GRAFTON, Mass. – It took ninety years, but it finally happened for Jane Nozzolillo: she became filthy rich – or at least, that’s what she thought.

“I got this call from a man saying he was from Publisher’s Clearinghouse,” she explains. “He said, ‘You won $2.5 million and a Lincoln.’”

Nozzolillo, a longtime Grafton resident, was living in an independent living retirement community at the time of her supposed windfall. She was excited about the news.

“I really believed him.”

Later that day, when attending physical therapy across the street, she shared her news with the staff.

“I told the girl, ‘I gotta leave early, cause they’re coming with my car and $2.5 million!’ She looked confused, but, I mean, he really had me convinced. In fact, I had my two friends come over. ‘You got to be here when he comes,’ I said. I was so excited!”

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Nozzolillo, who turns 98 in July, closed her eyes and shook her head while she wrapped up her story.

“Of course, he never showed up,” she said.

The fake Publisher’s Clearinghouse representative called later in the day, but this time, Nozzolillo’s friend answered the phone.

“She said, ‘I know you’re a fraud’ and of course he was a fraud,” Nozzolillo said. “He really fooled me until the end. I thought I had it made.”

This attempted fraud didn’t upset or embarrass Nozzolillo. She simply went to work, writing a fictional version of the story called “Look At Me, I’m Rich,” based on the incident and published as part of a delightful compilation of short stories set in the fictional Grafton retirement community of Vintage Hollow.

“There was no need to get mad,” Nozzolillo said with a laugh and a shrug. “It happened. I might as well write about it. At least I got a good story out of it.”

Nozzolillo has become a productive writer in her golden years, authoring a total of 15 books. Since turning 90, she has published seven, including the Vintage Hollow series, which is broken up into three books.

“Do not confuse independent living with assisted living,” Nozzoolillo said. “Independent living is good because we can still have an independent life. You just need a little bit of help, that’s all.”

Nozzolillo’s stories are written through a first-person narrator, all beginning with the simple phrase, “My name is…” She uses simple, straight-forward conversational prose and draws significantly from her life experiences. Her voice shines in her work, and she tackles each circumstance and obstacle with a sense of wit and honesty. Her work is light, fun and amusing to read.

“At Vintage Hollow, these people can certainly drive and they can walk around,” she said. “They can do a lot of stuff and cause a little commotion, too.”

Nozzolillo admits she never set out to become a humorist.

“I didn’t realize that people would think they were funny,” she said. “I thought that they were alright, but people seem to really love them. I think I just like writing about being old. I would never write a love story, or a thriller or anything like that.

Nozzolillo always loved to write, but said life got in the way of her actually being a productive writer in her earlier years. After her beloved husband of 61 years, Patrick Nozzolillo, died in 2014, she said writing became therapeutic and a joyful pastime.

“When I was younger, I used to say, ‘I’m going to write today,’” she said. “‘I’m definitely going to write today.’ And then of course, wouldn’t you know it, I got married and had the kids… Besides, I never was a fast typist, which is probably another reason why I didn’t get a lot done. That’s the way it goes!”

As a kid, Nozzolillo walked to the Worcester Public Library every Sunday, fostering a lifelong love of reading.

“I would just walk around and look at all the books and say, ‘someday I’m going to work at a library.’ And the miracle happened … It was just the nicest part of my life.”

Nozzolillo worked at the Grafton Public Library for 20 years as a library assistant in charge of interlibrary loans. After retiring, she volunteered her time at the

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Grafton Historical Society, which is a frequent setting of her books.

“The historical society has done so much for the town, and I just want to write about it,” she said.

Nozzolillo’s work is also included in several local literary compilation books called “Animal Crackers,” “Massachusetts Calling,” “Holiday Wishes,” and “Fear, Worry, Anxiety.”

All in all, Nozzolillo proudly says she has no regrets. She is happy to keep writing this late in life.

“Let’s face it, getting old is horrible,” she said. “That’s why all my books have a happy ending. If something comes up and catches my eyes, so-to-speak, I just feel I want to write about it and I’m thankful that I can. When my back is hurting or when I’m not feeling so great, at least I can write. I’m so thankful for that. It’s the most wonderful thing.”

Nozzolillo is currently working on a poem about two ghosts haunting the Grafton Historical Society. Her work is available on Amazon and Kindle.