Christina Consolino

Pretend play filled the first part of my childhood, which I spent in Troy, Michigan. This was a time before personal computers, cell phones, even cable television! My sisters and I ventured into the field beyond our backyard and built tree forts and fished for worms in the water that collected there after a big rain. Books also played a major role in my childhood, and I remember riding my bike up to the library, filling my bag with books, and lugging those books home. A week later, I’d repeat that action. As I got older and became more introverted, stories began to mean more to me and served as a safe space. At one point, I placed “write a book” on the list of goals I wanted to accomplish “when I grew up.” I’m grateful I accomplished that goal.

My favorite books were biographies, especially those of women. In particular I enjoyed reading about Elizabeth Blackwell, Margaret Mead, Phyllis Wheatley, Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, Harriet Tubman, and more. A few fiction titles stand out to me, though, and those books still reside on my shelf today: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Watership Down by Richard Adams, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, and The BFG by Roald Dahl.

As I already mentioned, writing a book was a childhood ambition. But I actually had so many. I wanted to study medicine, travel to Europe, run a marathon, learn a new language, buy a house at Walloon Lake (a village in lower Michigan, between Boyne City and Petoskey), get a dog or a cat, and more. Some of these ambitions have been realized; others, I’m still working on!

This might sound cliché, but I don’t remember a time when I didn’t at least form stories in my head. So even before I wrote anything on paper, I’d create plotlines and character arcs that I’ve probably long forgotten. But life gets in the way, as they say, so it wasn’t until my youngest child was three or four (I have four children) that I sat down and began in earnest my first full-length novel. That book sits as a draft on my shelf (and on my hard drive) and will likely never see the light of day. But it pushed me to learn the craft of writing, understand the benefit of constructive criticism, and gain confidence in my writing.

So far, I’ve only written standalone novels. I won’t say that I’ll never write a series, but at this point, I don’t have any ideas for a series that I’d like to pursue.

Family is a broad term that can mean different things at different times to different people. I have two sisters who are equally supportive, but their critique of my writing runs the gamut—from “Wow, I like it, but have you thought of this . . .” to “I can’t read this. Period.” My father read my debut novel, Rewrite the Stars, and he’s been surprisingly positive (he’s not my target audience). “This is a well-written book,” he said, and he’s eagerly anticipating the next one. But to me, family goes beyond a blood relationship. So many friends have stepped up to read and give constructive feedback on my writing, and of course, I would not be where I am today without my incredible writing group, The Plot Sisters. Together we learned how to give and receive feedback—emphasizing the positive but being mindful of what needs to be made stronger—and they’ve been instrumental in helping me craft my stories.

On Father’s Day 2012, I left my four young children at home and took a quick trip to the grocery store. While there, I chatted with the person in line behind me. Our conversation didn’t go exactly as written in Rewrite the Stars, and I wasn’t discontented with my life, but the words we shared bored themselves into my mind and stayed there. When I reached home, I gave my husband the groceries, sat at the computer, and wrote my first scene, some of which is still in the book.

Much of my writing begins inside my head, where I usually let an idea percolate for a while. And before I put a substantial number of words on the paper, I have a general idea of who the characters are and what the plotline will look like. After that, my writing process often combines a little bit of outlining and a whole lot of flying by the seat of my pants. Even if I think I know where the story is going, surprises happen. And that’s okay. However, I’d like to rely on outlines more. They can be so useful in terms of helping the writer understand what’s truly working and what’s not.

I’m grateful for every compliment, big or small, that comes my way. But I think one of the most meaningful comments to me came via an Amazon reviewer who mentioned how much the book touched her and that she was surprised to learn I was not a therapist. Theo, a POV character, lives with PTSD, and much of his storyline involves his struggle with the disorder. While I do flirt with mild depression, I did not have personal experience with PTSD such that I could write an accurate portrayal of the disorder without doing research. That’s where my scientific training helped. Reading research articles, books, and web content took time, but it all made sense to me. And if something didn’t, I’d reach out to experts or those who live with PTSD for answers. I strive for authenticity in all my writing, so this comment warmed my heart.

As much as I like to read horror and paranormal stories (when I was a kid, I thrived on them!), I doubt that I’ll gravitate toward those with any of my own writing. I’ve learned, though, to never say never. You just don’t know what might happen in life!

Our public identities and our private identities often contrast one another. So if that author looked at my public identity, they’d probably describe me as determined, dedicated, diligent, confident, caring, thoughtful, quiet, and observant. My private identity reflects some of those characteristics, but not all of them!

I’m not sure any of my “shower thoughts” have been profound! While I do a LOT of thinking in the shower, most of those thoughts are mundane: what to eat for dinner, whether I remembered to change the furnace filter, or when my dad’s next dentist appointment is. Most of my profound thoughts arise when I’m doing dishes. There, in front of the window, I think about how exploitative some relationships in my life have been or how my technique for making popcorn is a metaphor for my life (don’t ask!). What it is about dishes, I’ll never know.

Does anything else exist? I say that in a joking manner, and yet, I don’t. If left alone, I’d read and write all day. But running is extremely important to me. I’ve always said (and this is no joke), that I could either run or find a therapist. And it’s true. I’m able to manage mild depression with exercise, so I run twenty-five miles a week and walk in the evenings. Both practices help keep me going, but I also enjoy spending time with my family, and that can be anything from a quiet vacation to a picnic to a short hike to a movie.

My next novel, The Chocolate Garden, is once again classic women’s fiction, this time told through three points of view. The story centers on seventy-seven-year-old Frank Raffaelo, a retired serviceman who loves his family but doesn’t always understand them or their motivations. On a visit to his doctor for a routine checkup, he begins to doubt his ability to remember. An accidental fall forces Frank to rely on his three children: Gabe, the oldest, who always seems too busy to come home; Nico, the youngest, who is keeping a secret from his family; and Marissa, the quintessential middle child, who wants to feel like she belongs and matters to her family. Marissa is a nurse practitioner, and with time, she realizes that Frank doesn’t show any abnormal cognitive changes, but Angie, his wife of forty-two years, does. When Angie’s denial of her symptoms results in dangerous consequences, the Raffaelo family understands that life as they know it is about to change.

In 2015, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. That summer, I spent many hours with my parents, and I sat with my mother as she was assessed for cognitive changes. This book reflects my experiences from that summer and beyond and exposes the toil and hardship that dementia can cause on everyone close to it.

In a word, fabulous! The site is easy to use, and I appreciate the weekly banners, animated GIFS, and everything else it offers. Many thanks for making book promotion easy!