Suzanne Simonetti
Simonetti grew up in the New York suburbs just outside of the city. After earning a BS in marketing, she spent several years writing press releases, until she left her corporate job to focus on her passion for crafting fiction. She lives on Cape May Harbor with her husband. When not on her paddle board or yoga mat, she can be found at the beach trailing the shoreline for seashells, scribbling in her notebook, and channeling dolphins for meaningful conversation.
Twitter: @ExitZeroSuzi
Instagram: @suzannesimonettiauthor
Favorite non-reading activity?
I enjoy yoga and walking my neighborhood or the shoreline in the warmer months. My to-be-read pile of books is quite lengthy and I prefer books to television; I do enjoy watching documentaries with my husband or a cool movie he has saved for us to share together.
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Does food inspire your writing?
I prefer savory foods over desserts. I somehow did not inherit my entire family’s sweet-tooth. Even growing up, I leaned toward eggs and oatmeal for breakfast, whereas my siblings loved those sugary (garbage) cereals.
I cook a lot of fish and roasted vegetables. When I become stuck on the page, I will throw on an apron and scan my pantry or cookbooks for ideas. I find my culinary pursuits are a welcome creative outlet when the words just aren’t flowing.
Is there a work of art that you love. Why? Have you ever visited it in person?
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”—Michelangelo
I have always fancied the Statue of David. I find it to be nearly mind-blowing that this incredibly talented genius approached a giant slab of marble and saw the David winking back at him. I finally did make it to Florence in 2013 and was able to visit the Galleria Dell’Accademia. I must admit, I bawled at the first sight of him. The David. What a glorious moment to savor. As a writer, it is remarkable to have the tools and urgency to create a world and characters from the ether and recesses of my imagination. This quote has always resonated in the strongest way possible for me and will forever inspire.
Vacation druthers: city or rural?
I may have answered this differently a few years back. In May 2019, I flew from New York to Heathrow for a one-week visit to London with my sister. It was an absolute whirlwind tour and we walked for countless miles each day, covering more ground than I could have imagined: afternoon tea at Lanesborough, Harrods, Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern, Churchill War Rooms, Buckingham Palace, Chelsea Flower Show, Kensington Palace, and Windsor Castle. It was one of the most memorable and enjoyable weeks of my life, and I suppose my answer would be I enjoy a combination of both city and rural, depending.
Do you have another artistic outlet in addition to your writing?
I bought a 19-string Celtic pixie harp and I have been practicing and learning, when I have the time. Words are glorious and powerful and yet there is something all the more tangible when I am able to capture the product of my own progress aloud through sound.
