Hamburg Sun - Dogs On Main Street Article

Seek the Promised Land in new novel by a Blasdell resident
Thursday April 17, 2014 | By:Alicia Greco, The Sun staff reporter | News

DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN — Cliff Fazzolari has recently published his 11th novel, which was inspired by Bruce Springsteen and redemption. Photo submitted by Fazzolari.


BLASDELL — Cliff Fazzolari’s 10th book, written about and dedicated to the life of his brother, was going to be his last work. Until Fazzolari began writing again, and released his fiction novel Dogs on Main Street in mid-March.

The Blasdell resident, formerly of North Collins, graduated from Gannon University in Erie, Pa. He wrote Oh Brother! The Life & Times of Jeff Fazzolari about his sibling who passed away at a young age. He said that the few nonfiction books in his repertoire were “tough to write.”

That, his 10th novel, took him to the New York Book Festival award ceremony in Manhattan, in addition to London, Paris, Hollywood, Los Angeles and New England book festivals. He said that it was “a room full of people, and I was writing about my brother. So you’re just overwhelmed. With the whole event in New York City talking about him, it is really quite an honor.”

After he put down his pen, Fazzolari said that his friend and Hamburg resident Jeff Popple asked him, “When are you gonna write me something, b----?”

“We were watching a lot of Breaking Bad at that time,” Fazzolari said, with a laugh. He said that his friend’s statement helped him realize that he had a responsibility to go back to the bits and pieces of the story he had begun, and finish writing it.

Dogs on Main Street is a story inspired by Bruce Springsteen. Fazzolari has been a fan of “The Boss” since he was 12 years old. After this month, he will have seen Springsteen in concert 33 times.

“I was like, ‘Hey, what if...’ and those are always the best stories,” he said. His new article follows a fictional group that used to follow Springsteen in the ‘80s. The friends reunite, in an effort to meet the star and in the hope of finding some answers to the questions in their lives.

“I started writing it, and I was having fun,” Fazzolari said. “The best part about fiction is you control everything. After writing nonfiction, and the sadness that got through to my life, I was like, this is so much fun again.”

The author said that the characters of the story reflect the persons about whom Springsteen sings. They are “trying to survive and keep their head above water, and have some type of faith.

“This book itself is just a fun ride,” he added. “But there’s an overtone that, when you’re looking for redemption, sometimes you find the thing you’re looking for, along the way. By accident, [the characters] are able to find a little bit of happiness.”

Fazzolari said that his characters “are all kind of messed up in their own way, like everybody is.” With a plan to attend five concerts in five cities, the group drums up schemes to meet Springsteen.

Dogs on Main Street is not a novel for only Springsteen fans; there is a universal appeal to it, the author said, but he added that true Boss fanatics will be entertained by certain references.

Self-published by the author, this book was printed under Fazzolari Books. Eden resident Chris Colantino, a self-proclaimed avid reader of the author and a friend of Fazzolari’s, did the design work for the book cover.

Fazzolari said that he will enter this novel into the New York Book Festival, and hopes to set up readings around the Hamburg area.

Dogs on Main Street is available for purchase on amazon.com and Kindle®; email Fazzolari directly, at cliffordfc@roadrunner.com.