An Interview with Author Christopher Carrolli

Christopher Carrolli is a full-time writer, who lives in Western Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg and holds a BA in English Writing, and an AA in English. He has also won the Ida B. Wells Prize in Journalism. The Listener is Chris’ second novel and second installment in The Paranormal Investigator Series. He is currently writing the third installment, The Third Eye of Leah Leeds.

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Everyone welcome Christopher Carrolli, fellow Melange author who's written two books in The Paranormal Investigator Series. Let's interrogate him a bit, shall we?

Christopher (or can I call you Chris?), tell us about yourself. Where do you live, and what do you do when you're not writing about things from beyond the grave?

Buy it HERE!

Hi Mysti, of course you can call me, Chris. I am a full time writer and I live in Greensburg, which is east of Pittsburgh, PA. When I’m not writing, I work part time as a fundraiser, and I love reading, so I read a great deal also. I have been a fan of Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Edgar Allen Poe for most of my life, so the inspiration to write paranormal/horror came early for me. I also enjoy working out.

What inspired Pipeline and it's successor, The Listener?


“Pipeline” was inspired by the fact that I have, at one time or another experienced some of the instances I have described in the book. In researching the pipeline theory, I discovered that many people had very similar stories of occurrences, and that everyone seems to have a “paranormal incident” story nowadays. So, “Pipeline” began from the basis of “what if?” In “The Listener,” I wanted to take on the theory of clairaudience (hearing the dead), as well as remote hearing, which is hearing conversations from afar, or hearing the living. I also had to figure out what happened next…haha.

Did you do any special research for these books, like going on actual paranormal investigations?

I had been to a few, uneventful ones, but much of my research dealt with discovering what ghost hunters do, what kind of equipment they use, what kind of experiences do they encounter, etc. I think paranormal occurrences themselves can best be illuminated by fiction; there is so much more room to explore by fictionalizing than just sitting around and wondering what that noise was.

How many books do you have in mind for this series?

So far, I have plotted out six and plan on exploring a variety of paranormal topics and issues. I am now writing the third installment, The Third Eye of Leah Leeds.

According to your Melange bio, you earned a BA in English Writing and an AA in English from the  University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. How has your formal education helped to shape your writing career?

Well, my major was called “English Writing” because UPG’s writing program encompassed all forms of writing. So, basically, my major would have been called “Journalism” anywhere else, but my field of study focused not only Journalism, but Fiction, various forms of Non-Fiction including Memoir, as well as Poetry. It helped me realize that we as writers write, regardless of what the genre is. That’s what we do, we write. It also focused on the Marketing/Publishing side of writing, which was a tremendous benefit. It removed any previous admonitions that writing was not “normal” or “practical.”

Has anything surprised you about the publishing/marketing process?


No, not really. I’ve heard quite a few horror stories about the whole publishing/marketing process, but thankfully, have found them to be a little exaggerated.

If you've seen any of my previous interviews, you know about the random question. Here's yours: As Halloween draws closer, what candy makes your mouth water most?

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Coming October 29!

Now, Mr. Carrolli, would you mind sharing a short excerpt of your work?

Of Course, Mysti. Hope you enjoy it...

       The voice, he could no longer hear the voice, and now the static seemed somehow faint, far-off. Above him, a brilliant sun gleamed yet it was not the bright orange face of Sol that was life itself, but a sun strangely steeped in the ultra-violet, and jagged were the arcs of the rounded orb. In front of him, a corridor unfolded, vacant and vast and cast in the purple hue that emanated from the strange sun.      

      The static grew fainter, becoming a hush in the hollow background where dark crude shadows danced in anonymity. Where was he? The long corridor stretched out even further with each small step that he took, becoming an endless plateau through which he moved, bathed in the dim, indigo light. His movement was hindered, weighted down, as though he moved underwater through a strange, uncertain sea.        

       He remembered the voice again—Tracy’s voice. Then suddenly the images of the past few days played out before him, recreated on an eerie stage lit by the hovering sun. One by one, the images flashed like a slideshow: him tearing out of the parking lot with the van, Tracy’s jeep flipping over the guardrail, her lifeless body bloodied as he cradled her, the sound of the ambulance, the casket, the funeral, the newspaper headline, the static—and then, the voice.         

       She’s dead. Tracy’s dead. Am I dead too? If not, why can’t I wake up?  

Thanks so much for visiting Unwritten, Chris! I hope to see much more of you in the future!!

Thank you, Mysti! I am thrilled to be here. It’s been a pleasure.