosing one over the other. It is tough, but worth it.”