#WriterWednesday Interview with Maria Gallucci

I’d like to welcome author Maria Gallucci to the blog today for #WriterWedensday!

Words that describe you:

Determined, compassionate, optimistic, resilient, and just a little stubborn.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t:

Impatient and overly ambitious. I always have a million ideas and not enough hours in the day.

Something you’re really good at:

Connecting with people. Whether it’s through real estate, my book, or everyday conversations, I genuinely love helping people feel seen, heard, and valued.

Something you’re really bad at:

Sitting still and relaxing. Even when I’m supposed to be taking a break, I’m usually thinking about my next project.

Things you’d walk a mile for:

Coffee, great Italian food, a good book, and quality time with people I love.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room:

Negativity, unnecessary drama, and people who talk more than they listen.

Things you always put in your books:

Heart, humor, hope, and reminders that connection matters.

Things you never put in your books:

Anything intended to tear people down or make someone feel small.

Favorite places you’ve been:

Italy is at the top of my list. I also love Hawaii and anywhere I can experience a different culture and meet interesting people.

Places you never want to go to again:

I honestly can’t think of one. I usually find something to appreciate wherever I go.

Favorite things to do:

Traveling, reading, spending time with family and friends, hanging out with my pug Ray Ray, and helping people find a place to call home.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing:

Folding laundry. I’d rather negotiate a complicated real estate transaction.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

Writing and publishing Raised in Silence. Sharing your life story with the world is both terrifying and incredibly rewarding.

Something you chickened out from doing:

Skydiving. I keep saying maybe someday, but that day hasn’t arrived yet.

The funniest thing to happen to you:

I’ve accidentally started signing to hearing people who don’t know ASL and not realized it until they gave me a very confused look. Growing up in a Deaf household, it happens more often than you’d think.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you:

Walking confidently into the wrong meeting and introducing myself before realizing I wasn’t supposed to be there.

The coolest person you’ve ever met:

My parents. They are both Deaf and taught me resilience, determination, and that communication is about so much more than words.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video:

Most celebrities seem shorter in real life than they do on television! Like me!!! 

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

That Raised in Silence opened their eyes to a world they had never thought about before and helped them better understand the Deaf community and the importance of inclusion.

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

That they laughed, cried, and stayed up way too late because they couldn’t put the book down.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done:

Building businesses that bring people together. From real estate to advocacy work, I’ve always loved finding creative ways to connect communities.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it:

I’ve had plenty! But some of my biggest lessons and best opportunities came from projects that didn’t go according to plan.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books:

One of the stories in Raised in Silence is helping my Deaf parents navigate the home-buying process when I was just a kid. That experience shaped not only my life but eventually my career in real estate.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not:

Readers sometimes assume every detail and conversation happened exactly as written. While the book is based on my life, some scenes were condensed or combined to help tell the story.

My favorite book as a child:
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.

A book I’ve read more than once:
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Motto: Just Try 

About Maria:

Maria Gallucci is a bestselling author, REALTOR®, entrepreneur, and advocate for inclusion. As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), she grew up bridging the Deaf and hearing worlds, an experience that inspired her book Raised in Silence: Lessons on Listening, Love, and Loud Family Dinners From a Child of Deaf Adults. Maria is passionate about communication, belonging, leadership, and helping people connect across cultures, communities, and differences.

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