Don Massenzio

The Daily Struggles of a Writer (A Completely Accurate and Not at All Exaggerated Guide)

1 Comment / funny, Funny, funny, Humor / Don Massenzio

The Daily Struggles of a Writer (A Completely Accurate and Not at All Exaggerated Guide) Being a writer is a beautiful calling. It’s also, at times, a mildly unhinged lifestyle choice that involves talking to imaginary people, staring at blinking cursors, and convincing yourself that coffee is a legitimate food group. If you’ve ever […]

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🐎 A Tradition at Saratoga — and the Story Behind Furlong Frank

2 Comments / book marketing, book promotion, books, marketing, promotion / Don Massenzio

🐎 A Tradition at Saratoga — and the Story Behind Furlong Frank Every writer has a place that sparks something deeper than imagination — a place that becomes a touchstone for memory, friendship, and storytelling. For me, that place is Saratoga Race Course. Every year, I make a pilgrimage north with a group of old

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10 Practical Tips for Authors: Building a Writing Life That Lasts

5 Comments / author tips, authors, indie authors, Tips for Authors, Tips for Writers, writers, writing, Writing Tips / Don Massenzio

Writing a book is a remarkable achievement. Building a writing life that lasts? That’s something different entirely. Over the years, I’ve learned that success as an author isn’t about a single breakthrough moment. It’s about consistency, growth, and a willingness to keep showing up—on the page and off. Whether you’re just starting out or several

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An Exclusive First Look at Frank Abroad

11 Comments / book marketing, book promotion, Book Release, books, Excerpt / Don Massenzio

An Exclusive First Look at Frank Abroad One of my favorite parts of releasing a new book is sharing a glimpse of the story before readers turn that first page. Frank Abroad begins not with Frank, but with a mystery—one that will pull him across the ocean and into the most dangerous case of

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What Traveling to Italy Taught Me About Writing… and My Suitcase

3 Comments / funny, funny, Funny, Tips for Writers, Travel / Don Massenzio

Writers are observers. We notice things. We collect details. We quietly file away moments that might someday become scenes, characters, or entire novels. What I didn’t realize when I packed my suitcase for a 2018 trip to Italy with the St. Mary’s of the Lake choir from Skaneateles, New York… was that I was also

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Five Ways to Turn Real-Life Travel into Powerful Fiction

2 Comments / author tips, indie authors, Tips for Authors, Tips for Writers, writers, writing, writing help, Writing Tips / Don Massenzio

Writers are often told to “write what you know.” But what if what you know isn’t a job, a place you’ve lived your whole life, or a familiar routine? What if what you know is a journey? My latest novel, Frank Abroad, grew out of a trip my family and I took to Italy in

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Travel, Danger, and a Detective Out of His Element: Why You’ll Love Frank Abroad

4 Comments / book marketing, book promotion, Book Release, mystery, New Book, New Release / Don Massenzio

There’s something about stepping into a new country that changes you. The sights are different. The language is different. The rhythm of life shifts in subtle ways. You’re no longer the expert in the room—you’re the observer. And for a detective like Frank Rozzani, that can be a dangerous place to be. In my newest

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Let’s Trade Interviews: A Simple Way to Grow Our Audiences Together

Leave a Comment / Author Event, authors, interview, New Author, Tips for Authors / Don Massenzio

One of the most rewarding parts of being an independent author is connecting with other writers who are on the same journey—creating stories, building audiences, and finding new readers. I’ve always believed that we’re stronger when we support each other. That’s why I’m opening the door to interview exchanges with fellow authors and book bloggers.

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From Travel Journal to Thriller: How Real-Life Experience Shaped Frank Abroad

Leave a Comment / book marketing, book promotion, Book Release, book titles, books, Italy Trip 2018, New Release, writers, writing, writing help, Writing Tips / Don Massenzio

Writers are often told to “write what you know.” For a long time, I interpreted that as writing what was familiar—places I’d lived, professions I understood, people I’d encountered. But sometimes, what you know isn’t a place. Sometimes it’s a moment. Sometimes it’s a feeling. And sometimes, it’s a journey that refuses to let go

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Writing Beyond Your Borders: Crafting Setting as a Character in Frank Abroad

6 Comments / New Book, New Release, promotion, writing / Don Massenzio

Writing Beyond Your Borders: Crafting Setting as a Character in Frank Abroad One of the greatest gifts—and challenges—of writing Frank Abroad was this: I had to take my lead character out of his comfort zone and drop him into a world that was as beautiful as it was unfamiliar. Writers talk a lot about character

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