WCSU alumnus Nicolas DiDomizio

Western Connecticut State University welcomed alumnus and recently published author Nicolas DiDomizio back to campus this week to speak with students in the WCSU Writing Department.

DiDomizio attended WCSU from 2006 to 2010 and initially studied music with a focus on vocals and piano. After receiving his WCSU undergraduate degree, he went on to study music business at New York University’s graduate school. Before publishing his novel, DiDomizio wrote for the web for several years while also working in corporate roles at Condé Nast, MTV and more.

“Burn it All Down,” DiDomizio’s first novel, was published in May 2021, receiving rave reviews from critics and readers alike. “Audacious, addictive, highly entertaining —  unforgettable!” are author James Patterson’s words of praise featured on the book’s cover.

Publishing company Little, Brown and Company describes the book on its dedicated page:

“Eighteen-year-old aspiring comic Joey Rossi just found out his boyfriend has been cheating on him for the past 10 months. But what did he expect? Joey was born with an addiction to toxic jerks, something he inherited from his lovably messy, wisecracking, Italian-American spitfire of a mom (and best friend): 34-year-old Gia Rossi. When Gia’s latest non-relationship goes up in flames only a day later, the pair’s Bayonne, New Jersey, apartment can barely contain their rage. In a misguided attempt at revenge, Joey and Gia inadvertently commit a series of crimes and flee the state, running to the only good man either of them has ever known — Gia’s ex, Marco. As they hide out from the law at Marco’s secluded lake house, Joey and Gia must confront all the bad habits and mistakes they’ve made that have led them to this moment, and find a way to take responsibility for what they’ve done.”

In the weeks prior to his return to WCSU, DiDomizio said he was “excited to come back and share any tips and bits of wisdom that I can to the next generation.” He focused on the journey to publication and urged student writers “to always be writing something and not to get caught up in the short-term goals.”

WCSU Master of Fine Arts in Creative and Professional Writing Mentor and Professor of Writing John Roche invited DiDomizio to visit because instructors in the Writing Department “wanted current Writing majors and other students to be able to hear directly from Nic about his writing life, including what it’s like to have your first novel praised by bestselling author James Patterson and lots of other fellow writers, critics and readers.”

Roche said, “While Nic wasn’t a Writing major while he was at WCSU, the Writing Department faculty thought it would be invaluable to have Nic speak with our students, including his decision to switch from a corporate career after several years to penning ‘Burn It All Down’ and hopefully many more great novels to come. There is nothing that hits home more for students than hearing from someone who sat where they are sitting now, so we’re so glad that Nic visited his alma mater for a discussion this week.”

For more information about the Writing program at WCSU, go to www.wcsu.edu/writing/.

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