Featured Interview With Carol Fragale Brill
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Always top of my gratitude list is my wonderful husband, our marriage, and living in Victorian, seaside Cape May. I grew up in Philadelphia, but always had sand in my shoes and longed to live at the beach. I became a “Jersey Girl” about 20 years ago. No pets, unless you count the hummingbirds who visit the feeders I keep right outside my office windows so I can watch them while I write.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Like many writers, writing has never been my “day job.” For over 25 years, I was a Human Resources Leader in healthcare—climbing the corporate ladder, working 12 hour days, juggling work and the rest of life—many of you know the drill. Successful career, happy marriage, yet, there was something missing—I wanted more balance and purpose in my life.
Almost 20 years ago, my husband and I fulfilled a life dream to move to the Jersey Shore. After settling in our new home in Cape May, I started thinking about another long held desire. From the time I was twenty-something, I had wanted to write a book. Finally, in my forties, I joined a writing critique group and started my first novel, PEACE BY PIECE. I still had a day job, so it meant getting up early before work to squeeze in time to write and skipping other activities on weekends and days off to carve out writing hours. Writing gave me that purpose I craved and made the sacrifices worth it.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite genre to read and write is contemporary women’s fiction. My favorite author lists goes on and on. I’ve learned so much by reading authors including, Adriana Trigiani, Sue Monk Kidd, Michelle Richmond, Nicole Krauss, Ann Packer, Sue Miller, Jodi Picoult–and let’s not forget the Grimm Brothers who turned me on to stories as a young child. I often really enjoy debut novels and love discovering new authors to add to my list.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
Set in Victorian Cape May, CAPE MAYBE is Katie’s story of love and loss—of the memories, addictions, and secrets that haunt mothers and daughters , and the power of hard-earned hope to create your own second chances.
Just as I was finishing my first novel, PEACE BY PIECE, Katie, the adolescent narrator in CAPE MAYBE showed up in my head with an urgent voice and story. It was a new experience for me to have a character appear almost fully formed and she was impossible to ignore. Reader’s agree that her spare and guileless voice is compelling. I wrote CAPE MAYBE as my creative thesis while earning my MFA at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
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Vinny, thank you for this fun interview and for all you do to help readers discover authors and their books.