Interview With School Shootings Prevention Author Luis D. Aponte

1. What inspired you to write this book?
Six and a half minutes. That’s how quickly 17 lives were taken and 17 others were wounded during Florida’s deadliest school shooting on Valentine’s Day 2018. It happened at my alma mater in Parkland, Florida. The devastation shook the entire South Florida community, and it changed me as well.

As I watched the news unfold and parents scream for their children, I felt paralyzed, angry, and determined to make a positive difference. I knew I couldn’t undo the tragedy, but I also knew I had skills that could help. As a librarian and researcher, I could gather facts, identify patterns across 30 years of school shootings, and create something that might prevent another community from experiencing this pain. My goal was simple: offer solutions grounded in data, not politics, while respecting everyone’s Constitutional rights. Every child deserves to feel safe at school. That conviction is what drove and sustained my commitment for seven years to write this book.

2. What exactly is it about — and who is it written for?
A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting is a meticulously researched and deeply personal exploration of school gun violence in the United States. Drawing from 30 years of data across 1,204 incidents, the book uncovers patterns and misconceptions surrounding school shootings, offering actionable, nonpartisan solutions for communities to prevent future tragedies. I challenge common perceptions, revealing that arguments, feuds, and criminal activity—not mental illness or bullying—are the leading causes of school shootings. I emphasize the importance of emotional intelligence, responsible gun ownership, and community involvement, while advocating for measures like threat assessment teams, panic button systems, and consistent use of metal detectors. The book also highlights the critical role of parents, educators, and students in fostering safer school environments. With compassion and urgency, I provide a roadmap for communities to work together to protect children and educators from the devastating threat of gun violence.

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?
My hope is that this book will inspire communities to move beyond offering “thoughts and prayers” and laws that don't address the root issue of school gun violence. By examining fact‑based, nonpartisan patterns across 1,204 school shootings, I want parents and communities to feel empowered and to recognize that keeping children safe from gun violence does not require an act of Congress. It requires understanding the patterns, taking practical steps, and working together. That sense of empowerment is what I hope readers carry with them.

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?
The cover image of my book is based on a photo I took of the memorial at the front of my alma mater, captured just two weeks after the Parkland mass shooting. The title changed and evolved over time. I knew this is a heavy but important topic, and I wanted the title to carry a sense of hope. That’s how "A Safe Place" was born. I later partnered with a talented designer, David Provolo, through Reedsy.com to bring the cover to life, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the result.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?
Nothing pulls a reader out of a book faster than poor writing, especially when you have an important message to share with the world. The truth is, you don’t know what you don’t know. That’s why I feel it's essential to invest in your work by building a team of people who excel in different areas of writing, editing, publishing, design, and promotion. Think of it as assembling your own literary Avengers… minus the capes and creatine.

When I first attempted the traditional publishing route, I hired Windword Literary Services to strengthen my query letter and book proposal. Their guidance dramatically improved my book’s development and helped shape a more compelling table of contents. I also worked with a developmental editor through Writer’s Digest, who helped refine the prose, pacing, tone, and structure. Once those revisions were complete, I hired a line editor on ServiceScape.com to review every sentence for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Finally, I brought in two beta readers from Upwork.com to provide honest, unfiltered feedback before publication.

These professionals are worth their weight in gold, but thankfully, their prices are far more reasonable. The right team will elevate your work and help you create a book you’re genuinely proud to share with the world.
 
6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
As a librarian who helps people find their next great read, I’ve noticed that most readers still prefer physical books over their digital counterparts. There’s just something about the weight, the pages, and the ability to accidentally drop it in the bathtub without voiding a warranty. But as an author, I also know it’s important to meet readers wherever they are, which is why I released my book in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats.

I’ve also seen a major shift in how books actually reach readers. Whether you’re traditionally published or self‑published, you normally can’t rely solely on your own platform to sell books. Authors today need to connect with targeted bloggers, podcasters, influencers, writing contests, and reporters who already speak to the audiences most likely to connect with your work. In other words, even the best book needs a little help finding its people.

In addition, I find it intriguing that authors are now finding ways to use AI to promote and market their books. I have used different AI platforms to check the grammar of my blogs, tighten up my social media posts, and even create instrumental background music for some of my videos. However, I have yet to use platforms like Zeeli.ai to generate and run ad campaigns on social media. I think more traditional and self-published authors are going to take advantage of this technology to generate creative promotional campaigns and to save precious time.

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?
As a librarian, I help people find credible information every day—whether they’re searching for jobs, improving their language skills, or locating peer‑reviewed medical research. After the Parkland shooting, I realized those same research skills could help me identify fact‑based patterns that might prevent the next school shooting. I just didn’t realize how big the project would become. Most books on school shootings examine one to twelve incidents; mine are the first to analyze 1,204. In my personal life, the experience that kept me pushing through seven years of research was the fact that I had to leave school a year early because of the threat of gun violence. That memory stayed with me and fueled my determination to finish this work.

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
My writing style is conversational and casual because it is important for the average person to understand the concepts that are in my book. I added personal stories and stories of some of the victims and suspects so that readers can see themselves reflected in these events. I didn't want it to be a neutral-toned study with dry facts. School gun violence is personal and affects people all over the country. It should feel personal, yet authoritative. I have too much respect for the talent of other writers to try to compare my writing style to anyone else. 

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?
One of my biggest challenges was taking the mountain of data I collected and turning it into clear, digestible insights that readers would actually want to engage with. At one point, my spreadsheet looked less like research and more like something that required its own IT department. That’s when I discovered a talented infographic designer named Harrison Schell. I had seen his visually stunning infographic, "The History of Pandemics," and immediately knew I needed to work with him.

I shared my entire spreadsheet with him and asked what stood out. He became the fresh pair of eyes I desperately needed. He was someone who could spot the most compelling patterns and help give the book shape, structure, and visual clarity. In short, he turned my data chaos into something readers could actually enjoy and appreciate without needing a pot of coffee and Scotch tape to hold their eyes open.

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?
No parent should ever have to bury their own child. In my book, I talk about the four deaths I believe parents experience when they lose a child, because grief doesn’t end with the funeral. It echoes through every part of life. It’s summer now, but a new school year is just around the corner. In the United States, at least one school shooting occurs every week. If you have children or grandchildren in school, how important is it to you to protect them from gun violence?

No one ever thinks it can happen in their community...until it does. Parkland is an affluent city and considered one of the “safest” in Florida. No one imagined a tragedy of that magnitude could ever be unleashed there. I don’t want to see another parent endure that kind of loss. I dedicated seven years of research to this book to empower families and communities with the knowledge they need to help save the lives of the people they love.

If you read one book this month, let it be one that could help protect a child’s life. 

About The Author: Luis D. Aponte (he/him) is a librarian, U.S. Air Force veteran, and author of four influential books on school shootings, including A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting and The Ultimate U.S. School Shooting Reference Guide, Volumes 1-3. An alumnus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School—the site of Florida’s deadliest school shooting in 2018—Aponte turned his community's tragedy into a mission to prevent future violence. Over seven years, he analyzed 1,204 school shootings spanning three decades, uncovering patterns and evidence-based strategies to save lives. His work has appeared in the EDUCATION peer-reviewed journal and in Virginia-based newspapers. His books serve as vital resources for parents, educators, policymakers, and community leaders. With a master’s degree in Library and Information Science, Aponte blends academic rigor and personal conviction to inspire safer schools and stronger communities. His work serves as a powerful call to action, urging communities to unite around nonpartisan, evidence-based solutions to end the epidemic of school gun violence. For more information, please see: https://asafeplacebook.com/ 

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For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

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