Book Two For all intents, I’ve finished writing my second book. Let’s allow that to sink in for a moment. I, Steven Parlato, an unassuming college professor, from an average family, in a working class Connecticut town, am on my way (hopefully) to publishing Book Two. While this hardly makes me prolific as Patterson, I’m […]
Look Who’s Talking
First appeared on UncommonYA on August 20, 2014 Plot’s self-explanatory; setting and even symbolism can be straightforward too. An element that typically stumps my literature students—and many authors—is point of view. I stress to my students that P-O-V involves who’s telling the story. We go over different types, notably first-person, and the variations of third-person, […]
Dream Big Visit
I had the pleasure of guesting on fellow Uncommon YA author, Melissa Wray’s blog on Tuesday, August 12, 2014. Here’s the interview. And thanks for having me, Melissa! AUTHOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Tell us a little about your writing journey. Though I always loved reading and suspected I’d write one day, I didn’t get serious until […]
An Uncommon Feature
Thank God for UNCOMMON YA! If not for my blog assignments there, I might never post an update here. I was featured on the site on Wednesday, July 31, 2014. If you missed me there, here’s the interview. Today I (Beth Fehlbaum, UncommonYA moderator) am interviewing Steven Parlato, author of the highly acclaimed THE NAMESAKE, […]
Where it’s at
First appeared on Uncommon YA, May 26, 2014. In the waning days of the Old South, a feisty beauty battles for her plantation. A family is blizzard-bound in a malevolent hotel, high in the Rockies. An eleven-year-old discovers his true destiny far beyond the cupboard under the stairs. At first glance, these three books—Margaret Mitchell’s […]
Lions, Tigers, and Bears?
NOPE! More like bullies, giraffes and cats. Oh my! Post first appeared on Uncommon YA, Friday, 4/11/14. A neighborhood stray dies in the street near our house. A giraffe graces the blacktop of our local mall. John R * * * * * * * repeatedly punches my arm in Mr. Whealon’s 11th grade history […]
Well, I’m hopping! Yes, indeed!
How lucky am I? Lucky enough to have known author Kim Stokely since college. I was studying graphic design; Kim was a theater major, and we bonded as members of a guerilla production of the musical, Godspell. Who’d have predicted we’d still be pals—and published authors—all these years later? Well, the friend part was a […]
Some Thoughts on My Year in Print
Post first appeared on Uncommon YA, 1/15/14. Hollywood has not come calling. I have not been mobbed on the street by eager readers. I have yet to churn out—in the words of Publishers Weekly—my next “solidly woven … well-executed plot.” Hopefully, this doesn’t mean I’m no longer a “name to watch” (Thanks, PW!); just that […]
Welcome to the Journey
It’s been a swervy road from there to here, including stops along the way as an art student, waiter, quality manager (ugh), actor, and freelance graphic designer. Husband of Janet, proud father of Ben and Jillian, I’m a published poet, artist and teacher. My young adult novel, THE NAMESAKE, was released by new YA imprint, […]