Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
Open for Submissions
Exclusive Interview with
Shelly Frome
When did you start writing?
It may have started years ago back in Miami when I submitted a short story called Powder Blue Sunday that was accepted by a small periodical.
What makes writing your passion?
Someone once wrote that when everyday life becomes too fragmented only fiction can provide a deeper and more meaningful through-line. It's the only way I can come to terms with issues, creative notions and unfinished business.
How long have you been writing?
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
They strike a chord, come alive and are necessary to create a narrative that appears to be self-generating.
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
Marketing which becomes a way of grading your work.
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
I trust my subconscious and provide myself with an allotment of free time.
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
You just have to love the process and the endless opportunity for meaningful discovery.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Instead of learning everything through trial and error, it might be wiser to seek out a mentor, editor or some kind of professional guidance along your journey.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
I feel encouraged that I may have struck a chord and my work has doubled back on some perceptive reader's life.
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
In Shadow of the Gypsy I related to Josh's underlying need to finally confront his nemesis and, at long last, go through a meaningful rite of passage.
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
If they reach out, I am more than happy to respond and/or at least thank them for their understanding and support.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
Who is your favorite author? Why?
I'm still taken with the work of Hemingway, J.D. Salinger, Ray Bradbury and the like.
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
As Anne Lamott would say, you'd be much better off nurturing your own vision, accepting your shortcomings and deepening each and every quest and foray. There is, of course, nothing wrong with being inspired by someone else's work if it helps you to keep going.
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
It's like dealing with spam mail. All you have to do is hit the delete button, refuse to provide them any space in your life and carry on.
What would you say to your readers?
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
I'm a widower and live in the Blue Ridge in a little culturally vibrant town called Black Mountain. I'm also a professor emeritus of dramatic arts from the University of Connecticut and a former starving New York actor.
What is your day job if you have one?
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
I write profiles of fascinating residents for the Black Mountain News and create novels. I also take care of Baxter my golden-doodle.
Did you have a happy childhood?
I had a challenging childhood and, as indicated, had to learn everything the hard way.
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
What we lack is the understanding that there is more to life than following a prescribed curriculum, making good grades and so forth. There needs to be creative outlets, opportunities to learn critical thinking, comparative values and ways of life and so much more.
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
What is your favorite music?
Share a secret with us 🙂
On the surface, I often seem to be witty and a bit antic but my true self can be found hidden in the pages of my novels.