Date Published: 05-15-2026
Publisher: RMK Publications
Interview with Joe Cappello
Author of The Secret of the Smiling Rock Man
Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?
Prior to writing the title story for my collection, “The Secret of the Smiling Rock Man,” I had visited Pueblo Blanco in the Galisteo basin of New Mexico. This pueblo featured a stunning array of petroglyphs, rock carvings done by the ancient people living there. As I struggled to find a way to convey my ideas about mortality and the meaning of life, I looked back on some of the photos I had taken on that day. And there he was. A carving of a rock man who became the dominant character of my story, as well as the inspiration for the title and cover design of my collection.
I had also made several trips to the New Mexico town of Madrid, a former coal mining town which was once considered a hippie commune and is now an artist’s community and a popular tourism destination. But it became the basis for the fictional town of Monserat, New Mexico, in my story, “Genesis.” Instead of a place for outsiders and artists, I flipped the switch and recast it as the perfect town to be ruled by a group of capitalists seeking to establish a community based on money and entrepreneurial success.
What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?
The myth of Sisyphus. In my story, “Running Errands,” I wanted to illustrate the act of breathing. Though essential, it struck me that it is a numbingly routine task. My research led me to the Sisyphus myth. Sisyphus is sentenced by the gods to push a rock up a hill, only to watch it roll down to the bottom every time. He has to repeat this process for all eternity. It seemed weird, but it fit as a metaphor for breathing. We inhale, exhale, then start the whole process over again…for our entire lives. It made me wonder. Are we being punished like the outcast, Sisyphus?
What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?
I always look to works that came before me for inspiration. In my story, “Hell is Gate 25 at JFK,” I present a fictional account of a time when I missed a flight at JFK due to inclement weather. But the atmosphere in the airport at the time became more bizarre and frenetic with each announcement of a delay and the final one of cancellation. It reminded me of Dante’s Inferno. I injected elements of horror and confusion in Dante’s description of hell in my work and even used a lot of the same character names that appear in his work.
Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.
I believe my work has been most impacted by playwrights, as I consider dialogue to be an essential element in all of my work. I remember attending a talk by Athol Fugard, the South African playwright known for his anti-apartheid works. I always admired his dialogue, particularly in works like “Master Harold and the Boys.” It was a thrill to hear him talk about his work. I try to keep the dialogue in my stories as sharp and realistic as the dialogue in his plays. I remember meeting him briefly after he spoke. I told him how much I appreciated his work and I’ll never forget the sincerity and humility on his face as he took my hand and thanked me for my comment.
Do you write in the same genre all the time?
I write fiction in the form of short stories. I am comfortable with this form and I like the challenge of telling a complete story in a limited number of words.
If so, have you ever consider writing in another one?
Lately, I am drawn to speculative fiction. I like removing the traditional guard rails of storytelling and infusing my stories with a mixture of magical realism and unexplained phenomenon. I have done this in some of my current work and look forward to doing more of it in future endeavors.
Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I like characters who want to know more. They are not satisfied with explanations of our world that are rooted in shallow traditions and expressed in glib platitudes. They know, as humans, we have only begun to scratch the surface of those eternal questions…Who are we...Where did we come from...Where are we going? Now, I can’t wait to see how some of my future characters will go about answering those questions!
About the Author
Fortunately, he overcame his initial stage fright and began accepting roles in community theatre, the parts of Oscar Madison in “The Odd Couple” and Ivan Lomov in “The Proposal” among his favorites. He studied acting in New York City and performed in a couple of Off-Off Broadway productions including Sam Shepherd’s “Buried Child,” where he played the crotchety, whiney patriarch, Dodge (a part for which his wife felt he was uniquely suited).
He wrote and produced plays for children, awarding roles to his sons and other kids in his neighborhood (earning the gratitude of their parents who considered rehearsals free babysitting). He started writing adult plays and received a number of accolades including an honorable mention in the 2020 Bridge Award contest sponsored by Arts in the Armed Forces (AIAF) for his full-length play, “The Stars of Orion” and selection as the winner of the 2022 Susan Hansell Drama Award for his one act play, “Monarch.”
But the logistics of staging plays proved too time consuming. In his early 30's he started writing short stories and flash fiction pieces and submitting them for publication. Many of the stories presented in this collection have been published in online magazines and anthologies, and some have achieved recognition, most notably, “The Secret of the Smiling Rock Man,” First Place, National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest (2022); “They Only Showed Elvis from the Waist Up,” First Place, Southwest Writers Writing Contest (2023); and “Running Errands,” Finalist, Hemingway Shorts Competition, sponsored by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park (2023).
Joe invites you to read more of his work and follow his anything-but-straight-line career at joecappelloauthor.com.
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