I haven't read Mr. Nappi's book, but you will find a summary and interview below.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on my blog today.
Book Summary:
Nobody Has To Know, Frank
Nappi's dark and daring new thriller, tells the story of
Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose
relationship with one of his students leads him down an
unfortunate and self-destructive path. Stalked through
text-messages, Baldridge fights for his life against a
terrifying extortion plot and the forces that threaten to
expose him.
Nobody Has To Know is a sobering look into a world of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you love.
Frank Nappi's Bio:
Nobody Has To Know is a sobering look into a world of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you love.
Frank Nappi's Bio:
Frank Nappi has taught high school
English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut
novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national
attention, including MWSA's silver medal for outstanding fiction.
His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler,
garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the
touching story "A Mile in His Shoes" starring Dean Cain and Luke
Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, including Sophomore
Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded
original story, and is presently at work on a third installment of
the unique series. Frank lives on Long Island with his wife Julia
and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.
Interview
1. What inspired you to start writing?
I feel as though I have always had the desire to put words on paper. It goes way
back for me. I have a vague recollection of when I first began writing. I can
remember writing a story when I was very young - maybe five or six years old. It
was about a king who rescues a girl and makes her his queen. Not really sure
where the idea came from, or even how good it was. I just remember my mom typing
it for me when I was finished and that image always makes me smile. As time
went on, this very powerful, ineffable need to write led me to the publication
of several short essay pieces in Newsday’s “500 Words or Less” column. This was
very gratifying for me but only fueled this desire to produce more substantial
work -- something like a novel. However, as the cliche goes, I lacked the proper
muse or inspiration. I just did not know what it was I was going to write about.
And I did not want my first effort to be gratuitous in any way; it needed to be
something poignant, something close to my heart. Then I met two very special
WWII veterans - Mr. Bill McGinn and Mr. Eddie Hynes -- during a Veterans Speaker
Program that I initiated at Oceanside High School for my classes, I was moved
like never before. The stories they told me, and our subsequent friendship,
became the basis for my award winning Echoes From The Infantry. I have been
writing ever since. Thank you Bill and Eddie.
2. Who is your favorite author and why?
My favorite author is probably the favorite author of every writer - or at least
he should be. F.Scott Fitzgerald was a linguistic genius. He understood the
rhythm of the written word the way a composer understands musical notes. There
is such an ease and natural flow to his work - tantamount to the way the birds
sing. It’s seamless, beautiful and moving. The Great Gatsby, his signature work,
embodies all of these qualities like no other work of American fiction. Many of
Fitzgerald’s shorter works possess this same artfulness.
3. Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.
Well, as you know, Nobody Has to Know is a dark and somewhat daring
psychological thriller that, tells the story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular
high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down
an unfortunate and self-destructive path. Stalked through text-messages,
Baldridge fights for his life against a terrifying extortion plot and the forces
that threaten to expose him. Nobody Has to Know is a sobering look into a world
of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering
many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you
love. On a more profound level, Nobody Has To Know illustrates how the landscape
of our past influences our present and how, sadly, some of these more indelible
moments hold us prisoner for the duration of our lives. However, what few people
realize is that the ending of the original story was very different. I will not
go into too much detail for obvious reasons, but I will say that initially, much
of the “action” in the story was revealed to the reader at the end as “just a
dream sequence.” It wasn’t until I realized that readers might feel cheated
and/or duped that I decided to alter it.
4. Describe your writing space.
I suppose my writing space is not that unlike those of other authors.
Well...maybe that’s not entirely true. I do most of my writing in my office at
home, a modest room with walls adorned with my most treasured baseball
memorabilia, highlighted by a beautiful 16X20 black and white Cooperstown signed
photo of Ted Williams which hangs right over my desk. I have other wonderful
items in the room as well, including game used spikes signed by Tony Gwynn, an
autographed Sports Illustrated cover celebrating Hank Aaron’s 715th home run and
two Shea Stadium seats that I acquired after the Mets shut down the old place.
There’s lots more as well. My actual desk is littered with items you would
expect any author to have handy -- some practical and germane to the writing
process and some which hover I suppose in the realm of the idiosyncratic I
suppose. I have plenty of pens and pencils, a clock, an old fashioned
dictionary, and other office supply stuff like paper clips, tape, staples, etc.
The more colorful items cluttering my desktop include a tiny wooden Hemingway
House replica I bought while in Key West, a 12 inch Batman figure, New York Met
Bobblehead, San Diego Sno Globe, lots of loose family photos and an F.Scott
Fitzgerald magnetic finger puppet I received as a gift. It is quite an odd
amalgamation of things but it works for me!
5. What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Well writing is a broad term; it includes everything that is written. If you
are asking about what makes a novel a good novel, that is a little more
manageable. In any great work, one that resonates with the reader, there needs
to be authenticity with regard to the characters. If a reader does not invest in
the characters, the author’s message is lost. It is my experience that “real
characters” think and act just as real folks would. There is nothing contrived
about their existence – their words and emotional responses to situations are
emblematic of those of real people. This can be accomplished in part through the
use of flashbacks, which become windows into the psyches of these individuals.
If a reader knows where a character has been, where he is presently becomes far
more plausible. I also feel that attention to craft in language is essential to
capturing an audience. The way someone tells a story is at times as important as
the story itself.
6. Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
Yes, all the time. And it is always such a pleasure to read what they have to
say. I have had the good fortune of receiving some very heartfelt emails and
letters from readers who have used my work as either inspiration in their own
lives or as a reconciling power when things are amiss. There is nothing more
poignant than reading the words of someone you have touched on either an
intellectual or emotional level. The messages that express admiration for what
you have done from a purely artistic standpoint are also very rewarding.
7. What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
Insanity would be an understatement. The actual writing is so enjoyable for me.
It is a wonderful escape into my own world. But finding the time to do it is
arduous. Balancing a full time teaching schedule and a family is hard enough,
but “moonlighting” as an author makes any semblance of normalcy near impossible.
But that’s okay -- normal is way overrated.
8. What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
I would offer the same advice that Scott Turow gave to me. Just keep writing.
This is a very difficult business. It is easy to be come cynical and jaded in
the wake of all the rejection and disappointment you face. But if you have
talent and really want to write, you must persevere. Refuse to take no for an
answer. I believe that many a brilliant writing career has ended way too early
because the author just gave up. Writing professionally is not for the feint of
heart. It is fraught with all sorts of pitfalls and obstacles. But the challenge
is what makes it so exhilarating. If it were easy, everyone would do it.
9. Are you working on anything at the present you would like to tell us about?
I am always working on something. There are many ideas that I am playing with,
many of which have yet to come to fruition. However, I am deep into the final
installment of my Mickey Tussler series.
10. What comes first, the plot or characters?
That is an excellent question, one that so many of the students in my Creative
Writing classes ask all the time. The truth is, it happens both ways. My first
novel, Echoes From The Infantry, began with a very complex character who suffers
from the insidious residue of WWII. He was fully developed in my mind before I
ever wrote one word. The fictional framework came later on. In the first Mickey
Tussler novel, it was just the opposite. I had already written a first chapter
before I ever really knew exactly who my protagonist was going to be. The same
is true for my latest novel, Nobody Has To Know. This is the beauty of the
writing process. Stories come from so many different places and are executed in
so many different ways.
11. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Nobody Has To Know is the fourth novel I have had published. A favorite? Hmmm.
Each one is special in its own way. Sounds like a cop out, right? But it is hard
to answer a question like that, especially since my work is so diverse. Echoes
From The Infantry is my first novel, so that is special for obvious reasons. I
love many of the characters and scenes in the Mickey Tussler series and the risk
factor inherently present in Nobody Has To Know makes that one notable. It is a
tough call for sure. I suppose I will let readers decide that one.
12. Who is your favorite author and why?
My favorite author is probably the favorite author of every writer - or at least
he should be. F.Scott Fitzgerald was a linguistic genius. He understood the
rhythm of the written word the way a composer understands musical notes. There
is such an ease and natural flow to his work - tantamount to the way the birds
sing. It’s seamless, beautiful and moving. The Great Gatsby, his signature work,
embodies all of these qualities like no other work of American fiction. His
shorter fiction is just as engaging.
13. What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
The ability to play the piano. I love piano music.
14. Weather: Hot or cold?
Definitely hot. If I never saw another snowflake again I would be just fine.
15. Do you have a favorite quote or saying?
I have many favorites, but of late, the Japanese proverb “Fall down seven times,
get up eight” has become somewhat of a mantra of mine. Dealing with the
vicissitudes of life can be challenging at times and all we really have as our
defense is an undaunted spirit.
16. What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?
I am milk phobic. It’s a long story, but it involves a rather tepid container of
expired milk and a tyrannical first grade teacher. Enough said.
17. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love the beach, especially in the off season. I spend a lot of time there. I
am also a rabid baseball fan, so many hours are spent watching my two sons play
the greatest game there is or lamenting the fate of my New York Mets. Country
music aint so bad either!
18. Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.
About a year after Echoes From The Infantry was published by St. Martin’s Press,
I received an email from a man in Tennessee. His letter was not so much one of
admiration for my writing as it was a confession of sorts. It seems that this
gentleman grew up with a WWII veteran for a father -- a man who resembled very
much my James McCleary. His relationship with his father was fractious and
strained in ways similar to what I described in the book. However, his father
passed away before he ever had the chance to reconcile some of these feelings
that existed between the two of them. Even though this gentleman from Tennessee
knew my story was fiction, he was able to gain insight into his father's mien
and temperament and used the book’s ending as a vehicle through which he could
finally obtain closure and move on. He told me that my novel saved his life. I’m
not sure that I will ever receive another letter that will mean more to me than
this one.
19. If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you
pick?
Nobody Has To Know of course. I think it would be a huge success given peoples’
penchant for stories with a lot of twists and unexpected outcomes.
20. Have you ever eaten a crayon?
Not to my knowledge, but I think I swallowed a fairly large piece of a cherry
Chapstick once and I am not ashamed to say it tasted pretty good.
I feel as though I have always had the desire to put words on paper. It goes way
back for me. I have a vague recollection of when I first began writing. I can
remember writing a story when I was very young - maybe five or six years old. It
was about a king who rescues a girl and makes her his queen. Not really sure
where the idea came from, or even how good it was. I just remember my mom typing
it for me when I was finished and that image always makes me smile. As time
went on, this very powerful, ineffable need to write led me to the publication
of several short essay pieces in Newsday’s “500 Words or Less” column. This was
very gratifying for me but only fueled this desire to produce more substantial
work -- something like a novel. However, as the cliche goes, I lacked the proper
muse or inspiration. I just did not know what it was I was going to write about.
And I did not want my first effort to be gratuitous in any way; it needed to be
something poignant, something close to my heart. Then I met two very special
WWII veterans - Mr. Bill McGinn and Mr. Eddie Hynes -- during a Veterans Speaker
Program that I initiated at Oceanside High School for my classes, I was moved
like never before. The stories they told me, and our subsequent friendship,
became the basis for my award winning Echoes From The Infantry. I have been
writing ever since. Thank you Bill and Eddie.
2. Who is your favorite author and why?
My favorite author is probably the favorite author of every writer - or at least
he should be. F.Scott Fitzgerald was a linguistic genius. He understood the
rhythm of the written word the way a composer understands musical notes. There
is such an ease and natural flow to his work - tantamount to the way the birds
sing. It’s seamless, beautiful and moving. The Great Gatsby, his signature work,
embodies all of these qualities like no other work of American fiction. Many of
Fitzgerald’s shorter works possess this same artfulness.
3. Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.
Well, as you know, Nobody Has to Know is a dark and somewhat daring
psychological thriller that, tells the story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular
high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down
an unfortunate and self-destructive path. Stalked through text-messages,
Baldridge fights for his life against a terrifying extortion plot and the forces
that threaten to expose him. Nobody Has to Know is a sobering look into a world
of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering
many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you
love. On a more profound level, Nobody Has To Know illustrates how the landscape
of our past influences our present and how, sadly, some of these more indelible
moments hold us prisoner for the duration of our lives. However, what few people
realize is that the ending of the original story was very different. I will not
go into too much detail for obvious reasons, but I will say that initially, much
of the “action” in the story was revealed to the reader at the end as “just a
dream sequence.” It wasn’t until I realized that readers might feel cheated
and/or duped that I decided to alter it.
4. Describe your writing space.
I suppose my writing space is not that unlike those of other authors.
Well...maybe that’s not entirely true. I do most of my writing in my office at
home, a modest room with walls adorned with my most treasured baseball
memorabilia, highlighted by a beautiful 16X20 black and white Cooperstown signed
photo of Ted Williams which hangs right over my desk. I have other wonderful
items in the room as well, including game used spikes signed by Tony Gwynn, an
autographed Sports Illustrated cover celebrating Hank Aaron’s 715th home run and
two Shea Stadium seats that I acquired after the Mets shut down the old place.
There’s lots more as well. My actual desk is littered with items you would
expect any author to have handy -- some practical and germane to the writing
process and some which hover I suppose in the realm of the idiosyncratic I
suppose. I have plenty of pens and pencils, a clock, an old fashioned
dictionary, and other office supply stuff like paper clips, tape, staples, etc.
The more colorful items cluttering my desktop include a tiny wooden Hemingway
House replica I bought while in Key West, a 12 inch Batman figure, New York Met
Bobblehead, San Diego Sno Globe, lots of loose family photos and an F.Scott
Fitzgerald magnetic finger puppet I received as a gift. It is quite an odd
amalgamation of things but it works for me!
5. What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Well writing is a broad term; it includes everything that is written. If you
are asking about what makes a novel a good novel, that is a little more
manageable. In any great work, one that resonates with the reader, there needs
to be authenticity with regard to the characters. If a reader does not invest in
the characters, the author’s message is lost. It is my experience that “real
characters” think and act just as real folks would. There is nothing contrived
about their existence – their words and emotional responses to situations are
emblematic of those of real people. This can be accomplished in part through the
use of flashbacks, which become windows into the psyches of these individuals.
If a reader knows where a character has been, where he is presently becomes far
more plausible. I also feel that attention to craft in language is essential to
capturing an audience. The way someone tells a story is at times as important as
the story itself.
6. Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
Yes, all the time. And it is always such a pleasure to read what they have to
say. I have had the good fortune of receiving some very heartfelt emails and
letters from readers who have used my work as either inspiration in their own
lives or as a reconciling power when things are amiss. There is nothing more
poignant than reading the words of someone you have touched on either an
intellectual or emotional level. The messages that express admiration for what
you have done from a purely artistic standpoint are also very rewarding.
7. What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
Insanity would be an understatement. The actual writing is so enjoyable for me.
It is a wonderful escape into my own world. But finding the time to do it is
arduous. Balancing a full time teaching schedule and a family is hard enough,
but “moonlighting” as an author makes any semblance of normalcy near impossible.
But that’s okay -- normal is way overrated.
8. What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
I would offer the same advice that Scott Turow gave to me. Just keep writing.
This is a very difficult business. It is easy to be come cynical and jaded in
the wake of all the rejection and disappointment you face. But if you have
talent and really want to write, you must persevere. Refuse to take no for an
answer. I believe that many a brilliant writing career has ended way too early
because the author just gave up. Writing professionally is not for the feint of
heart. It is fraught with all sorts of pitfalls and obstacles. But the challenge
is what makes it so exhilarating. If it were easy, everyone would do it.
9. Are you working on anything at the present you would like to tell us about?
I am always working on something. There are many ideas that I am playing with,
many of which have yet to come to fruition. However, I am deep into the final
installment of my Mickey Tussler series.
10. What comes first, the plot or characters?
That is an excellent question, one that so many of the students in my Creative
Writing classes ask all the time. The truth is, it happens both ways. My first
novel, Echoes From The Infantry, began with a very complex character who suffers
from the insidious residue of WWII. He was fully developed in my mind before I
ever wrote one word. The fictional framework came later on. In the first Mickey
Tussler novel, it was just the opposite. I had already written a first chapter
before I ever really knew exactly who my protagonist was going to be. The same
is true for my latest novel, Nobody Has To Know. This is the beauty of the
writing process. Stories come from so many different places and are executed in
so many different ways.
11. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Nobody Has To Know is the fourth novel I have had published. A favorite? Hmmm.
Each one is special in its own way. Sounds like a cop out, right? But it is hard
to answer a question like that, especially since my work is so diverse. Echoes
From The Infantry is my first novel, so that is special for obvious reasons. I
love many of the characters and scenes in the Mickey Tussler series and the risk
factor inherently present in Nobody Has To Know makes that one notable. It is a
tough call for sure. I suppose I will let readers decide that one.
12. Who is your favorite author and why?
My favorite author is probably the favorite author of every writer - or at least
he should be. F.Scott Fitzgerald was a linguistic genius. He understood the
rhythm of the written word the way a composer understands musical notes. There
is such an ease and natural flow to his work - tantamount to the way the birds
sing. It’s seamless, beautiful and moving. The Great Gatsby, his signature work,
embodies all of these qualities like no other work of American fiction. His
shorter fiction is just as engaging.
13. What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
The ability to play the piano. I love piano music.
14. Weather: Hot or cold?
Definitely hot. If I never saw another snowflake again I would be just fine.
15. Do you have a favorite quote or saying?
I have many favorites, but of late, the Japanese proverb “Fall down seven times,
get up eight” has become somewhat of a mantra of mine. Dealing with the
vicissitudes of life can be challenging at times and all we really have as our
defense is an undaunted spirit.
16. What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?
I am milk phobic. It’s a long story, but it involves a rather tepid container of
expired milk and a tyrannical first grade teacher. Enough said.
17. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love the beach, especially in the off season. I spend a lot of time there. I
am also a rabid baseball fan, so many hours are spent watching my two sons play
the greatest game there is or lamenting the fate of my New York Mets. Country
music aint so bad either!
18. Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.
About a year after Echoes From The Infantry was published by St. Martin’s Press,
I received an email from a man in Tennessee. His letter was not so much one of
admiration for my writing as it was a confession of sorts. It seems that this
gentleman grew up with a WWII veteran for a father -- a man who resembled very
much my James McCleary. His relationship with his father was fractious and
strained in ways similar to what I described in the book. However, his father
passed away before he ever had the chance to reconcile some of these feelings
that existed between the two of them. Even though this gentleman from Tennessee
knew my story was fiction, he was able to gain insight into his father's mien
and temperament and used the book’s ending as a vehicle through which he could
finally obtain closure and move on. He told me that my novel saved his life. I’m
not sure that I will ever receive another letter that will mean more to me than
this one.
19. If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you
pick?
Nobody Has To Know of course. I think it would be a huge success given peoples’
penchant for stories with a lot of twists and unexpected outcomes.
20. Have you ever eaten a crayon?
Not to my knowledge, but I think I swallowed a fairly large piece of a cherry
Chapstick once and I am not ashamed to say it tasted pretty good.
.JPG)
