Finding Happiness

The theme of music pervades The Bird that Sang in Color.  The story begins and ends in music and music is played throughout with various instruments and albums. But there isn’t only music in a literal sense. There is also the music of

In the beginning of Discovery of an Eagle, Cosmo sees the beauty of the autumn leaves: “And even though he knew that the leaves changing colors meant that they were dying, he never felt death in the air. He felt life, renewal, and

This is the title of the last chapter of Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees. In it, Silvia is so overjoyed by her family gathering that she feels covetous of the time and knows that, like all really good times, it will come to an end too

In Discovery of an Eagle, a near fatal accident wakes Cosmo up to the fragility of life. He realizes that each day is a gift, not a guarantee,  and this realization is the impetus for his awakening. He decides to stop sleepwalking through his

I wrote Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees after a failed attempt at making peace in my own family.  Writing this book wasn’t only cathartic and therapeutic, but it gave me an opportunity to vicariously experience Silvia’s

This is a line from my forthcoming novel and the third novel featuring the Greco family–“The Bird that Sang in Color.” It’s told from the point of view of the family matriarch, Donna and is the story of her transformation

It was difficult to come up with a blog post about finding happiness in such difficult times. My husband and I both lost our jobs this week but I consider us fortunate to have our health. In Italy, people grieve in isolation; our most vulnerable

My mom died when I was fifteen. It was sudden and tragic. No time for goodbyes or any of that last-minute stuff. We were bonded together like shoe strings tied or fingers crossed so the thought of going on without her was really tough. The

What pictures will you have of yourself by the end of your life? This is the question posed to readers in my forthcoming novel. This story begins in 1970 with thirteen-year-old Donna narrating the story of her and her older brother, Vincent. As

Happiness isn’t possible without peace and peace isn’t possible without practicing forgiveness.  In Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees, Silvia, in an attempt to help her brother Vince come to peace with their father, tells him