Who Am I?

If you’ve read anything on this blog, you have probably already picked up on this:

First and foremost, I’m a storyteller.

Screenplays, novels, songs, poems, radio pieces, stageplays, the whole gamut.

But as with many things, the visible milestone of producing a film, performing your own music, or producing a play or movie is secondary to all the growth and effort that went into the creation. When you consider that publicity and applause only last a few moments, you realize that to make your work about those things would be pretty short-sighted.

So at least for me, it’s not about becoming a best-selling author or Oscar-winning screenwriter. It’s about telling stories that resonate with the parts of our humanity of which we are often unaware, but which make us who we are.

This gives me the drive to continue and the freedom to be imperfect.

I’ll say it: I’m proud of my first published novel, The Exile. But I hope my next is even better. I’m proud of my first children’s book, The Misadventures of Melvin the Missing Sock. But I hope my next one is even cuter. As I finish turning a two act play into an 8-part limited series, I hope my next script is even tighter.

A person I consider a mentor in storytelling is Lee Habeeb, the host of the national Our American Stories. I met Lee during my sophomore year at Hillsdale College and had the privilege of writing and recording two personal stories for his show. One thing I learned from Lee is that every story we tell needs to be a part of us, or it will mean nothing to anyone else.

This is true, no matter what genre you write. Sci-fi, thrillers, romance, historical fiction, acoustic ballads, poems in iambic pentameter– if the story doesn’t bleed with your blood when you cut it, it will leave no lasting impression on others.

So if you decide to follow this blog, read The Exile or The Misadventures of Melvin the Missing Sock, or someday attend a show of mine– first of all, thank you. Second, I cannot promise you will like it. Not every story is for everyone, and few are perfect. But what I do promise is that anything of mine you read, hear, or see is a genuine reflection on some aspect of the journey we are all on. And hopefully the next one will be even better!

Shiloh Carozza

If you read all that and still didn’t learn what you wanted to, this list is bound to answer your questions. 🙂

Additional Fun Facts

• I have the special talent of picking up large rocks off the bottom of lakes using my toes
• Pestoskey, Michigan is my happy place
• My favorite smells are bonfires, books, and baking
• The one spice I could not live without is garlic
• If I could pick up a different accent, it would be Scottish
• I studied Latin for seven years
• My favorite sound is waves on the shore
• My creative juices wake up after 9 pm every night

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