Raised in Northern New Jersey, Novelli earned a Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Baltimore. He retired from government after more than thirty years of service, and he started a second career in academia as an Assistant Professor, Lecturer, and an Adjunct at several universities and colleges. When he is not writing or teaching, Novelli enjoys music, traveling, reading, and spending time with his family. His very favorite poet is the late Jim Carroll, although his first exposure to the genre was the works of Robert Frost. He still resides in the New York metropolitan area, and has published one collection of poetry.