Anthony Crescio grew up in the small town of Randolph, Wisconsin. In the winter of 2009, his best friend lost his life in a tragic car accident as a result of drinking and driving. Anthony has since been inspired to speak to youth groups in the hopes of preventing other similar accidents from occurring. He has also started writing books reflecting on his life story and delivering a Christian message of God’s mercy, forgiveness, and love.
Visit Anthony on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.crescio
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am from a small town in Wisconsin, called Randolph. I grew up in a good Christian home, but after going off to college I got caught up in a fast and loose lifestyle, turning away from the faith I had been raised in. After experiencing tragedy in my life, I had a reversion of my faith, which led me into writing and into an unquenchable desire to know more about the God who was remaking me after I had destroyed myself. This led me to where I am today, studying theology at Marquette University full time, while being an aspiring Christian writer as well.
When did you begin writing?
Writing for me began with a powerful reversion of my faith. I had completely destroyed my life and by God’s grace I was able to find healing. This led to a complete transformation of self, which after being so self-centered I now felt a desire to share the message of God’s forgiveness and mercy to be found in a personal and intimate encounter with Christ. The desire to share this message ultimately led me to begin writing.
Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?
Writing for me is typically a combination of contemplating an idea for a few days, weeks, or even months. This internal contemplation can take place anywhere and eventually will get expressed in the form of writing when I feel I have a complete thought to share, or at least a substantial portion of the thought. Right now being a full time student, I write around my school schedule when I have a stroke of inspiration.
What is this book about?
C. S. Lewis wrote that, “Pain is God’s megaphone,” and essentially this is what the book is about. It is about how difficulties in life provide us with an opportunity for an intimate encounter with God. Ultimately this encounter provides the opportunity to experience God’s mercy, forgiveness, and love. This encounter also leads to a better understanding of ourselves; it’s the idea of getting to know the created through the Creator; it is in our encounter with God that one finds one’s purpose and meaning in life. Also this is a book about the way which we live life. So often in today’s world we find the idea that suffering and obstacles are to be shunned, but as Dominic finds out, the opportunity for growth and to become more complete as a human being is found in embracing the crosses we are asked to carry in life, and following in the footsteps of Christ.
What inspired you to write it?
Pain was literally God’s megaphone to me. After living a self-centered life, I lost everything in an instant. I experienced the loss of my best-friend in a tragic and senseless manner because of the way I was living, and it was in the midst of finding God’s mercy, forgiveness, and love for myself that I desired to share this gift of God available to all.
Who is your biggest supporter?
My biggest supporters are without contest my parents. They have been supportive of me and my desire to reach others with Christ’s message which I so powerfully experienced.
Are you a member of a critique group? If no, who provides feedback on your work?
Yeh I am, my family. Of course this is only a joke. In actuality I am not part of a formal critique group, but honestly my family provides me with the harshest criticism. In addition, I also have a friend who is a former English teacher of mine who reads over my manuscripts.
Who is your favorite author?
So many to choose from, but the top two would have to be C. S. Lewis and Mitch Albom. I admire both men’s ability to keep an audience intrigued as well as their ability to inject such profound insights and truths into a piece of fiction in such a creative manner.
Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?
I do not currently have an agent and am not actively looking for one. That being said I am not closed to the idea of working with an agent.
Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?
Surprisingly the road to publication was very smooth. I didn’t experience difficulty in finding a publishing house who was willing to publish my manuscript (knock on wood).
Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?
Readers can purchase the book at Tate Publishing’s website in addition to Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com to name a few others. And if you happen to be in the Randolph area for some reason, stop in at the Covenant Book Store they have sold more copies than any other outlet. So a big thank you to them.
Do you have a video trailer to promote your book? If yes, where can readers find it?
Yes the trailer for the book can be seen on Tate Publishing’s website, or on youtube at the link provided here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPhfNeK7VaQ
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?
Write from the heart and make sure your story has a purpose. If you are just going to write about you, what is the point of that? You can only write about what you know, but relate what you know to the reader about our purpose in life through experience. If you can engage the reader in a story that ultimately improves their relationship with God in some way, then your story has meaning.
What is up next for you?
God willing I will be studying at Marquette University full time over the next couple of years. Also, I hope to get another of my manuscripts ready for publication soon. Other than that I hope to be able to share the message of God’s love and mercy in whatever platform He makes available.
Is there anything you would like to add?
In today’s world I think it would be easy for readers to dismiss what I have said here or have written in my book as mere spiritual mumbojumbo that has no place in the “real” world. My words may be dismissed as inviting people to share some illusion, or as trying to provide people with what Marx called, “the opium of the people.” However, I invite potential readers to set aside any preconceived notions of faith and religion, to ignore the loud voice of today’s culture, and to experience the beauty that is found in an intimate encounter with Jesus Christ and see how powerful that can be.
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