Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have authored 20 books and novellas, both fiction and nonfiction books in a variety of genres, from true crime to romance. As a freelance writer, I often collaborate with people to help them write and publish their biographies, memoirs, or to tell of a particularly compelling personal experience.
I studied filmmaking / screenwriting at Columbia College – Hollywood. I earned an A.S. (Mortuary Science) from Mount Ida College and a B.A. (English) from the University of Rhode Island.
I live in Lincoln, RI with my wife and son.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE GOBLIN PITCHER tells the story of 11-year-old Jake Lupo, who loves baseball but does not believe in his ability. When he moves with his parents to a secluded mountain outpost where his father is trying out for an Independent League baseball team, he discovers that the region is occupied by two factions of warring goblins. The leader of the evil goblins seeks to take control of the goblin kingdom and ban baseball, a game that goblins love to play. It turns out that Jake has a secret kinship with goblins and is the only one who can save the legendary beings from the evil Overlord. However, Jake must believe in himself before he can save them.
My son was the inspiration for this book. He loves baseball, as do I. He continues to play in youth leagues, and I have had opportunities to be involved coaching teams he’s played on. Sharing this time with him, and seeing his growth and development as a player and a young man from inside the dugout has been a tremendous source of pride for me.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
What some people call a quirk, is just a way of life for a anyone who is creative. It’s as natural as breathing. So, if you ask me, I don’t have any quirks. If you ask my family, they may go on about a quirk or ten.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a ton growing up. Being the late 70’s and early 80’s, horror was king, and Stephen King was Overlord of the Horror Kingdom. So, one of his books was never far from me. I also read the horror masters, including Poe and Lovecraft, but I also read many other contemporary authors of fright and the macabre, such as Clive Barker, Dean Koontz, Joe R. Lonsdale, Ramsey Campbell and Robert McCammon, to name a few. I read these days, but from a much more diverse array of writers and genres, and as a result I write across multiple genres.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a middle grade book series involving the secret realm of cryptids and how they are being contained by a global agency.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Recently, I have been scouring the Internet for all the best sites to reach the reading public. I have joined a whole host of them, and if anyone has other recommendations for me to consider, please feel free to let me know. You can find my books and information about them, and me, on Goodreads, LibraryThing, AuthorsDen, BookBub, The Author’s Guild, LinkedIn, and of course my Amazon author page. I also have a new website, www.thegoblinpitcher.com, featuring highlights, giveaways and other fun stuff related to my new middle grade fantasy adventure book, THE GOBLIN PITCHER.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If writing is something you really enjoy, don’t let anything stop you, no matter how little time you have to devote to it. Always write for you first, write what interests you, and the readers who find you will be lucky they did.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It may be cliche, and difficult to determine who said it, but “write what you know” will always been the golden rule for any writer.
What are you reading now?
I am reading a couple of books right now, one is a middle grade novel and the other is a sports book. With the recent passing of baseball legend, Hank Aaron, I picked up a biography on Hammering Hank. I alternate between chapters of that book and a middle grade adventure, titled “Took: A Ghost Story” by Mary Downing Hahn.
What’s next for you as a writer?
That’s one of the exciting things for me, anyway. I never really know what’s next. I have plans for new fiction, but other opportunities may come knocking and I may find myself working on some interesting nonfiction projects with people who have remarkable stories and experiences to share with readers.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would definitely like to have a copy of “How to Survive on a Deserted Island” by Tim O’Shei.
And The Holy Bible
Author Websites and Profiles
Paul Lonardo Website
Paul Lonardo Amazon Profile
Paul Lonardo’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile