8-17-25 — Special Report - Interview with Philip Fracassi
- Christina Pfeiffer
- 23 hours ago
- 5 min read
Hello, friends! I had the chance to send over some interview questions to Philip Fracassi and I’m just going to jump in because these answers are too good!
CP: When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?
PF: I was very young. In 3rd grade, we were given an assignment to write a short story and I wrote a wonderful pastiche involving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Reading it aloud to the class a few days later, everyone cracking up and applauding at the end, gave me my first inkling that I was onto something. Honestly, pretty much from that moment I always dreamed of being a published author, and have been writing ever since.
CP: As you have been writing for over fourteen years, how do you handle writer’s block?
PF: The only way for me is to power through. I think being a professional working writer means that sometimes you just have to write, and it’s not always going to be pretty and it’s not always going to be some amazing idea, but more times than not if you sit in the chair and put words on the screen (or paper, etc.) you’ll end up with something that you can use or, at the least, you can feel good knowing you accomplished some work that day, which goes a long way.
You've had quite a few releases in the last three years alone, which has been your favorite story from those and what made it a favorite?
It’s been a busy period, for sure. My first trade novel, A CHILD ALONE WITH STRANGERS, released in November 2022. I’ve published five novels and two story collections and many stories since that book was released, but that’s still the title I’m most proud of.
CP: Your novel, THE THIRD RULE OF TIME TRAVEL, is a bit different than your previous books. Where did the concept for the story come from and was it any harder to write than any other story that you have done? If so, what made it so?
PF: Yeah, it’s different in that it’s science-fiction versus horror, but it was an idea I was excited about and inspired to write. I tend not to over-worry about genre or how a book is categorized. I just like to tell a good story that excites me. For TIME TRAVEL, I was initially inspired by a piece of non-fiction by Michio Kaku that was discussing the idea of traveling through a wormhole to a past point in your life. From there a couple key scenes from the story popped into my head, and I fell in love with the idea of traveling to a point in your past and reliving key moments of your life. The horror being that you didn’t have the power to change anything.
CP: Your upcoming novel, THE AUTUMN SPRINGS RETIREMENT HOME MASSACRE, has an incredibly fun premise. Where did this idea come from?
PF: My wife and I were staying at a historic hotel in Virginia in 2023 while I was touring around for BOYS IN THE VALLEY. During a sunset stroll, I casually mentioned that the place felt more like a retirement community than a hotel, given the scope of the grounds and the historic aesthetic of the buildings. From there, the “what if” monster attacked my imagination and I began to formulate the idea of a serial killer in a retirement home. That night, I wrote a half-page pitch and sent it to my agent, who loved the idea. And away we went.
CP: Which character is your favorite out of all that you have written? And which one was the most difficult?
PF: I think my two favorite characters from my fiction are Rose DuBois, the protagonist of AUTUMN SPRINGS, and young Henry Thorne, the protagonist of A CHILD ALONE WITH STRANGERS. I fell into their heads very easily, and they both had wonderful depth and spirit. I’d like to write more stories with each of them (and probably will).
The most difficult character for me was probably Beth Darlow from THIRD RULE OF TIME TRAVEL. She’s such a complicated character with a strong personality. She’s a quantum scientist, so she’s super smart, but she’s also a single mom, a driven inventor, and at the same time completely broken due to a series of personal tragedies. I tried my best to get her just right, but it was tricky.
CP: Has there been a scene that you have had to type through tears or close to it? And can you explain what was going through your mind as you wrote it?
PF: I’m always emotionally charged when writing, and I’ve plowed through a few scenes over the years with the waterworks turned on. I can’t think of a specific scene that got me there, but there have been several. Usually I just take a short break when it’s done and gather myself. Weird to say, but it’s a great feeling when that happens.
CP: What was your last 5 star read and why?
PF: JAMES by Percival Everett was wonderful. I also really enjoyed Nat Cassidy’s WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME. Both were well written and brave, with strong voices.
CP: What was the best compliment you have received with your writing?
PF: A writer friend once told me I was a “writer’s writer”, and that was the best compliment I’ve ever received. The point he was making was that I don’t play the “like me” game with folks, and I stay genuine on socials, and I don’t chase awards and stuff like that. I just write and put out books and stories. As long as it pays the rent, I’ll leave the drama and hysterics to other folks.
CP: What is one thing on your author bucket list?
PF: I’d like to make the NYT Bestseller List once in my life. The odds are slim, of course, but if you’re talking bucket list, that’s something that would be at that level of fulfillment.
CP: What three books should everyone read and why?
PF: THE STAND by Stephen King, because it’s the greatest horror epic of all time.
THE SOUND AND THE FURY by William Faulkner, so you can get a masterclass in the written word.
FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley, because it’s a perfect horror novel.
CP: Are there upcoming projects that you could give us a bit of a sneak peek on?
PF: Sure, I have a lot of books coming out over the next couple years. THE AUTUMN SPRINGS RETIREMENT HOME MASSACRE on Sept. 30, then the paperback edition of A CHILD ALONE WITH STRANGERS on October 7, followed the re-release of GOTHIC on Nov. 11, then a new novel, SARAFINA, in April 2026, a new story collection, TRAPS AND SPECTERS, in Fall 2026. Right now I’m writing GOTHIC 2 : THE END, which is scheduled to release in April 2027. Hope folks enjoy the stories!
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