This Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending the book launch event of local Lewisburg author, Elizabeth Scozzari. The event was held in the Art Academy of Milton, offering opportunities to mingle with Scozzari and hear an excerpt from her new book, “The Faces She Sees,” complemented by themed food and coffee beverages. I was able to both listen to her reading of the excerpt and eventually sit down to talk about her writing and thought process while writing the book, as well as some additional lingering questions I had for her.
“The Faces She Sees” is a psychological thriller following a chilling experience of the main character, Diana. In the excerpt that Scozzari read, Diana wakes up after a night with friends, feeling disoriented and confused. As she tries to gain a sense of her surroundings, she hears the front door lock and a car drive away, leaving her both terrified and certain that someone had just been in her home. Throughout the story, her paranoia only grows further as she begins to doubt whether she can trust the people around her or herself.
During my discussion with Scozzari following her reading, she gave some insight into what inspired this book. She explained that several years ago, she had a similar experience to Diana upon waking up after a “Pretty Little Liars” watch party with friends, feeling unsafe; she called her boyfriend, explaining the situation, only to be met with skepticism and judgment. Scozzari explained that she wrote a short story about this experience, which evolved over several years to eventually become “The Faces She Sees.”
I also asked a little more about what her writing process was like for this book in particular and throughout her career. She explained that this book, unlike her other recent books, took several years to complete and revise because she was so accustomed to the format of short stories. Her biggest piece of advice for new authors after the experience of writing “The Faces She Sees” was to make the time to write; she explained that setting time aside to work on the book, even if a large portion of it is spent brainstorming, can be incredibly beneficial in the writing process.
Before our conversation ended, I wanted to ask Scozzari if she would give a pitch of herself and her book to interested Bucknellian readers. In response, she offered an intriguing thought: “It isn’t paranoia if it’s really happening.” She went on to explain how the main conflict in the story is Diana’s struggle to tell “if her reality is being manipulated or if she’s genuinely losing her mind.” I am certainly excited to read the book myself and learn more about Diana’s haunting experience. The book is available for purchase as of Sept. 30 online in both paperback and e-book versions.
