S.R. Fabrico's Blog

Writing Is Not For The Faint of Heart

I never knew I wanted to be a writer. As a matter of fact, I disliked writing like a kid who dislikes veggies! I wrote my first book because I wanted to share a story with my husband and three years later, I thought to myself, hey, why not publish? After that experience, I decided I had a lot of fun and wanted to keep writing.

Enter the anxiety…lol!

Now, I have goals and expectations. Now, I have a previous book to live up to. Can I really do this? Who am I to think that I could be a writer? Am I any good? These questions and so many more dance through my brain over and over, but as any good human being does, I push them aside. They poke at me almost daily and I swat them away and keep pushing forward anyway.

My second novel Call Her Janie has been released today and I am so excited to celebrate the book’s publication. I know now all the mistakes I made the first time around and I tried diligently to do better. If you know me, you know I have a hard time doing anything halfway. Halfway stresses me out. That is the one thing that writing has taught me. There is always more to learn, more mistakes to make, but most of all more work to do. You only know what you know until you know more and you have to roll with the punches.

I’ve been on a quest for knowledge to be the best writer I can be for five years now, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. I am proud of what I’ve learned and the work I’ve accomplished. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me.

My words of wisdom – life is short. Take the trip, write the book, throw caution to the wind, and live each day as though it’s your last. Time is not guaranteed, and you can’t take it with you so spend it doing what you love.

If you like romantic suspense novels check out Call Her Janie.

Call Her Janie COVER REVEAL

Title: Call Her Janie

Author: S.R. Fabrico

Series: Southport Series

Available: 6.27.23

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Description:

Meet Lizzie Levine, the unstoppable female executive at a top New York City marketing firm. Driven by the tragic loss of her parents, Lizzie refuses to let anything stand in her way – until a handsome, enigmatic billionaire named Gray Stone enters the picture. But when Lizzie discovers she’s pregnant with Gray’s child, she learns there’s more to him than meets the eye.

Desperate for a fresh start, Lizzie escapes to the serene coastal town of Southport, North Carolina. There, she meets Josh, a charming local determined to help her heal and move on from her troubled past. But as Lizzie begins to rebuild her life, she soon realizes that her past is not so easily left behind. Someone with a sinister agenda lurks in the shadows, and Lizzie’s life is in grave danger.

With a writing style, that’s both eloquent and engaging, S.R. Fabrico takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions as you journey with Lizzie through the twists and turns of her life. Whether you’re a fan of suspenseful thrillers or heartwarming love stories, this book is a must-read. Don’t miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in a world of passion, intrigue, and danger.

The Benefits of Journaling

Journaling can bring so many wonderful benefits to your everyday life. Find a great journal and make the choice to use it. Even once a week is beneficial. I recommend My Firefly Journal: 52 weeks of gratitude, reflection, and LIGHT! I’m biased, of course, wink wink, but seriously choose a journal that is right for you and DO IT!

1. Journaling can help to reduce stress. Intentionally focusing on people, moments, and things you are grateful for can leave you more fulfilled and create a more positive outlook on your day to day.

2. Journaling can help you process your emotions. We all have bad days. We all have feelings that spill out of our cups. It is so easy to allow your emotions to control you. Writing them down can help to get them out and provide perspective on what is most important.

3. You can gain a better understanding of yourself through journaling. Humans are complex and sometimes, we need to write down our thoughts and feelings so we can reflect upon them and gain a deeper understanding of our needs.

4. Journaling can help you find inspiration. Everyone needs a little inspiration every now and again. Journaling can help get the creative juices flowing. At the very least, journaling clears some space in your brain so that you have more room to fill your mind with more creative thoughts.

5. Journaling can help you gain confidence. No one is perfect, everyone is flawed. Embrace your flaws, learn from them, and move on!

What are you waiting for? Start Journaling TODAY!

Firefly Fun Facts

The firefly is a fascinating creature who frolics to find a mate under the moonlight. As a child, I was mesmerized by their blinking lights under the blanket of stars in the sky. I would skip around my backyard with my cousins, trying to catch them in my mother's mason jars.

Synchronous firefly events can be experienced in late May or early June. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest and most well-known firefly event and is magnificent to watch. Thousands of fireflies dance throughout the night, twinkling like crazy and then blinking off their lights in unison. After crawling along the forest floor for nearly a year as larvae, they have twenty-one days to find their mates.

Most people know that fireflies use their lights to attract mates, but what you may not know is that they also use them to communicate. Fireflies will sometimes flash signals to defend territory or alert friends to predators in the area.

Fireflies will often imitate other species to win their mates. Occasionally male fireflies will poorly mimic female fireflies, scaring other males away to ensure they are the victors of the females they are trying to attract.

Electronic sensors built with chemicals from the fireflies' light are used on spacecraft to detect life in outer space. The same chemical can also be used to detect food spoilage.

Perhaps my favorite fact is that the light from a firefly is considered cold light and is the most efficient in the world, meaning that one hundred percent of its energy is emitted as light. The light produces no heat, which is why scientists refer to the light as "cold light." An incandescent light bulb, by comparison, uses ten percent of its energy to emit light and the other ninety percent is heat.

Your light is powerful, too, so LET IT SHINE!

2022 American Fiction Awards

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It has been four years since I began my writing journey. I began writing because I had a story that I wanted to share with my husband. Working up the courage to publish The Secrets We Conceal was a challenge. As a math major, turned business women, wife, and mother I never imaged my book would or could win a book award. It is humbling to have been awarded 6 awards in the last three months.

I am honored and grateful for the recognition. I am thankful for the love and support I have received from friends, family, and other authors.

Don't be afraid to chase your dreams. You are never too old, it is never too far out of reach, and I believe you can do anything you put your mind to!

The Secrets We Conceal has been honored in the following book awards!

2022 Reader's Favorite in the category of New Adult Fiction

2022 NIEA in the category of Relationships

2022 American Fiction Awards in the category of Best New Fiction

2022 American Fiction Awards in the category of Coming of Age Fiction

2022 American Fiction Awards in the category of Literary Fiction

2022 American Fiction Awards in the category of Family Saga

CELEBRATE FALL

Fall is my favorite time of year, with the cool crisp air, the changing colors on the leaves, the crockpot chili, and EVERYTHING pumpkin. Fall speaks to my soul and reminds me that there is so much beauty in the world. I like to breathe it all in every day.

Because I love fall so much, I thought I would share some of my fall favorites!!!

I love everything pumpkin - drinks, cookies, cakes, bread, seeds, and more. If it says pumpkin I AM IN!!! I enjoy the smell of chili cooking in the crockpot, curled up on the couch reading a good book, and topping it off with some freshly made pumpkin bread.

Try some of my favorites

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Crack Chicken Chili

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

There are loads of great books out there, but my most recent favorite is Local Woman Missing, if you've already read The Secrets We Conceal, of course (insert winky face). Colleen Hoover seems to be another fan favorite by many, although I haven't completed one of her books yet!

Enjoy!

FAVORITE TRAVEL SPOTS

My favorite travel spot is the beach, any beach! I absolutely love the ocean, the smell of salt air, the sound of the waves, and the feeling of the sand between my toes. I feel completely at peace when I am near the ocean.

I like to keep it real. Life is busy, it can be messy and exhausting.

I am a wife and a mom. I have a full-time career and I write for fun; it is my escape. While I love being all those things, it isn’t always sunshine and roses. I mean seriously…is your life? Is anyones? It isn’t about perfection, it is about appreciating the moments and making them count. Each passing second is a memory. The beach for me is a place to unwind, destress, re-energize and just BE! It is a reset of sorts. I feel like my entire body and soul is connected to the waves, the ebbs and flows of the tides soothe me. At the beach I don’t have to be anything other than Stacy living in the moment, appreciating the beauty around me, thriving in the NOW.

I enjoy drinking coffee and watching the sunrise. I love to sit in the sand and read a good book, never my own! Building sandcastles with my kiddos is great fun, and we enjoy burying their father in the sand. Hand-in-hand walks with my husband along the water’s edge are special moments that I will always treasure. Visiting the local establishments and taking in the local ambiance is always nice too. I will carry these moments with me forever.

Find your happy place! Today only happens once, make it amazing!

What's your favorite travel spot?

FIVE RANDOM THINGS

We all have our random quirks. You know, the silly unimportant things that drive us crazy!!! What is your random quirk?

1 – Toilet Paper, over or under?

I am generally just happy to have it put on the roll and not set on top. It will wipe your behind the same way regardless. I have no preference here, you have to pick your battles, you know.

2 – Utensils up or down in the dishwasher?

This is my husband’s pet peeve. I personally don’t care. If they get put in the dishwasher at all, that is good enough for me. He gets very annoyed if the silverware isn’t facing up. He claims that it cleans the silverware better this way. I don’t believe him, but I humor him because I love him.

3 – Towels tri-folded. I think yes!

This is the one that drives me bonkers. A towel fits best on a shelf if you fold it in half, then in half again, then fold it a long way in thirds. They stack neatly and don’t make a mess in the closet. Most people fold them in half, and in half again, and then half one more time which makes them too big for the shelf. They get all scrunched up and make a mess.

4 – Socks with sandals, much?

My opinion is that sandals are meant to wear with bare feet. If you’re going to wear socks, then just wear shoes. But to each their own I suppose. Doesn’t make a difference in my day. You rock those socks in your sandals and rock them proudly!

5 – Dishes in the wrong place!

Does it bother you when someone puts your dishes away but doesn’t put them in the correct place? I guess if someone in my house would actually put the dishes away, I might faint so I am not sure I’d be alert enough to notice if they weren’t in the correct place.

The Storytellers - Available Soon

As an author myself, I love to celebrate other authors. Check out this awesome cover and be on the lookout for the release! Learn more about Caron McKinlay here

COVER REVEAL

The Storytellers

Author: Caron McKinleyGenre: Mystery/Speculative Fiction

Blurb:Trapped between life and the afterlife, three women meet and share their stories while discovering the truth about the men in their lives—and about themselves.Suspended in an eerie state of limbo, an entity called the Gatekeeper tells Nikki, Ronnie, and Mrs. Hawthorne they are on the cusp of entering the afterlife—but only if the women can persuade him that in their earthly lives, they knew the meaning of love. Fragments of their memories return, plunging them back into their pasts, and forcing them to face the desires, disappointments, addictions, lies, and obsessions they battled in life.But before time runs out, will they find the answer to the ultimate question: what is love?

"Utterly mind-blowing! If Stuart Turton had written Gone Girl it would look like this. Intelligent, compelling writing that is genre-defining. Brilliant!"- Victoria Dowd - The Supper Club Murders

"Fascinating and Compelling. Feminist themes here, which I loved, and a brilliant mystery, and best of all, some highly skilled storytelling." - Laura Pearson

BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS

Book Club Questions

1. Are there any quotes or passages from the book that stood out to you and why? What did you like or not like about them? How did they impact you personally?

2. Why do you think Laura chose not to tell anyone about her abuse? Do you think she made the wrong choice? What difference would it have made, if any? How would you handle her situation?

3. What experiences did you have in middle school? Could you relate to Laura’s experiences?

4. What personality traits do you think Laura acquired throughout the book because of her past?

5. How is womanhood explored throughout the novel? How does Laura navigate her years into womanhood? Do you think she could have done anything differently?

6. Discuss Laura’s relationship with Tom? How does he help her heal? How does he understand Laura? Is Tom a good partner for Laura? Why or why not?

7. Discuss your feelings for Uncle Max? What kind of person was he? How did he impact not just Laura’s life but Susie’s and Aunt Penny’s lives?

8. What do you think life was like for Susie and Aunt Penny? Did they know what was going on? Were they victims themselves?

9. Do you think Laura got her justice? She forgives Uncle Max for what he did to her, how did this make you feel? Would you have done the same thing? Why or why not? How you would have addressed Uncle Max if you were in Laura’s shoes?

10. Were you surprised by any parts of the book? If so which parts and why?

11. Who would you cast in the movie The Secrets We Conceal?

12. If you could talk to the author, what questions would you ask?