Hello, All,
Welcome to the final installment (for now) of my Five Questions with [Author]. Today we are ending with a helluva interview with author Philip Fracassi. His new book, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre, which publishes TODAY!
Fracassi is the author of numerous works. You can see a full list on his website. His work has received praise from top horror writers, including Paul Tremblay.
“Philip Fracassi’s fiction is a mix of old and new school horrors, chock full of frightening monsters, demons, and humans. And I always look forward to what he’s going to do next.”
Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts
My introduction to him was through his collection, Beneath a Pale Sky. There are some wonderfully disturbing stories in there.
But when I read A Child Alone With Strangers, I became a Fracassi fan for life. Reading that book felt like reading old school Stephen King. I know such praise is very frequently tossed about, but I’ve read almost everything King has written so I think my comparison should carry more weight.
Anyway, I had the great pleasure of meeting Fracassi earlier this year at AuthorCon. He was humble, engaging, and encouraging.
Now, let’s get to his newest work . . .
Synopsis
Brimming with dark humor, violence, and mystery, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre is a blood-soaked slasher sure to keep readers guessing until the very last page.
Rose DuBois is not your average final girl.
Rose is in her late 70s, living out her golden years at the Autumn Springs Retirement Home. When one of her friends dies alone in her apartment, Rose isn’t too concerned. Accidents happen, especially at this age! Then another resident drops dead. And another. With bodies stacking up, Rose can’t help but wonder: are these accidents? Old age? Or something far more sinister? Together with her best friend Miller, Rose begins to investigate. The further she digs, the more convinced she becomes: there’s a killer on the loose at Autumn Springs, and if she isn’t careful, Rose may be their next victim.
Here’s my 5-star Goodreads review:
Fracassi has become an automatic purchase for me since reading A CHILD ALONE WITH STRANGERS. He's always engaging and creates marvelous set pieces that keep those pages turning. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book, and it reaffirmed my appreciation for his work.
I love the idea here, slasher in a retirement home (I want more thrillers/horror/scifi about older protagonists, e.g. Cocoon, Batteries Not Included, Golden Years, Insomnia, The Sundowner's Dance), and Fracassi does it quite well. He gives us fleshed-out characters we care about, and then lets the blood sling everywhere.
This is a fun slasher that understands how to deliver the chills.
Highly recommended.
And now, FIVE QUESTIONS with PHILIP FRACASSI
1. What compelled you to write a slasher with an older cast?
I was touring for Boys in the Valley in the fall of 2023 and my wife and I were staying at a beautiful hotel in Virginia with old buildings and spacious grounds. One night we were strolling around and I casually said: “This place is more like a retirement community than a hotel.” As we continued to walk, something about the idea gripped me, and by the time we returned to our room I already had the title in my head. I wrote a 1/2 page synopsis that night and sent it to my agent, who loved the concept. And away we went...
2. You write such wonderful, diverse characters. How do you create believable characters, especially ones so different from yourself?
Tough question to answer because I think, to be honest, it’s just an innate talent that I happen to have: the ability to sink my mind into other bodies and feel relatively comfortable there. It’s also a skill I developed writing screenplays, where you are writing dialogue and action for a host of different characters—heroes and villains and everything in-between. Once I find a character’s “voice” it all comes pretty naturally, and I’m always working on that ability of being able to mimic lots of different types of folks.
3. If I recall correctly, you typically outline your novels before writing, but I also seem to recall you posting something about pantsing your way through a book. Was that Autumn Springs? What was the experience like for you? Has it altered your approach to novel writing?
Yes, I’m typically a savage outliner. I don’t like to start writing a novel without knowing every step of where the story is going to go. For me, it’s a much more comfortable way to write, and it allows me to focus all my creativity on the dialogue and prose, etc., versus wondering what’s going to happen in the next chapter. Autumn Springs was the rare novel I did not outline, and it was an interesting challenge. I didn’t hate the experience, but it was much more difficult of a process in many ways. The only reason I didn’t outline that book was, frankly, because that book refused to be outlined, haha. I just couldn’t see the whole story and, after weeks of frustration, figured I’d just write the damn thing and hope for the best. I think it worked out pretty well.
4. You've enjoyed great success so far, and I wish you much more. I'm interested, in particular, in your experience of getting A Child Alone With Strangers published. It's such a wonderful book, and I wish more books like it were published.
Thanks for the kind words. A Child Alone with Strangers was not an easy book to find a home for. Dozens and dozens and DOZENS of editors and publishers passed on that novel. Some because of the length (170k words / 600+ pages), and some because they didn’t connect with the story. I was fortunate to find a home with Talos Press, but even then the acquiring editor was let go before the book was published, and we almost didn’t move forward. I call it my “cursed book” for these and other reasons, but it’s still the book I’m most proud of.
5. On the heels of that, what advice do you have for writers (like myself) who've been at this a long time yet can't quite get to the next publishing tier?
Grind, grind, grind. Honestly, it’s just about creating work and hoping you find the right opportunity. I’ve had so many ups and downs it would make anyone’s head spin. I’ve been this close to giving up writing completely. I’ve had hundreds and hundreds of rejections, but I keep writing, keep coming up with new stories, and keep putting myself out there. Even after finding a “big 5” publisher, there are still massive letdowns and challenges. As of this moment, sitting here writing this, I don’t even have a publisher for my upcoming novels. My agent is out there right now trying to find me a home. And that’s after publishing and having moderate sales success with multiple “big 5” and indie presses. Nothing is guaranteed. You’ll never have to stop working to create success, so just keep going.
Bonus Question: Have you scheduled any book events for Autumn Springs at actual retirement homes?
I have, but the full itinerary hasn’t been released yet. Some dates in September, a fully-stocked October, and a few things in November. Primarily Southern California, the upper East Coast, Texas, Arizona, Utah… more to come!
Thank you, Philip! Purchase his book!
Well, this has been quite the run of weekly Substacks. I hope you enjoyed them, bought all the books I’ve tried to help promote, and found some inspiration for your own creative endeavors. I know I have.
I promise you won’t hear from me for at least a few weeks. Take care of yourself.
Be well, be happy, be kind,
Chris DiLeo